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Updates from the Georgetown Legal English Faculty (September 2024)

Post by Stephen Horowitz, Lecturer of Legal English

Here’s what the Georgetown Legal English faculty have been up to since the end of the spring 2024 semester….

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Ben Cheng

Returning from parental leave, Prof. Cheng is set to teach sections of Legal English I and Professional Responsibility this fall. Additionally, he is working on a new Legal English Negotiations curriculum for the spring 2025 semester.

John Dundon

Professor Dundon had a busy summer, which started with his teaching an Advanced Contract Drafting class to LL.M. students at IE Law School in Madrid, Spain. It was his fifth summer teaching at IE Law, and he always feels very honored to be there – the school community is very welcoming, and the students themselves are always extremely impressive.

Next, Professor Dundon presented his research at two linguistics conferences in the United Kingdom: the i-Mean 7 Conference on Meaning in Social Interaction in Bristol, and then the 5th European Conference of the International Association for Forensic & Legal Linguistics in Birmingham. His first presentation was an explanation of procedural and evidentiary rules in U.S. trials that can affect linguistic analysis of trial testimony. The second presentation summarized Professor Dundon’s recent research about how U.S. Supreme Court Justices and attorneys at oral arguments sometimes speak “on behalf” of institutions and clients, and how this phenomenon manifests in linguistic features.

Professor Dundon then spent a month in Taiwan, teaching Contract Drafting in English to law students at the National Chengchi University College of Law and practicing attorneys at the Taipei Bar Association. It was one of his largest-ever classes (over 100 students), and Professor Dundon learned an incredible amount about the Taiwanese legal system from his students. He’s been invited back for a similar program next year and hopes to expand the course offerings to cover additional material.

Finally, Professor Dundon taught U.S. Legal Research, Analysis & Writing in Georgetown Law’s Summer Experience Program for entering LL.M. students.

Heather Weger & Julie Lake

It is hard to believe that the summer is almost over! We have several personal and professional highlights to share.

Prof. Julie Lake (left) and Prof. Heather Weger (right)

Vacations & Family Time

Since our last blog post, we took time to relax with our respective families.

Professor Julie Lake spent much of the summer with family and friends in Cape May (New Jersey), Chapel Hill (North Carolina), and Philadelphia (Pennsylvania). Though the sun was in full force in Cape May (aka, the “beach”), the jellyfish prevented her from swimming in the ocean. (It is hard to conquer these lifelong fears!) She was able to spend time with her husband and daughter, watching movies and TV shows about unicorns, playing her guitar, and completing kid-friendly art projects.

Professor Heather Weger traveled to Chicago (Illinois) and Richmond (Virginia) to visit her husband’s family), and she spent time with her Mom (from Arkansas) and sister (from North Carolina) as they visited her here in DC. She also spent a week at the beach (North Carolina), binge watching the Olympics, collecting sea shells with her children, and catching up on pleasure reading. Reconnecting with family always brings a renewed sense of identity and energy!

Summer Projects

Between family trips and vacations, we have continued to refine our asset-based approach to teaching Legal English. Specifically, we presented at the Legal Writing Institute (LWI) Biennial Conference in Indianapolis in July. In our presentation, “Linguists in Law School: Rebooting Legal Education to Empower Multilingual Law Students,” we highlighted the value that multilingual law students bring to law school and showed effective pedagogical strategies to enhance their Legal English. We also enjoyed the presentations we attended, and we came away with practices ratified (e.g., mindfulness of cultural and linguistic references in teaching), new practices introduced (e.g., a new approach to cultivating creativity), and some practices overturned (e.g., unexpected ways of handling plagiarism).

The Upcoming Academic Year

We look forward to another academic year with the Two-Year LL.M. program!

We are offering a newly designed course to the Two-Year LL.M. students, Academic Legal English: Special Topics, which engages students in experiential learning to enhance their oral communication skills, grammar skills, and professional language skills. The course topics include:

Reflecting on Legal English Skills
Listening to a Law School Lecture
Optimizing Study Strategies for Law School
Using (& Not Using) Generative AI in Law School
Participating in and Facilitating Law School Discussions
Using Grammar in Legal Contexts: Conditionals
Writing Academic and Professional Emails
Exploring the Scholarly Writing Genre

We also look forward to some exciting upcoming projects with our legal English colleagues at several Ukrainian law schools.

