I always appreciate a chance to learn what my colleagues are reading and finding interesting. And this year, I appreciate that they included two submissions related to language and law:
“By identifying and explaining the linguistic concepts that make up cohesion in writing, Baldwin provides the tools (if you know how to use them) for giving teachers and students (especially international students) objective criteria for understanding and applying the magic glue of cohesion in their own writing, rather than having to rely on subjective or metaphorical instructions that require a shared cultural context between teacher and student.”
“This is one of my favorite papers of 2024, which succeeds in pursuing a fundamental question of practical and theoretical significance with new empirical methods. Martínez et al. examine the success of the plain language movement by studying a dataset of the text of every law passed by Congress between 1951 and 2009. They compare statutory language to language in other genres, clarifying what makes the former difficult for ordinary Americans to understand.”
Enjoy! And wishing everyone a peaceful, lawful, and happy 2025!
Prof. Julie Lake (left) and Prof. Heather Weger (right)
The end of the semester is upon us! This fall, we were thrilled to welcome a stellar group of students to the Two-Year LLM Program.
Fall Projects
Reinvigorated from presenting at the Legal Writing Institute (LWI) Biennial Conference in Indianapolis in July, we split our curricular energy in the reiterative cycle of refining our Fundamentals of Legal Writing course (a course that helps multilingual legal writers develop an authoritative voice for the genre of legal memo writing) and designing a new course, Academic Legal English I (a course that provides multilingual law students with opportunities to develop speaking and networking skills useful for navigating law school and the legal profession).
Beyond the classroom, we continued making progress with many other professional projects, including a monthly working group with Ukrainian linguists teaching in the law context, planning a writing retreat for colleagues at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in AY 2025-2026, and drafting a book proposal on writing instruction for multilingual law students.
Spring Projects
We look forward to the spring semester with the Two-Year LL.M. program! We will be offering Fundamentals of Legal Writing II (a course that focuses on the scholarly writing genre), and Academic Legal English II (a course that engages students in experiential learning to enhance their oral communication skills, grammar skills, and professional language skills).
We also look forward to presenting at the TESOL International Convention and Expo in March 2025 in Long Beach, CA. We will be presenting theories and practices that will appear in our upcoming book.
Winter Break
We each plan to spend the holiday season with friends and loved ones. Professor Lake will travel to the Boston area, and Professor Weger will stay in Virginia. We wish you a healthy and restful winter break!
Professor Dundon taught two very different, but closely related, courses this semester. The first was a section of U.S. Legal, Research, Analysis & Writing in the Two-Year LL.M. Program, a course which introduces our multilingual law students to the three very different tasks of performing U.S. legal research, creating legal arguments based on case law, and presenting this research and analysis in a polished legal memorandum that meets the expectations of a U.S. legal audience.
Professor Dundon also taught Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, a large survey class that included all students from the Two-Year LL.M. Program, as well as foreign-trained students in Georgetown Law’s general LL.M. program who wish to qualify for the New York bar exam. This class was designed to answer the broad and somewhat esoteric question of “How does the U.S. legal system work?” Rather than focusing on any particular area of substantive law, this class touched on the structure of the U.S. government and the limits of federal power, the tools that courts use to interpret statutes and prior case law, and the ways in which federal and state courts often must interpret the law of other jurisdictions (i.e., federal courts interpreting state law, and vice versa), among other topics.
As different as these courses may appear at first glance, they were intimately connected. Understanding how U.S. courts do their job is a necessary precondition to understanding the relative weight of sources of U.S. law and how these sources are used to make legal arguments. And understanding how U.S. lawyers craft their legal arguments, in turn, helps students anticipate what to look for when reading all of the cases that they have been assigned for homework in their various classes.
When he wasn’t teaching (or being a dad) this semester, Professor Dundon also completed and defended his dissertation proposal in furtherance of his doctoral studies in Georgetown’s Linguistics Department. The working title of Professor Dundon’s dissertation is Intertextuality and Metadiscourse in U.S. Supreme Court Oral Arguments, and his study will investigate how sources of law are linguistically positioned as having formal authority in oral arguments at the Supreme Court. Among his dissertation committee members is Professor Marta Baffy of the University of Baltimore School of Law, a former faculty director in the Two-Year LL.M. Program at Georgetown Law.
