COMPARATIVE VIEW OF LEGAL EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES

PRESENTED BY: LOUIS AUCOIN

Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

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American Legal Education

Bachelor’s degree followed by three years of full time study or four years of part time study

Socratic Method

Features of American Legal Education

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Written examinations in large classes; research papers in seminars

Professional skills training required

American Legal Education

Three year professional degree obtained after four year undergraduate education

Admission is highly selective; students must take a standardized Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)

Selection determined by LSAT, undergraduate grades and character and fitness for law practice

200 law schools approved/accredited by the American Bar Association

Each approved law school is visited once every 7 years by a team to determine if the law school is meeting the Standards for Approval.

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Standard 302 Curriculum

(a) A law school shall require that each student receive substantial instruction in: (1) the substantive law generally regarded as necessary to

effective and responsible participation in the legal profession; (2) legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, problem

solving, and oral communication; (3) writing in a legal context, including at least one rigorous

writing experience in the first year and at least one additional rigorous writing experience after the first year;

(4) other professional skills generally regarded as necessary for effective and responsible participation in the legal profession; and

(5) the history, goals, structure, values, rules and responsibilities of the legal profession and its members.

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Standard 302 Curriculum

(b) A law school shall offer substantial opportunities for: (1) live-client or other real-life practice experiences,

appropriately supervised and designed to encourage reflection by students on their experiences and on the values and responsibilities of the legal profession, and the development of one’s ability to assess his or her performance and level of competence;

(2) student participation in pro bono activities; and (3) small group work through seminars, directed

rsearch, small classes, or collaborative work.

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The Fletcher SchoolTufts University

Boston, MAThe oldest exclusively graduate school of

International Affairs in the US6 degree programs:

MALD, MA, PhD, MIB, LLM, GMAP Approximately 550 students22 fields of study, 175 courses per year42% International, 80+ countries

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The Fletcher School is Known for:

Its first-rate faculty who operate at the nexus of theory and practice

Being one of the leading graduate professional schools in the world; the first exclusively graduate school of international affairs in the U.S.

Its multidisciplinary curriculum combining functional and regional approaches to traditional and emerging issues

The intimacy of the Fletcher community

Global innovation; i.e., the Global Master of Arts Program (GMAP), the Master of International Business (MIB), the Center for Emerging Market Enterprises (CEME), and the Master of Laws in International Law (LLM)

Its caliber and diversity of its student body

Its distinguished alumni in all sectors

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LL.M. Program in International Law

Enriching international legal careers through the Fletcher experience

15 Students in the 2010-2011 class 87% International Applications from 35+ countries

A year long program culminating in a Capstone in Talloires, France Eight courses, five within the law fieldThesis presented at the CapstoneLanguage requirement

The High Table Series Brings top legal practitioners to Fletcher Networking opportunity for our LLMs Meets once a month

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Key Topic Areas

Foreign PolicyEnvironment & EnergyBusinessEconomic DevelopmentTradeLaw SecurityHuman RightsConflict ResolutionDiplomacy

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LL.M. Program in International Law

• Nigerian national with 20+ years experience, including the past 6 years as the Managing Partner of his firm, holding two Master’s degrees from the University of Lagos

• Legal counsel for the Ministry of the Attorney General, Ontario, Canada in the area of civil litigation , member of the South Asian Bar Association and Pro Bono counsel for the NGO SMILE

• Malaysian attorney serving as Associate Legal Officer at the International Commission of Jurists, Asia- Pacific Region in Bangkok

• Attorney from the Republic of Georgia working for the UNHCR and the Norwegian Refugee Council, holding a Master’s degree from the Central European University, Budapest

• Attorney from the U.S. licensed in California and Massachusetts, author of Expatriate Games, Skyhorse Publishing (2008), holding a Master’s degree from the Central European University, Prague

• Attorney from Pakistan working as the Coordinator for the Human Rights Defender’s Protection Project for the Nonviolent Peaceforce Sri Lanka, holding a Master’s degree from Mahidol University

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Where can I go with my degree?

Public sector/government

AcademiaNon-profit sector

Foundations/institutions Think tanks Non-governmental

organizations (NGOs) Public interest/advocacy

groups

Multilateral/inter-governmental organizations

Private sector Consulting Financial services Media Technology Law Firms Energy

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Where Do Our Alumni Work?12