We will continue to participate in the monthly working group with Ukrainian linguists teaching in the law context.
We are working on designing and delivering a writing retreat for colleagues at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy in December 2024.

As we reflect on its evolution over since 2008, we are proud of the quality legal English curriculum that the team has developed. We welcome the new cohort of students and look forward to staying in touch with the students in their second year!

Stephen Horowitz

16th Global Legal Skills Conference (Bari, Italy; June 6-8, 2024)

Had a fantastic and productive experience at the 16th Annual Global Legal Skills Conference in Bari, Italy where I presented on the topic: “Making Legal English Accessible: Ukraine, Afghanistan & the US Bar Exam.”

I was also extremely honored to receive an “Individual Award”Recognition of Achievement in Global Legal Skills Education” award from the Global Legal Skills Institute for “creating collaborative exchanges between US and Ukrainian Legal Educators and for Promoting Legal Skills Education Around the World.”

The other fantastic part was getting to meet so many wonderful members of the Global Legal Skills community in person, including Mark Wojcik, David Austin, Lurene Contento, Chantal Morton, Kim Holst, Artem Shaipov, Louise Kulbicki, Natasha Costello, Claudia Amato, Lindsey Kurtz, Susan Dudley, John Thornton, Shelly Saltzman, Bythia Loudon, Kateřina Chudová, and many others. And particularly special was getting to finally meet in person Ukrainian law professors Oksana Kiriiak (Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University) and Nadiia Maksimentseva (Oles Gonchar Dnipro National University), who had both been active participants in all of the legal English trainings over the past year.

Prof. Oksana Kiriiak (left), Prof. Nadiia Maksimentseva (middle), & Prof. Horowitz (right)

Fact of the day: The bones of St. Nicholas (aka Santa Clause) are buried in the Basilica of Saint Nicholas in Bari. And thanks to a recommendation from a friend, I just started reading an amazing novel of historical fiction titled Nicked by M.T. Anderson which is set in Bari which tells the somewhat fictionalized story of how Santa’s bones ended up there.

Sri Lanka

Flew to Sri Lanka to lead 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. Also met with faculty from the Open University of Sri Lanka and University of Peradeniya to lay the groundwork for legal English curriculum support. Similar to the situation in Ukraine, law schools in Sri Lanka are in the process of moving to English-only curriculum.

Ukraine

Initiated conversations with Georgetown Law faculty to establish a sort of umbrella “Ukraine legal support” group within the Georgetown Law community in order to identify and connect the various people and entities within the law school that have been involved with providing law-related support to Ukraine. The goal is to be able to increase opportunities for collaboration and info sharing and also establish a central point of contact for inquiries, events, getting involved, etc.
Looking forward to re-starting the weekly Legal English Conversation sessions for Ukrainian law and legal English faculty that I’ve run for the past year. In each session, some subset of the 30+ Ukrainian faculty members and 30+ US/EU faculty members join and are paired off in breakout rooms for legal English conversation. (If interested in being added to the list of volunteers, please feel free to email me at stephen.horowitz@georgetown.edu.)
Looking forward to continuing to support the organization of Legal English trainings for Ukrainian law and legal English faculty.
Looking forward to continuing to support the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Peer-to-Peer Writing Project, which matches KMA students with American law students, including several from Georgetown Law for all three semesters the program has run so far.

ABA Afghan Legal Professionals Scholarship & Mentoring Pilot Program

Continued providing the online self-guided pre-LLM legal English program for fellows in the ABA Afghan Legal Professionals Scholarship & Mentoring Pilot Program. The course, which I co-created, is hosted on the USLawEssentials learning management system. The course is made available for free to all fellows in the program who have completed the legal English assessment designed by Prof. Lindsey Kurtz (Penn State Law), Prof. Dan Edelson (Seton Hall Law), and me last year to support the ABA Pilot Program.

The International Jurist

Was quoted in the article “Legal English Bridges law and language for foreign-educated LLM students,” written by Joshua Alter (Associate Dean of International Programs at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law) which appeared in The International Jurist June 21, 2024.

Bar Exam Support for LLM Students

*Once again co-taught with Prof. Daniel Edelson (Seton Hall Law) a 4-week bar essay skills course (for MEE and MPT) this summer through USLawEssentials using a “pay what you can” model to make legal English bar support accessible to all LLM students who need it.