Finally, Professor Dundon had a research article published this fall in the Journal of Pragmatics: “I think Gray is just against you there”: Intertextuality and personification in legal discourse. This study explores how parties in Supreme Court oral arguments (both attorneys and Justices) tend to personify the names of prior cases and animate them with human traits such as emotions and the power of speech. In the article, Professor Dundon posits that this personification is an information-management tool occurring in sequences of oral arguments that are particularly dense with references to case law. This is a strand of research that he hopes to revisit, in part, in his dissertation.
*Finished teaching Legal English I to the Two-Year LLM Program students, for what looks like it may be the final time. The course focused on a line of torts cases on the topic of negligence and helped students understand how to read and think about common law cases in the US legal system, and also how to organize an outline, think about hypotheticals, and write exam answers using an IRAC approach that connects discourse to writing moves, and writing moves to the language and grammar needed to execute those writing moves.
*Taught a section of US Legal Research & Writing for the LLM students in the Two-Year LLM Program. In addition to teaching the process of legal research, focused in particular on the discourse, writing moves, and language needed to execute the writing moves and discourse of legal memorandum writing.
Ukraine
*In November, began serving as a Visiting Professor of Legal English at the Kyiv-Mohyla Law School for the purpose of providing faculty training and curriculum development support. (Special thanks to Justice For All Ukraine’sArtem Shaipov for facilitating the relationship!)
*Expanded weekly Legal English Conversation Zoom sessions from Ukrainian law faculty to Ukrainian law students. Recruited over 300 Ukrainian law students and over 100 US law students (and a few French law students) to participate. Approximately 40 of the US law students volunteered to host weekly Legal English Conversation Zoom sessions for the Ukrainian law students modeled on how I facilitate the sessions with Ukrainian law and legal English faculty. (Here’s a post on the Georgetown Legal English Blog with more information about this initiative, plus sign-up links for anyone else who would like to volunteer.)
*Helped law faculty from State Tax National University and Oles Gonchar Dnipro National University identify and connect with US law faculty for the purpose of providing lectures to the Ukrainian law schools on the topics of Rule of Law, Cybersecurity, Criminal Law, Search & Seizure Law, Election Law, Democracy, Legislation Process, System of Checks & Balances, Artificial Intelligence Regulations, Anti-Corruption Regulations and Political Corruption Regulations, among others.
Sri Lanka
*Over the winter break, visited Sri Lanka to lead Training of Trainer (TOT) workshops on legal English curriculum development for the University of Colombo and University of Jaffna in connection with USAID’s Efficient and Effective Justice (EEJ) Program in Sri Lanka. Similar to Ukraine, in Sri Lanka law schools are in the process of moving towards English-language-only curriculum.
*Also, with Daniel Edelson and USLawEssentials, continued offering a free self-guided online Pre-LLM legal English program (i.e., Fundamentals of the US Legal System + Reading Cases + Legal Writing + Legal Listening) to help Afghan candidates prepare to start an LLM program at a US law school.
Japan
*In October/November, guest-lectured in three classes for the legal English course at Keio UniversityLaw School on the topics of Case Reading Strategies and the Language of Analogy.
Interestingly, the course came into existence at Keio thanks to a change in the date of the Japanese bar exam, which meant that students still have an additional semester of classes after they’ve completed the bar exam. As a result, there’s increased demand for Legal English among the students since they recognize the need for English and know that once they graduate and begin their legal training work, they will not have much time to study English. Special thanks to Profs. Masako Miyatake and Mindy Allen for the invite!
Assessment
*Thanks to a post on the Consortium on Graduate Communications (CGC) listserv, ended up piloting a new language assessment with a small cohort of Georgetown LLM students in collaboration with Sotiria Koui, founder of ELT Matters and creator of ALIGN Plus, “An online English language placement test for the academic needs of graduate students.”
Looking ahead to 2025….
