Summer Law Programs
Use the summer to prepare for your LL.M., improve your legal English, or broaden your expertise in a new field of lawBy V. Wish
Quartier Montmarte, Paris
An increasing number of law schools in the United States and Europe now offer specialized summer law courses for lawyers interested in broadening their expertise and improving their language skills. Though many such programs are designed to prepare lawyers for their LL.M., some courses also appeal to students who are not ready or interested in taking an entire year off to study.
One of the most common summer courses available are introductory courses in US law for foreign lawyers, many of who plan on taking a full-time LL.M. course in the United States. Some courses – such as those offered at the University of Southern California (USC), Penn, Vanderbilt, Illinois and Northwestern – utilize the generally relaxed summer months to teach introductory US law and improve the English skills of foreign lawyers and pre-LL.M. students. Such courses also provide a useful introduction to how US law schools operate.
"Our summer law classes are taught by our law school professors, so this gives students the opportunity to get used to American law school classes and they also get a sense of what can be expected for their Master's program," says Misa Shimotsu, who directs the Summer Law and English program at the USC Gould School of Law.
"It also benefits those who do not continue their legal studies in the United States as they are able to build a foundation of the American legal system and get a ‘snapshot’ experience of an American law school,” adds Shimotsu.
Summer programs are also available in the United Kingdom and Europe. Two US law schools – Boston University and Georgetown – host introductory courses in US law in London each summer. Another course is the Columbia Summer Program, a longstanding partnership between Columbia University, Leiden University and Amsterdam University that hosts month-long introduction to US law in the Netherlands each year. The Summer School of English Legal Methods at Cambridge University has similar aims, but is catered to students planning to study or practice in the United Kingdom.
There are also a number of programs for students who want to go deeper into a particular field of law, such as the International Commercial Law LL.M. program at UC Davis. Many law school summer programs also give US lawyers and law students the chance to study abroad. The International Human Rights Law program, presented jointly by Oxford and George Washington University, is one such program. Other specialized summer courses abroad include Cornell’s Paris Summer Institute, the Summer Course in EU Law at King’s College London, and the GWU and Santa Clara Intellectual Property Law summer courses in Munich.
Naturally, many prospective students may question the value of taking a few months out of their busy lives to participate in a summer program, not to mention the tuition and travel expenses. This is particularly true for students who are not taking the summer courses as preparation for their full-time LL.M. course. Apart from deepening knowledge, improving one’s legal English, or learning more about US law, are there any other concrete benefits from taking a summer course?
For incoming LL.M. students, an extra month or two to adapt to the cultural and social life at a law school is usually welcome. And for those considering their career, summer courses can send a positive message. While it may not single-handedly land you the dream job when you return home, summer courses can show prospective employers or admissions boards a motivation to study abroad, branch out and acquire new skills and expertise.
“I believe that any supplemental program – English or otherwise – is beneficial to one's resume,” says Shimotsu. “Enrolling in any programs which prepare students for their master’s level courses shows initiative and ambition.”
Related Programs
- University of Southern California - USC Law School
- University of Pennsylvania Law School - Penn Law
- Vanderbilt University Law School
- University of Illinois (UIUC) College of Law
- Northwestern University (NU)
- Northwestern University - The Legal English Summer Institute
- Boston University School of Law (BU Law)
- Georgetown University Law Center (GULC)
- Columbia University - Columbia Law School (CLS)
- Leiden University · Universiteit Leiden
- Amsterdam Law School - University of Amsterdam (UvA)
- University of California, Davis (UC Davis)
- George Washington University - Intellectual Property Law Program
- George Washington University Law School (GW Law)
- MIPLC - Munich Intellectual Property Law Center
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
- Cornell University - Cornell Law School
- University of London - King's College London (KCL)
- Santa Clara University School of Law
Comments
Hy,
I would like to ask you how can l apply for the summer programme and how much does it cost.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Yours faithfully,
Mihaescu Bucura
hello, I'm student from Poland.This year I'm graduating Silesian University.I'm iterested in starting LLM program in Europe,specially England.I would be gratefull if you wrote me some infomation about nearest courses of summer school.
Aleksandra
Fordham Law School in NYC also offers a two week summer program for foreign lawyers and law students. I run this program and wanted to make interested viewers aware of it. Please visit http://law.fordham.edu/summerprogram.
Hi,
I am student from Central Asia- Kyrgyzstan. I would like to know how can I apply and does this programme has scholarships for international students.
Thank you,
Milena
Hi
I am a Fourth Year student of Law at ILS Law College, Pune, India, one of the premier law institutions of the country. I am very enthusiastic about a summer law programme. I wish to know about various Summer School Programmes In USA and Europe partiularly England. Also, can I avail of a scholarship, if yes, how.
Regards
Sachin Sachdeva.
Could you please, send me information about the above program.
Thanks
SP
Hello, my name is Daiana, I am from Kazakhstan.
I am very interested in pre-LLM program, and I would like to improve my legal english with the purpose to get LLM degree.
Due to it i would like to know does US have any pre-LLM prgrams that can be not in the summer?
Thank you in advance, Daiana
I am interested in studying an LLM in the United States or Europe. Due to my job, I would like to know if there are any options to study the LLM program during summers.
hi; my name is Mohammed kerouich ; am a moroccain Lawyer ; due to my job i need to improve my legal english .
the best thing i think is summer law school ; i would like if there is any programme in paris;
i ll be so gratful for your help to send me all details.
Bests.
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