Online Legal English

Continued my annual tradition of teaching part of the summer pre-LLM English for American Law School course for incoming LLM students at St. John’s Law School. After leaving St. John’s in 2020, I collaborated with Daniel Edelson to create an online version of the summer legal English program in St. John’s Canvas system. The course content, which we designed to be used as both a synchronous or self-guided course, helps students learn the basics of the US legal system, US law school culture, legal writing, and case reading and analysis.

Fall 2024 Semester

Excited to be teaching sections of both Legal English and US Legal Research & Writing this semester to the Two-Year LLM students this fall semester!

Annual Newsletter from the Georgetown University Department of Linguistics

Thanks to my Legal English colleague Prof. John Dundon (who is also in the middle of completing his PhD in linguistics at Georgetown) for putting the Georgetown University Department of Linguistics Annual Newsletter on my radar. One of the unique benefits of being part of the Legal English faculty at Georgetown Law is getting to exist and work in the same university as one of the top linguistics programs in the U.S.

The Newsletter highlights an amazing range of talented folks and fascinating accomplishments. It also provides a great overview of what “linguistics” covers in the current era. Below is a small sampling of items from the newsletter.

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Georgetown Journal of International Law names 2-Year program’s Melick as LLM Advisor

Post by Stephen Horowitz, Professor of Legal English

Congratulations to Lisette Melick (’25 LLM), who recently completed her first year of Georgetown Law’s unique Two-Year LLM Program, for being selected as the LLM Advisor for Volume 56 of the Georgetown Journal of International Law!

Melick holds a Master of Law in European Union Law and a Bachelor of Laws from Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. She spent the summer in Washington, DC, interning at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID, World Bank Group), and has previously interned at the Brussels law firm of Govaerts-Mortiaux, which specializes in immigration law, asylum law, and child protection.

Externship Diaries: Salome Adeishvili (August 2024 – post #3)

*Salome Adeishvili, Georgetown Law Two-Year LLM, 2023-25*

Post by Salome Adeishvili, who just completed her first year of Georgetown Law’s Two-Year LLM and will graduate in Spring 2025. Salome is from a small town called Samtredia in Georgia. Fun fact from Salome: Samtredia translates as “three pigeons.” 🙂

In case you missed them, you can read Salome’s prior posts here.

August 2024

Dear Diary (and Future Readers),

Do you want to know how it all concluded? We have reached the satisfying moment when you can tuck this experience away on the imaginary shelves of your mind and the real lines of your resume. Let’s delve into the final facets of a summer externship that are worth reflecting on before you close this chapter.

In the first part of this blog, I will wrap up the discussion on the final steps of Georgetown University’s requirements and share my thoughts and experiences on crafting the Reflection Memo, as I promised in my second post. In the second part, I will discuss the value of externships for multilingual international lawyers. In the third part, I will discuss the strategies to develop professional growth and skills during an externship. In the conclusion, I will reflect on how transformative this externship has been for this new chapter of my academic and professional career.

Crafting the Reflection Memo

In this part, I will be guiding you on how to effectively approach writing your Reflection Memo at the end of your externship. The Reflection Memo is a critical component of your externship experience, allowing you to thoughtfully analyze and document what you have learned, how you have grown, and how your experience aligns with your career goals. I will share three important strategies on how to stay engaged with these reflective topics throughout your placement to ensure that when the time comes to write your memo, you will have a wealth of insights ready to shape into a meaningful reflection.

First, to prepare for writing the Reflection Memo, it is essential to approach your externship with an active mindset, continuously engaging with the key topics the memo will cover. Throughout the externship, you should keep in mind the questions you need to answer, allowing you to reflect on your experiences throughout the externship.

Second, during the semester, your externship supervisor from Georgetown University will most likely point out specific topics and areas that can inform your memo. This guidance is invaluable, as it helps you know what to pay attention to and what reflections will be most relevant to your final write-up. As you work on cases or engage in various tasks, consider how these activities align with the organization’s mission and your initial expectations. Pay attention to surprising elements of the work environment or your responsibilities, as these will form a crucial part of your reflection. It is also beneficial to observe how your skills develop over time, noting specific tasks that contribute to your growth. Take note of any lessons or insights gained that go beyond classroom learning, as these will be valuable in your reflection on the most important takeaways from the externship.

Third, use the expected discourse conventions for the Reflection Memo. In the first year of my Two-Year LLM program, I took Fundamentals of Legal Writing I and II. These courses were crucial in teaching me how to write like a US legal professional, focusing on US writing styles tailored for legal readers. This approach was entirely new to me, as I had not previously encountered this style of legal writing in my career. I highly recommend paying close attention to these classes, as they will be invaluable not only for writing your Reflection Memo for the externship but also for crafting any academic papers during your second year.