*In the Spring 2025 semester, will be teaching Professional Responsibility for a section of LLM students, and Legal English II for the Two-Year LLM Program students. Legal English II will use as its primary materials a line of Criminal Procedure cases related to Miranda rights and help deepen their case reading and analysis skills.
*Will start to develop new Online Legal English (OLE) courses to be made available to Georgetown Law students as well as to learners outside of Georgetown.
*Working on developing a Rule of Law legal English course, thanks to support and materials from University of Arkansas Law Professor Christopher Kelley.
Thanks to the AALS Legal Education Blogs Digest – Week Ending 11/8/24, I just came across a great post from the Legal Skills Prof Blog by Scott Freuhwald that hits on so many things, big and small, that can have a tremendously positive impact on teaching and learning. Below is a link to the full article/list along with some of my favorites.
Principle 4. Learning is based on context, so generalizing learning to new contexts is not spontaneous but instead needs to be facilitated.
Principle 10. Students persist in the face of challenging tasks and process information more deeply when they adopt mastery goals rather than performance goals.
Principle 14. Interpersonal relationships and communication are critical to both the teaching– learning process and the social-emotional development of students.
Principle 17. Effective classroom management is based on (a) setting and communicating high expectations, (b) consistently nurturing positive relationships, and (c) providing a high level of student support.
Eunkwang Ha (’24), Two-Year LLM Program alum, legal scholar, and romance writer.
Since graduating from Georgetown’s Two-Year LLM Program last May 2024, Eunkwang Ha has been busy. And not just burning the midnight oil in her government job at South Korea’s equivalent of the Federal Trade Commission.
As a mother of two and a South Korean professional studying abroad in the United States, one of my top priorities for our family’s time here was to visit Orlando. My children had endured quite a bit of disruption as I pursued my professional goals, and I felt visiting Disney World and Universal Studios would be a bit of recompense. Although I wanted to use a package deal from a Korean travel agency, it was not a good choice because I needed to stay at hotels connected to Disney World and Universal Studios. Due to the self-preferencing of Disney World and Universal Studios, staying at affiliated hotels was more advantageous and convenient for enjoying the theme parks. Orlando hotel price hikes cannot be solely attributed to market competition; they result from monopolistic dominance and abuse of power by Disney and Universal Studios. The situation appears to have worsened over time, but U.S. competition authorities show no inclination toward regulation.
This indifferent stance extends beyond Orlando, as these authorities tolerate self-preferencing on various platforms. We now live under the influence of dominant companies known as GAFA, a situation starkly highlighted in the 2013 Google case, where U.S. authorities gave a green light to self-preferencing practices that led to substantial fines and sanctions in Europe and South Korea, respectively. Amid growing concern about technology platforms’ power, competition authorities recently introduced five antitrust bills, aiming to strengthen the regulation of companies like Google and Amazon. However, judicial uncooperativeness and legislative failures hampered these efforts, and they continue to present challenges for the future. Addressing these challenges will require a macroscopic perspective, emphasizing expert judgment over economic modeling. Comprehensive advocacy efforts should focus on common sense, historical experience, and ethical considerations. This is more crucial than refining economic models, as the notion that such models alone can prevail against large corporations in court is unrealistic. Agencies have limited resources for economic modeling, while business enterprises possess greater capabilities for not only modeling but also lobbying and legal expenses. Redirecting efforts from economic expertise to comprehensive public outreach is essential.
And then she also wrote a romance novel that won a competition in Korea which led to a Korean drama company purchasing the rights to the story which is now being made into a TV drama! She said the novel is pure romance and not law-related. But she was clearly honing her novel-writing skills while studying law at Georgetown, commenting in a recent email to me, “I remember how exciting it was as a novelist to write the hypothetical scenarios in your class.”
Ha additionally waxed nostalgically about her time at Georgetown Law and living in the US:
“It has been over four months since I left the U.S. and returned to Korea. I resumed my position as an Korean FTC official in September. These days, we are in the midst of the national audit, so there have been occasions where I have had to stay up all night working. But even though I have been back in Korea for a while, I still can not forget the beautiful natural landscapes of the U.S. and the relaxed, friendly people. I have many fond memories of my time there. I still remember how exciting it was as a novelist to write the hypothetical scenarios in your class.”
