Introducing our incoming fall 2013 exchange students!

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This fall, 16 students from our exchange and cooperative partner law schools abroad are studying at HLS. (In return, 18 HLS students are spending the semester abroad, studying in Barbados, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Peru, Switzerland, and the UK.)

We hope you’ll have a chance to meet these visiting students!

In this photo, left to right:

First row:  Ursina Menn (University of Geneva), Florentin Juillet (Sciences Po), Duy-Lam Nguyen (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies).

Second row:  Marjorie Alfonso (Fundação Getulio Vargas, Rio de Janeiro), Melisande Nussbaum (University of Geneva), Marlena Wisniak (University of Geneva), Babaka Tracy Mputu (Sciences Po), Emmanuelle Lê (Sciences Po), Malik Touanssa (Sciences Po).

Third row:  Roxane Best (Sciences Po), Luiz Franscisco Mota Santiago Filho (Fundação Getulio Vargas, Rio de Janeiro), Ann Sofie Cloots (University of Cambridge), Francesca Bresciani (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies), Amanda Porter (University of Sydney).

In this photo, left to right:

Daniel Peat and Nikiforos Meletiadis (both University of Cambridge).

Where can study abroad take you?  Visit the semester abroad pages in the International Legal Studies section of the HLS web site, and watch the ILS Events page and this blog for postings about information sessions scheduled in September and later in the year.

Ursina Menn, an exchange student spending the fall semester at HLS, on studying law at the University of Geneva

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How would you describe the teaching method(s) used in your classes?
Classes in Geneva combine classical, straightforward ex cathedra courses and practical exercises in small groups. The teaching methods of course vary according to the personal styles of the different professors. Reading materials are generally available at the beginning of the term.

Can you describe your campus, its location, some of things you can do nearby?
The University of Geneva does not possess a campus in the traditional way; its buildings are spread out over the city. The main building for law students, Uni Mail, is a modern building located right by the city’s largest parks. Geneva is beautifully located by Lake Geneva and with the snow-capped Alps as a background. Geneva has many museums and international organizations and offers a great variety of sporting possibilities.

Can you describe an interesting course or seminar you took this past year – one that you might recommend to an HLS student?
I personally enjoyed very much the lectures by Robert Kolb on International Law, Law of the United Nations and Humanitarian Law, and the lectures on international criminal law by Nicolas Michel.

Also worth mentioning is the Art-Law Centre, and the courses taught by Professor Marc-André Renold.

Are you involved in a student organization that might interest an HLS student?
The most recommendable student organization for a student coming from abroad is certainly ELSA (European Law Students Association), which has sections at almost every European law school.

Are there any recent changes or new developments at your school?
Almost all lectures and courses at the University of Geneva are recorded digitally and can be downloaded/watched over the Internet at any time by the enrolled students.

Is there anything else that you think an HLS student should know?
Compared to American cities, Geneva is relatively small, which facilitates getting to know the city and its inhabitants, i.e. making friends. In spite of its size, Geneva is a very international city, thanks to it being the seat for many international organizations and NGOs, not least the United Nations.

Please click here to read more about spending a semester abroad in Geneva.

Photograph by Jennifer Huang (JD ’13).

Chayes Fellow Brian Kelly ’15 on working with Open Society Afghanistan

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I really enjoyed my summer working with Open Society Afghanistan in Kabul. I spent the first half of my summer researching the role of Afghan civil society organizations in the peace and reconciliation process, which involved interviewing dozens of human rights organizations and activists in Afghanistan, and drafting a report that evaluated their progress and offered recommendations for the way forward. During the second half of my summer, I helped the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission – the government’s independent watchdog entity – draft the country’s first legislation offering compensation and assistance to civilian victims of the conflict. In addition to these projects, I also helped with the monitoring and evaluation of Open Society’s grantees, which took me to a number of interesting locations, including Herat where I visited Afghanistan’s only law school clinical program.

Everyone in my office was incredibly welcoming, and while I hadn’t given much thought beforehand to the fact that I’d be the only ex-pat working in the office, it was something that I truly came to appreciate. Both in and out of the office, I took every chance I could to practice Dari with Afghans, which was a great way to learn more about the country’s politics, history, and culture. Working in Afghanistan wasn’t without its challenges, but it was an incredibly rewarding experience, and I am grateful to the Chayes fellowship program for its support.

Chayes Fellow Seth Packrone ’15, on working with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Disability Section, New York

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“While I am not in some faraway, exotic land, working at UNICEF this summer in New York City has been quite the experience. It has been incredible thus far to see how much research and planning goes into everything they do here. Considering that UNICEF has recently shifted to a focus on inclusion in all of its programs, it is a very exciting time to be working with the Disability Section. Soon after I arrived, UNICEF released its State of the World’s Children report, which focused on issues around children with disabilities. Along with this release, our Section has been getting more attention and hopefully having an impact on the rest of UNICEF’s work. One of my major projects was to develop a governance structure for the expanding Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities. In this effort, I have had to research other global partnerships and think about how large international organizations can work together efficiently, effectively, and perhaps most importantly, inclusively.

This position has given me access to both unique opportunities and leaders in the field. For example, I had the opportunity to review the High Level Meeting’s Outcome document for the High Level Meeting on Disability as the outcomes relate to disability and inclusion and attend the negotiations among state parties. I also had the opportunity to attend a two day conference to develop indicators for measuring disability around the world. It was a special experience to be sitting around the table with so many people whose work I have followed up to this point. Last, but definitely not least, working with the Disability Section here has probably been the best part. I have learned so much from my colleagues in my discussions with them about global issues relating to disability. Now I am working on a project relating to global nutrition programs for children with disabilities. The plan is for me to write up case studies of the more successful programs.”

Seth is one of 23 HLS students working this summer in 18 countries under the auspices of the Chayes International Public Service Fellowship. Please visit our Chayes Fellowship page to learn more!

Chayes Fellow Sarah Weiner ’15, on working with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, United Kingdom

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“My project at work involved updating the EBRD’s assessment of public procurement laws in its countries of operation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The first region-wide assessment was conducted in 2010, and it was interesting to see how an international organization engages in policy dialogues with governments to achieve legal reform. A part of my job involved communicating with government officials to clarify the questions of the assessment and ensure that the Bank’s data is accurate. In just one of my weeks at EBRD, I spoke with people from 20 different countries—a feat I have never come close to accomplishing on a former job!

One of my favorite parts of working at EBRD was being invited to attend various meetings held by the Legal Transition Team and the wider Office of the General Counsel. These meetings provided me with the opportunity to witness interesting debates about EBRD’s internal policies and to see how the Bank deals with the challenges and complexities inherent in operating a multilateral development bank.

Outside of work, I tried to take full advantage of everything London has to offer! I ate delicious food, visited world-class museums, attended great musicals, and took a vacation to Scotland to hike in some its breathtaking scenery. Overall, I had an amazing experience this summer, and I am truly grateful for the support from the Chayes program to make it happen.”

Sarah is one of 23 HLS students working this summer in 18 countries under the auspices of the Chayes International Public Service Fellowship. Please visit our Chayes Fellowship page to learn more!