In summary, writing a strong Reflection Memo requires ongoing engagement with your experiences, noting your evolving thoughts, and advanced writing skills, all while keeping in mind the specific guidance provided by your supervisor.

Why is it valuable to do an externship/internship for multilingual international lawyers

In this part, I will cover two key benefits of an externship: gaining real-world experience in a different legal system and enhancing language skills in legal contexts.

Real-World Experience in a Different Legal System

As a multilingual lawyer from a Civil Law country, engaging in an externship has been essential for me. It has given me the opportunity to gain firsthand experience in a Common Law system, which is quite different from what I am familiar with. This exposure has been crucial in helping me understand the nuances and complexities of practicing law in a jurisdiction other than my own. Before I can fully step into the role of an attorney and take on all the responsibilities that come with it, I needed to have this experience. It prepared me for the challenges of working in a Common Law system, ensuring that I am well-equipped to navigate this legal system with confidence.

Enhanced Language Skills in Legal Contexts

Being multilingual is undoubtedly an asset, but using multiple languages in a professional legal setting takes those skills to a higher level. It helps refine your language abilities, especially those that rely on legal terminology and formal communication. In this context, it is not just about translating words but truly understanding the legal concepts behind them. Sometimes, literal translations of legal terms can lead to confusion, as the same word might mean something entirely different in another legal system. This is why asking questions and seeking explanations about legal terms is crucial. For a lawyer coming from a non-English-speaking country, this experience is invaluable. It helps you become proficient in the legal language of another country, setting you apart in the global legal market and ensuring that you can navigate complex legal discussions with confidence and clarity.

Growth and Skills: Lessons Learned and Future Advice

This part of the blog will cover how I have grown in my professional skills and how these skills will benefit my future career and LLM studies.

Growth as a Legal Professional

At the start of my externship, managing my time and handling complex immigration cases was tough. I felt overwhelmed and struggled to keep up with the fast pace. But as I practiced and adapted, I became more efficient and organized. The feedback from my supervisor attorney was incredibly helpful, turning my challenges into learning opportunities. My advice is not to get discouraged. Even if progress can feel slow, keep moving forward, practicing, and doing your best. Every small step counts, and, with persistence, you will eventually find yourself making significant strides toward success.

Skills to Take into My Legal Career and LLM

The skills I have developed during this externship will be pivotal for my future career. I have gained a solid understanding of US Immigration Law, which aligns with my professional interests. As I progress into my second year and take courses on Immigration and Refugee Law, this practical experience will provide a significant advantage. Conversely, these courses will address any gaps in my theoretical knowledge. Together, this blend of hands-on and theoretical experiences will equip me to handle complex legal issues with confidence and professionalism.

For future students, my advice is to make the most of your externship by aligning it with the field you plan to study and work in. Choose a placement that complements your academic and career goals, and strive to gain as much practical experience as possible. Your externship is an opportunity to build a strong foundation for your future career, so embrace it fully and do your best.

Conclusion

In wrapping up this journey, it is clear that an externship offers far more than just a glimpse into the professional world—it is a transformative experience that shapes both your legal skills and your career outlook. From mastering the art of reflection to navigating a new legal system and honing language skills, every challenge encountered is an opportunity for growth. As you prepare to take the next steps in your career and academic pursuits, remember that the insights and experiences gained during your externship will serve as a solid foundation for your future successes.

To speak of my experience, this journey, once daunting, now sits neatly on the shelf of my professional life, ready to support the next steps in my LLM studies and beyond. I got my second happy ending. But just as one chapter closes, another begins. Is there a prospect of a third happy ending to this story?

I received a job offer from my externship firm, which I happily accepted. There will be more to share about that in the future, in a different time and place, but for now, let’s savor this accomplishment and look forward to what comes next.

Externship Diaries: Salome Adeishvili (July 2024 – post #2)

July 2024

Dear Diary (and Future Readers),

Are you curious about what happens after the happy ending? After all those celebratory LinkedIn posts about securing an externship? The truth is that adjusting to a new position is not always smooth sailing. Yes, life marches on after the happy ending, but it is not all roses and unicorns. The first steps are often filled with fear and doubt, which is a natural part of life. But I am here to share my experience of navigating these uncertain moments and the fear of not fitting in. Hopefully, you can benefit from reading about my journey.