We have many fond memories of you and your Two-Year LLM classmates as well, Eunkwang. 🙂
Are you an alum of the Two-Year LLM Program who wants to share an update? Just email Stephen Horowitz at sh1643@georgetown.edu and share your update. We’re always glad to hear from you.
Law schools in the US have become increasingly aware of and attuned to the range of cognitive learning issues that law students may deal with. I remember how counter-intuitive that seemed to me the first time I learned about this topic several years ago: “How could someone even get into law school if they have cognitive learning issues?” my brain naively wondered.
And the answer is that learning issues include things like ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder), neurodivergence (e.g., autism), and dyslexia. And perhaps it even overlaps with anxiety, which often can present in the form of various learning issues.
In the context of foreign-trained lawyers and law students in LLM, JD and MSL programs in the US, the topic of course can be particularly tricky. In part because of cultural differences in attitudes towards and awareness of learning issues. And in part because it’s much more difficult to identify or diagnose issues when someone is operating in a second or third or fourth language. Is a student’s struggle with reading a function of language or of a learning issue? It’s hard to know. And in the case of dyslexia, there’s even a case to be made (in this TikTok video clip by @etymologynerd) that the nature of written English may cause more problems for people with dyslexia than other written languages do. So it’s possible that a foreign-trained law student in the US could struggle with dyslexia studying in English when it was not an issue for them studying in their home language.
I’m not aware of any specific solutions or research or discussion related to the intersection of learning issues and foreign-trained lawyers and law students in US law schools. But I think if nothing else, it’s helpful and important to bring awareness to such students, as well as to faculty and administrators who work with them, that these issues are out there and are very much on law school’s radars these days in a way they were not at all back when I was a law student in the 1990s.
Here’s a Law School Toolbox Podcast Episode (474) titled “Thriving in Law School with ADHD (w/ Rawi Nanakul.”
In this episode they discuss:
>Rawi’s personal journey and ADHD diagnosis
>Identifying ADHD signs
>The difference between the help provided by a doctor, a therapist, and an ADHD coach
>A few specific scenarios that might play out for students struggling with ADHD
>The importance of self-care and professional help
If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you’re concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!
Thanks for listening!
Alison & Lee
Note: The Georgetown Legal English Blog has no affiliation with the Law School Toolbox Podcast or its parent organization JDSupra. We just thought this was a helpful episode to share.
Very happy to share that I’ve just launched a new initiative to provide Legal English support for over 300 Ukrainian law students. It’s an expansion of the model I’ve been using to host and facilitate Legal English conversation sessions for Ukrainian law and Legal English faculty.
The faculty sessions, which I’ve run for about two years now, involve me hosting a weekly Zoom session and sending a calendar invite to a list of Ukrainian faculty and a list of US/EU faculty who have indicated interest in participating. (I’ve been able to reach and connect with so many Ukrainian faculty members thanks to Artem Shaipov, Legal Advisor and Team Lead for Legal Education Reform for the USAID Justice for All (Ukraine) program.)
Each week I log in to Zoom, and then as faculty members join, I pair them off into breakout rooms for 45 minutes of conversation in English about whatever they want to discuss. Sometimes it’s a 1-to-1 ratio, and sometimes there are 2 or 3 Ukrainian faculty members talking with one US/EU faculty member.
The number of faculty members and faculty volunteers who have signed up to participate is much bigger than the number who actually show up for a given Zoom session. And the numbers seem to work out each time. Faculty members join when they’re able. And if they miss a session, or can only join for one total session during the semester, that’s fine. The model essentially plays the percentages and has worked well 99.9% of the time.
The new initiative, connecting Ukrainian law students and US law students, is the same model, but there will be many more people involved, and many more Zoom sessions happening each week.
So far over 300 Ukrainian law students have signed up, and close to 100 US law students have also signed up. Of the US law students, about half have indicated that they would be willing to be a host for Zoom sessions. And that means there will be up to 50 different student-led Zoom sessions going on each week, each on different days and times. Having this range of options will hopefully help ensure that all of the Ukrainian and US law students can find one time each week to join when they’re able.
