Law students without borders

Daily Record and the Kansas City Daily News-Press, Feb 25, 2008 by Kelly Wiese

Wash. U. works with foreign schools in first-of-its-kind training program

Kathryn Kuznitsky moved to St. Louis to attend law school at Washington University with hopes of someday working in a foreign country.

Now the school is launching a program that may be just what she's looking for.

Washington University is partnering with Utrecht University in the Netherlands to offer a four-year transnational law program. U.S. students will complete five semesters at Washington University and three at Utrecht. Upon graduation, they will receive a regular law degree, a master's in law from Utrecht and a certificate of completion of the transnational law program.

The school says the transnational law program, with a jointly created curriculum, internships and faculty exchanges, goes beyond a typical exchange program and is the first of its kind in the country.

The basic idea is to prepare students for a career in areas of law with international elements. There will be a track for those who wish to work in public law, such as international tribunals in The Hague, and for those who plan to be at private firms but in an area that requires understanding of law beyond U.S. borders. These days, that can be a variety of things, from custody battles to technology piracy and global corporations to criminal law involving foreign people or governments.

"There's a whole array of opportunities that might not be the first things one thinks about," said Dorsey Ellis, a law professor and chairman of the program's faculty advisory committee.

While the initial class will attend only Utrecht, the program also includes universities in Italy, Portugal and Northern Ireland, with hopes that someday Washington University students could attend any of those schools as part of the program.

Students also can complete summer internships with U.S. and foreign law firms, companies, courts and government agencies.

Ellis and Michael Peil, director of the school's World Law Institute, unveiled the concept to about 20 students who came out on an icy day last week to learn more.

Washington University is offering a continuing legal education course for practicing attorneys Tuesday to launch the program. It will include a discussion with experts from the participating European schools on the future of transnational law and how to address it in law school.

Washington University plans to begin with a class of about six students from those now completing their first year of law school. They would begin the transnational program in September. In the future, students will apply and begin when they enter law school. The school expects applicants to the program to have some international experience and foreign language skills.

Peil said the work will prepare students for real jobs in Europe or the United States, not just another degree or ability to pass a European bar exam.

"We are also setting you up to be hirable so you don't just have a trophy" law license, he said.

Kuznitsky said she previously worked for the French education ministry as a teaching assistant, traveling around Europe, and hoped to establish a legal career with an international aspect. In particular, she's interested in international human rights law at the United Nations, or perhaps corporate and contract law with a foreign element.

She said adding a year, and a cost, to her time in law school isn't a big concern because the experience and the foreign connections to be gained are valuable.

"This program sounds amazing," Kuznitsky said. "Done deal. It doesn't seem that daunting, that extra year."

The school also is seeking grants along with private fundraising to offer some financial aid to interested students struggling to pay the cost.

Associate dean of admissions Janet Bolin said the university has gone from seeing one or two graduates annually take jobs with an international element to 20 or more a year. She warned that foreign aspects of law will crop up for almost everyone at some point.

"It's almost impossible once you start practicing law to not have some kind of international law issue come across your desk," she said.