In the first part of this blog, I will cover the technical aspects of an externship, particularly how to ensure that you fulfill Georgetown Law’s requirements and deadlines so that your hard work pays off. In the second part, I will share my experiences in the field itself. The latter will have subsections that will discuss my externship journey, highlighting the skills I already possessed, areas where I aimed to improve, and practical advice for future students preparing for similar opportunities.

Technical aspects of the externship

At the start of your externship, you will receive a detailed email from the director of the LL.M. Academic Externship Program outlining your duties and deadlines for various required document submissions. Make sure to mark all the dates and carefully check that you complete each required step. Key documents include the Externship Goals Form, Weekly Sheets, and the Reflection Memo.

In the Externship Goals Form, you will (1) outline your objectives and (2) detail the legal skills you hope to develop, the types of professional experiences you aim to have, and how you plan to achieve these goals. You will also need to reflect on the feedback your externship supervisor provides about your goals. Thinking ahead about your goals can shape your path and motivate you to excel in your externship.

Weekly Sheets need to be filled out at the end of each week. They capture what you learned, what you did, and how those experiences influenced your perspective on the externship. This weekly summary can help to sum up those five days of your life and reveal the dynamics of your work, showing whether your path is monochromatic – routine and unchanging – or multi-colored – out of your comfort zone and full of exciting challenges.

The Reflection Memo is due at the end of the externship. Since I still have a month to go, my thoughts on it are still forming. I will share my experience of writing the Reflection Memo in my third and final blog post about my Summer Externship.

Field experience

In this part, I’ll reflect on my externship experience, focusing on the skills I brought to the table, those I needed to develop, and advice for future students preparing for similar opportunities.

Skills I Already Had

Before starting my externship, I had the advantage of completing the first year of my Two-Year LL.M. Program, which included a comprehensive course, Introduction to the US Legal System. This class provided me with a solid foundation in the workings of the US legal system and the key principles of the common law. Additionally, my US Legal Research Analysis and Writing class taught me how to draft memorandums effectively, a skill that proved invaluable during my externship. Approaching assignments, especially memos, with confidence and clarity was a direct result of this training.

Moreover, the US Legal Research Analysis and Writing class taught me how to use Westlaw to look up precedent cases, equipping me with essential research skills. This is particularly beneficial for students from countries with civil law systems who are not familiar with common law research techniques. This preparation gave me an edge over other externs who might not have had the same training, especially in conducting research on common law and related issues. Learning these skills in my LL.M. program was incredibly beneficial, setting me up for success in my externship.

Skills I Needed to Develop

Despite my strong background, I quickly realized that excelling in a law firm required developing new skills, especially for multilingual, international students like myself. Sharpening my communication skills and improving my time management became top priorities. The ability to clearly verbalize ideas and efficiently manage multiple tasks is crucial in a fast-paced legal environment, where even a single punctuation mark in an email can significantly alter its meaning and tone.

While my LL.M. program at Georgetown Law did not formally cover these nuances, insights into correct communication skills were subtly embedded throughout classes, particularly in Fundamentals of Legal Writing. This class introduced us to the world of US legal writing and its practices. My Drafting Contracts professor often emphasized that small stylistic mistakes in emails could unintentionally convey disrespect, despite our good intentions. This lesson underscored the importance of understanding the unwritten rules of business communication in the legal world. Adjusting to these nuances has been crucial for navigating different cultural and work ethic norms, ensuring I communicate effectively and professionally in my role.

Advice for Future Students

In addition to the other points I have discussed, another top piece of advice for students preparing for an externship or internship is to remain vigilant and proactive. Always seek clarification when uncertain and do not hesitate to ask questions, regardless of how trivial they may seem. Double and triple-check your work meticulously, as you will be dealing with real cases that can have a significant impact on people’s lives. It’s crucial to verify everything with your supervising attorneys to prevent errors. Remember, this experience goes beyond theory—it’s about real-world practice where mindfulness is crucial.

In conclusion, the externship journey extends far beyond the initial excitement captured in celebratory LinkedIn posts. This journey will push you to grow, adapt, and learn how to navigate both the technical demands and the practical realities of the legal profession. From meticulously managing documentation and setting clear goals to refining communication skills and adapting to new cultural and professional norms, each aspect of your externship can contribute to your personal and professional development. Each step towards the second happy ending – completing the externship – marks both personal growth and readiness for the challenges ahead in the legal profession.