This is definitely experimental, so I assume there will be some bumps along the way. But hopefully those bumps will help to identify some protocols and best practices that will make things run more smoothly in the future. (Also, thanks to one of the US law student volunteers, I learned that a similar model is already in use by an organization called Ladies Let’s Talk. Immigrant women in the US are paired with English speakers for the purpose of practicing English conversation.)
And in the bigger picture, as Ukraine’s legal system shifts more towards the West and the EU, and as Ukraine’s law schools begin teaching all of their courses in English, the Ukrainian law students will find themselves better prepared and able to adapt. And also the connections formed now will lead to deeper connections in the future between the legal communities of Ukraine, the US, and other parts of the world.
And you can click here for more info and blog posts about the work that I and others in the Legal English/Legal Education field have been doing to support Ukrainian law schools, their faculty, and their students.
Update Oct 19, 2024: Here’s some feedback from some of the Zoom sessions that have already happened:
Thank you so much for such opportunity! It was a pleasure to discuss law systems of the US and Ukraine with [NAME1], so I really appreciate it a lot!!
I loved meeting all the Ukrainian students and getting to know them!
[NAME2] was great at explaining everything, so it was fun to listen to her answers and answer her questions myself)))
[NAME3] is such a nice person. It was interesting to talk to him and to get know something new.
[NAME4] is awesome!
Thank you for great opportunity to talk, get to know each other and develop!)
that was a great meeting, I really enjoyed it (especially the part with “only in ohio” lol)
I love this lessons
Just thank you 🙂
Questions? Feel free to contact me at sh1643@georgetown.edu or via Twitter/X at @gtlegalenglish.
I and others on the Georgetown Legal English faculty have been very involved over the past two years in providing Legal English support to Ukrainian law schools in connection with a larger rule-of-law initiative.
What we hadn’t realized until my colleague Prof. John Dundon saw the below post on the Forensic Linguistics listserv is that there’s a fantastic English-Ukrainian legal dictionary translation project that has also been well underway and is also connected to rule of law efforts. We were extremely excited to learn that such a project exists and have already been in touch with the organizers to figure out if there might be any ways to collaborate or provide support.
Below is the text of the original announcement. It’s for an in-person event in the UK. But if you contact the organizer, you can also get access to a Zoom link.
***************
Supporting the Rule of Law in Ukraine: The role of the English-Ukrainian legal dictionary translation project
Tuesday 15th October, 10:00-14:15 Lloyd Suite, Edgbaston Park Hotel, University of Birmingham, UK
Dear Colleagues,
We are delighted to invite you to a research event showcasing a UKRI funded English-Ukrainian Legal Dictionary translation project. Legal and linguistic experts from Ukraine’s Constitutional Court, the Department of Constitutional Law at Ivan Franko National University Lviv, and the University of Birmingham Law School, have combined their extensive expertise to develop an ‘English-Ukrainian’ Legal Dictionary.’ Through historical and legal analysis, this first of its kind dictionary will rectify the acute problems that continued application of post-Soviet legal terminology cause for understanding the rule of law in Ukrainian jurisprudence.
By providing correct translations of over 5,000 English-language legal terms, we seek to further embed the rule of law in Ukraine, support Ukraine’s development as a constitutional democracy and advance Euro-Atlantic integration. We invite you to attend this showcase event to meet the lead researchers and practitioners who have developed this unique handbook for scientists, human rights defenders, lawyers, judges, parliamentarians, and everyone who deals with international legal documents. Join us and lend your support to this interinstitutional initiative to help establish the rule of law in Ukraine and enshrine Ukrainian independence from Russian-dominated legal interpretation.
Professor Robin Mason, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International), University of Birmingham
10.40-11.05
The Case for an English-Ukrainian Legal Dictionary
Mr Serhiy Holovaty, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Legal Terminology of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine. Head of the Ukrainian Academy of Legal Sciences. (Former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine)
11.05-11.30
The Dictionary’s impact and real-world application in the Ukrainian legal context
Professor Serhii Riznyk, Justice, Constitutional Court of Ukraine
Professor Olena Boryslavska, Head of the Department of Constitutional Law, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
11.30 -11.50
Coffee break
11.50-12.15
Compiling the Dictionary’s 5000 terms and translations: linguistic, legal and phonological principles Associate
Professor Nataliia Hrynia, Department of Foreign Languages for the Humanities, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
Professor Bohdan Azhnyuk, Director of the O. O. Potebnia Institute of Linguistics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv
12:15-12:40
Validating terms, translations and English Case Law examples: the British-Ukrainian collaborative process
Professor Lisa Webley, Head of the Centre for Research in Professional and Legal Education, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
Student researchers, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
Sheika Al Kamyani is from Oman and is currently in her second year of the Two-Year LL.M. Program at Georgetown Law, specializing in International Business & Economic Law. This fall, she secured an externship with Foley Hoag LLP. Over the summer, she interned at Three Crowns LLP in London. Sheika previously worked as a Legal Advisor at the Foreign Ministry of Oman and holds an LL.B. from Sultan Qaboos University. Her hometown, Nizwa, is known for its rich history.
As I reflect on my first year in Georgetown Law’s Two-Year LL.M. program, I am reminded of the transformative journey it has been. From the moment I arrived, filled with hope and uncertainty, to where I stand now, confident in my direction, the growth has been both profound and unexpected. For those who may be feeling uncertain or lost in their journey, I hope my reflections will offer some helpful insights.
Pursuing an LL.M. in the United States was a hard-fought dream. Yet, even after achieving this milestone, I found myself questioning: What comes next? What is the real purpose of this degree, and what do I truly want to do with my life? Does this sound familiar? At some stage, we all ask the same questions. Below are a few key strategies that guided me toward a clearer sense of purpose—strategies that may also serve you.
Be Curious: Explore Events and Connect with People
Curiosity, I learned, is one of the most valuable tools during your time at Georgetown Law. With such a vibrant and diverse international community, the law center offers a wealth of perspectives, experiences, and opportunities to explore. Every day offers a new event—whether academic discussions, professional networking, or community engagement. I highly recommend that you attend some of these events and immerse yourself in areas you might not have initially considered. By broadening your horizons, you open doors to unexpected interests and valuable connections.
To put this into action, make it a habit to scan the weekly emails sent by Georgetown Law outlining upcoming events. Choose those that resonate with you, mark them in your calendar, and attend them. Some events may require advanced registration, so stay organized!
Reflecting on this, as an introvert, these events took a great deal of my energy, and I needed to prioritize the ones I chose to attend. But, in the end, it was worth it. I gained clarity on what I wanted to do, and I learned about the different areas of law practice.
Try Different Things: Experiment and Learn
If you’re unsure about your interests, the best way to figure them out is by trying different things. Take diverse courses, participate in externships, and engage in extracurricular activities like moot court competitions. Through this process, you’ll discover what excites you and what doesn’t. It’s easy to think you know what you like, but only by immersing yourself in new experiences will you truly understand your passions. In the end, you have your unique interests, and you can discover what they are by trying new things.
Do not wait until the last minute: Think ahead and make a plan
If you feel lost, rather than giving into your anxiety, think ahead. For example, you might already know that you want to apply for an externship. Figure out the steps you need to take. You could start by preparing your resume. Get it reviewed, revised, and polished so that you’re ready when opportunities arise.
When it comes to applications, there are two strategies. One approach is to apply widely—submit as many applications as possible and hope to secure a few offers. The other approach, which I used, is more focused. I targeted specific opportunities that aligned with my goals. This method worked for me and helped me land a meaningful summer internship. Both approaches have their merits, and you should choose the one that best suits your style.
Seek Guidance: Don’t Hesitate to Ask
One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is that it’s okay to ask for help. Whether from professors, teaching assistants, or peers, never hesitate to seek guidance. Initially, I was reluctant to ask questions, but every time I did, I was glad I had. People are often more than willing to assist, and each conversation I had led me to new insights or opportunities. Sometimes, a simple conversation can provide clarity or direct you toward resources you didn’t know existed. Don’t be shy about reaching out.