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Are you a current student or an alumnus of the Georgetown Law Two-Year LLM Program? Would you like to write a post or series of posts for the Georgetown Legal English Blog with your own experience, advice, or ideas? Just email Prof. Stephen Horowitz at stephen.horowitz@georgeown.edu.

Georgetown 2-Year LLM grad helps repatriate artifacts to Cambodia

Post by Sokunthyda Long, a Fulbright recipient who graduated from Georgetown Law’s Two-Year LLM Program in 2023, passed the New York bar, and is part of the restitution team in repatriating artifacts back to Cambodia.

From interviewing former looters at remote cultural sites to being featured on a 60 Minutes segment by Anderson Cooper on the repatriation of Cambodian artifacts, my team at Edenbridge and Brad Gordon, along with the support and partnership with the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and other important liaisons, have been successful in returning hundreds of artifacts back to Cambodia.”

I started out as a legal intern at Edenbridge Asia in 2020 where I was involved in the repatriations of looted Cambodian artifacts. The team and I, along with other relevant stakeholders, are currently working to set up the Cambodian Treasures Foundation to focus on repatriation of statues and preservation of cultural heritage. My work consists of interviewing former looters, documenting evidence, and negotiating with museums, private collectors, and other dealers to return looted artifacts. These investigations have resulted in various significant returns, including the recent return of 14 artifacts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in July, 2024.

While matriculating at Georgetown Law’s Two-Year LL.M. Program with a focus in International Business and Economic Law in 2021, I was taught necessary skills to further my statute repatriation work. The Two-Year LL.M. Program provided me with more time to understand the legal world, especially in international legal diplomacy. I came to understand the significance of soft diplomacy in navigating through the intricacies of politics and economics of international relations. My legal writing and analysis courses have been critical in my understanding of expressing necessary legal arguments to other parties. I am able to draft letters, negotiate, and make requests for provenance research in a more professional manner. The Fundamentals of Legal Writing classes taught me to write with a reader in mind, a skill I developed and have since practiced in my current employment. Further, it is a skill I use in other contexts as well such as conveying my thoughts and rationale to team members, former looters, the media, and other persons in my everyday life.

Applying the knowledge and skills I learned at Georgetown Law to my current work, I am able to communicate with museum directors, cultural experts and other associates in a more confident manner when it comes to consulting and negotiating on returning or loaning the artifacts. It felt incredible to celebrate the returns of the 14 artifacts from the Met, especially the ones I personally researched back in 2020, where I went to the pillaged site and saw the bases and other fragments there. I talked to the former looter to gather more information about it, such as the size of the artifact, the period style, the medium, and any other necessary information that would help make our evidence stronger. It was rewarding to be able to go to the airport and watch the artifacts arrive, proving that the work the team and I did really led to remarkable results.

The repatriation has brought attention and has been picked up by major international media such as various articles written by The New York Times and The Economist, a 60 Minutes episode by Anderson Cooper and a 2 minute podcast by NPR’s All Things Considered.

Despite all of this media coverage, I have to admit that it’s still a bit unbelievable to me that we got the Met to return the artifacts. But I’m extremely proud to have been able to contribute to the effort.

Below are photos provided by Long:

Long at a cultural site back in 2020. “We did some research there and know what was taken out, but haven’t been able to locate those specific items yet, so they’re most likely with private collectors or in a warehouse somewhere.”

Long with one of the repatriated pieces from the Met. “The piece is called Uma or Parvati and she’s from Koh Ker. This is one of the pieces I specifically did research on, and I saw her base/pedestal in Koh Ker in 2020.”

*Koh Ker. “I took this photo in March, 2024 right after I came back to Cambodia. I saw the monks and the blue umbrella and just thought that the color contrast was wonderful!”*

*Angkor Wat. “I took this photo in March, 2024 while conducting a field study on Cambodian cultural heritage with cultural experts, contemporary artists and museum associates.”*

2-Year LLM graduate Ji Woong Seok’s article on crypto regulation published

Post by Stephen Horowitz, Legal English Lecturer

We are excited to share that Georgetown Two-Year LLM program 2024 graduate Ji Woong Seok recently had his article titled “Standardizing a Global Regulatory Framework: Lessons Learned from a Comparative Study of the U.S., the E.U., and South Korea’s Regulation of Crypto Assets” published in Business and Finance Law Review (BFLR) (Vol. 7 Issue 2), a publication of The George Washington Law School connected with GW’s Center for Law, Economics, & Finance (C-LEAF).