Be Patient: Growth Takes Time
Lastly, give yourself permission to grow at your own pace. You don’t need to have everything figured out immediately. The LL.M. program is a time of exploration, so don’t rush through it. Enjoy the process, and be kind to yourself during moments of uncertainty or challenge. Personal and professional growth is gradual, and every experience—whether a success or a setback—contributes to your long-term development.
Final Thoughts
The path to self-discovery during my first year at Georgetown Law wasn’t linear, but it was incredibly rewarding. By staying curious, trying new things, planning ahead, and seeking guidance, I gained a clearer sense of purpose and direction. I hope these reflections will help you as you navigate your own path, wherever it may lead!
My summer internship at Tauil & Chequer Advogados in association with Mayer Brown (TCMB) in Rio de Janeiro exceeded all my expectations, becoming one of the most enriching experiences of my life. The idea of pursuing an international internship first took root two years ago, during my time in Austin, Texas.
In 2022, after arriving in the U.S., I enrolled in the Academic English Program at the University of Texas at Austin (UT). After a year of intensive language study, I realized that pursuing a Two-Year LL.M. would be the ideal next step for two main reasons: (i) It would provide a comprehensive understanding of the American legal system, which is essential for my career, and (ii) it would offer the opportunity for an international summer internship, enhancing my global legal exposure. I vividly remember the moment I received the email from Georgetown inviting me to join the program—I was attending the International Energy Conference in Miami, organized by the Association of International Energy Negotiators (AIEN), and I couldn’t stop smiling. It was the perfect convergence of events, reinforcing that I was on the right path.
The journey to secure the internship was a focused effort. From the outset of the LL.M. program, I set a clear goal to gain practical experience in the energy sector. I was diligent in attending energy conferences and networking with professionals, ensuring the right people knew my aspirations. Through these efforts and consistent conversations, my former professor Norman Nadorff and my friend Leandro Duarte advised me to apply for a specific internship opportunity. I followed their advice, applied, and was thrilled to receive the positive news.
I joined the Oil & Gas Practice Team at TCMB in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Working alongside many professionals I had already connected with through international conferences and professional platforms like LinkedIn. My responsibilities included conducting legal research, drafting energy contracts, assisting in creating business plans for clients interested in investing globally, and preparing legal reports and memos. My previous legal experience, combined with my first academic year at Georgetown, proved invaluable. For example, the Contract Drafting course with Professor Dundon directly aligned with my first assignment at the firm. I was tasked with reviewing an oil and gas contract, and the project was almost identical to my final exam in Professor Dundon’s class. Although I was initially nervous because a partner personally assigned me the task, I recalled that I had earned an ‘A’ in the course and used the same approach, adapting the content to the specific legal regime involved.
Additionally, skills from my U.S. Legal Research, Analysis, and Writing course with Professor Hoffman and Legal Writing with Professor Lake were more beneficial than I had anticipated, allowing me to contribute effectively and meet tight deadlines.
My experience at the law firm exceeded my expectations in several ways:
As a native Portuguese speaker, I naturally expected that most of my work in Brazil would be conducted in Portuguese. However, to my surprise, nearly all of my assignments were in English. This unexpected shift not only challenged me but also provided a great opportunity to refine my professional English skills, which made the experience even more rewarding.
I expected the firm, given its size and reputation, to have a highly pressured, perhaps even distant, working environment. Instead, I found the atmosphere to be friendly, collaborative, and supportive. The partners, contrary to the stereotype of “Big Law,” were approachable and down-to-earth.
The workload was intense, but the dedication and enthusiasm of my colleagues were inspiring. I often found myself working late into the night alongside peers, and no one ever complained. The shared sense of purpose and drive to excel, especially among those younger than me, was both fascinating and motivating.
In conclusion, my internship at TCMB not only solidified my professional skills but also reshaped my perceptions of the legal industry. The unexpected challenges, such as working extensively in English and the fast-paced environment, pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The collaborative culture and the dedication of my colleagues made the experience truly fulfilling. This journey reaffirmed my passion for international energy law and demonstrated the value of seizing opportunities, building meaningful connections, and continuously pushing my own boundaries. I feel more confident and prepared for the next phase of my career, with a clearer vision of the impact I want to make in the global legal landscape.