Seok, who is a Senior Manager for Korea Securities Depository and will continue his legal studies in an SJD program this coming fall, cited his work with Prof. Heather Weger in the Fundamentals of Legal Writing course–which all Georgetown Two-Year LLM students take in their first semester–and with Prof. Weger and Prof. Paula Klammer in the Advanced Scholarly Legal Writing course taken during Seok’s second semester of the program.

According to Seok, “I learned how to effectively write a paper in English from the FLW/ASW class. First, I learned how to write a systematic outline. Before the class, I just wrote a rough table of contents when writing. The systematic outline, from the main to the detailed contents, helped me write better. In addition, this class taught how to ensure readers can easily understand the argument through the appropriate placement of main and supporting sentences and anticipate the flow through roadmap sentences. Also, I learned to write a paper concisely by reducing minor facts and simple materials. Lastly, the FLW/ASW class also taught us that the process of reading and revising the paper multiple times is really important. I greatly appreciate Prof. Weger’s and Prof. Klammer’s teaching for two years. It will be of great help in my future SJD course!”

Below is the abstract of the article. You can also click here to access a PDF of the full article.

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Standardizing a Global Regulatory Framework: Lessons Learned from a Comparative Study of the U.S., the E.U., and South Korea’s Regulation of Crypto Assets

Ji Woong Seok

ABSTRACT*

Since 2009, various crypto currency tokens (commonly called coins) have emerged, utilizing innovative technologies like blockchain and distributed ledger technology to establish decentralization of finance. The starting point of decentralization was Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin paper about payment without intermediaries. Since Bitcoin boomed, many experts have predicted that blockchain-based crypto currencies such as Bitcoin, will replace current payment methods and facilitate a shift from centralized to distributed systems of transactions. Furthermore, the public recognizes crypto assets as new objects of investment.

In response to these changes, global market players are developing new financial instruments and systems, and governments have been establishing regulatory frameworks for over ten years. The United States (U.S.) has utilized existing regulations, such as commodities regulation, to respond quickly, while the European Union (E.U.) and South Korea have pursued regulation through new legislation to regulate crypto asset industries.

A fundamental inquiry arises as to whether these tokens, which failed as a payment method, should be regulated as commodities and securities. Suppose new and similar digital things, such as blockchain-based Pokémon or sports trading cards, emerge and are frequently traded in. Should they be subject to these commodities or securities regulations? In situations with uncertain regulatory direction, crypto assets regulation is necessary because huge transactions, similar to those of other financial instruments, are being made between global investors, and investors should be protected from various crimes, such as fraud.

Lastly, the regulatory direction should focus on stabilizing the market, preventing unfair practices, and ensuring investor protection. Moreover, continuous monitoring and international cooperation are needed for the evolving crypto asset industry.

In this paper, I argue that we need a standardized global framework to regulate crypto assets. This conclusion is drawn from analyzing cases in the U.S., the E.U., and South Korea with global regulatory approaches. Specifically, the pros and cons of each country’s regulations covering the “creation and sale of crypto assets,” “crypto asset-related business,” and “investor protection” were examined.

*This article is based on an assignment submitted for the CMDTY & Derivatives Markets class (Prof. Peter Malyshev & Paul Hayeck) at Georgetown Law.

Externship Diaries: Salome Adeishvili (May 2024)

May 2024

Dear Diary (and Future Readers),

Are you interested in finding an externship in the US? My diary is here to guide you. I am excited to share my experiences and insights that led me to secure an externship as a Georgetown Law student. In my diary, you will be able to follow my steps closely. This established path aims to make your future endeavors smoother and more rewarding. I will outline four crucial steps in chronological order to help you navigate the process successfully. The first step involves preparing all the necessary documentation. The second step covers the process of finding an externship. The third step focuses on preparing for the interview. The fourth step outlines the administrative steps required to make your externship official.

Preparing your documentation

The first step is crucial for building a strong foundation: gathering the necessary documentation. This documentation includes your resume, professional references, personal statement, and writing sample.

Begin by refining your resume using the available resources at Georgetown Law’s Office of Graduate Careers. Start this process early in your first semester, as perfecting a resume takes time, and you will need it ready when it is time to apply for externships.

Next, gather your professional references. List at least three references, selecting a mix of professors and former or current employers.

Then, draft a general personal statement in advance to adapt it based on different positions. This allows you to easily adapt it to fit the specific interests and requirements of each firm or organization you apply to.

Finally, have a writing sample ready. Many organizations will request one. Obtaining a writing sample from your courses in your program is quite efficient. If you are in the One-Year LL.M. at Georgetown Law, try to take a class in your first semester with a paper requirement (e.g., USLRAW or a seminar course.) If you are in the Two-Year LL.M. Program, you can use your USLRAW memo or your second-semester Fundamentals Legal Writing II paper.

The Process of Finding an Externship

For the second step, set aside a specific time each day to focus solely on finding externships across various platforms. Make this a daily habit and prioritize it over other commitments, including midterms, exams, assignments, or social activities. Begin this process early in the semester, ideally 3-4 months before you wish to start your externship, whether in summer, fall, or spring.

When searching for externships using different resources, use keywords like “summer externship/internship for law students,” with or without mentioning a specific organization. If you are interested in a particular field, include related keywords. For example, I was looking for opportunities at an immigration law firm, so I added “immigration” to my above-mentioned keywords.

One set of resources is available exclusively for Georgetown Law students: Symplicity, a Georgetown Law database of employers and job opportunities, and TIP Symplicity, the pre-approved externships database created especially for Georgetown Law students. Another set of resources is widely available, LinkedIn, a professional networking platform that connects you with industry professionals and job postings, and Indeed, a comprehensive job search engine. Combine these with other relevant job search platforms to maximize your chances of finding externship opportunities.

Also, manage your applications with an Excel sheet/Word document to track companies, deadlines, documents, and follow-ups. Regularly update your spreadsheet and stay proactive to enhance your chances of securing an externship. Consistent effort and dedication will significantly increase your chances of finding the perfect externship.

Preparing for the Interview

For the third step, take advantage of Georgetown University’s services and schedule a mock interview with the Office of Graduate Careers. While you may have previous interview experience, different countries often have unique ways of talking about their experiences and potential value to a company or organization. To highlight these qualities, utilize the resources provided by the university to ensure you are well-prepared.

Make Your Externship Official

After successfully securing the position, if you plan to accrue credit in an externship, ensure you complete all the necessary administrative steps. Fill out an LL.M. Externship Application Google form and request that your future employer complete the Supervision Agreement for Externship Field Supervisor form and send it to Molly Jackson. This ensures your hard work is recorded and Georgetown University Law Center awards you two hours of academic credit.

In conclusion, navigating the externship journey as a Georgetown Law LL.M. student involves laying a strong foundation by preparing essential documentation, dedicating consistent time to the Process of Finding an Externship, utilizing university services for interview preparation, and finalizing administrative requirements to make your externship official and to ensure credit for your hard-earned result. By following these steps diligently and leveraging all the available resources, you can enhance your chances of securing a rewarding externship experience that aligns with your career goals and aspirations.

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P.S. Would you prefer to get paid for your work? If so, you should consider an internship. The main difference between an externship and an internship is that an externship provides university credits, while an internship usually offers a salary. The first three steps of the process are the same for both, but unlike an externship, an internship does not require university registration since it does not offer academic benefits. So, which option do you prefer?

P.P.S. To avoid any confusion, I also want to add that F-1 students are not permitted to work/intern/extern off-campus without approved optional practical training (OPT) or curricular practical training (CPT) work authorization.

Updates from the Georgetown Legal English Faculty (May 2024)

Post by Stephen Horowitz, Legal English Lecturer

Here’s what the Georgetown Legal English faculty have been up to during the course of the spring 2024 semester….

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Craig Hoffman

We were both extremely proud and at the same time verklempt while attending the retirement ceremony for Prof. Craig Hoffman, one of the original pioneers of legal English, the founder of the Georgetown Two-Year LLM Program, the progenitor of the Legal English faculty, a beloved teacher (or “rock star” as Dean William Treanor put it) to hundreds of Georgetown LLM students, and an inspiration and mentor to so many of us who have been fortunate to have had the privilege of working with him. We will miss him dearly but look forward to building on his legacy and continuing to collaborate with him and seek his insights (whether he wants us to or not. :-))

Prof. Hoffman with members of the Legal English faculty. (From L to R: Heather Weger, John Dundon, Craig Hoffman, Patricia Dutra, Stephen Horowitz and Julie Lake. Not pictured: Michelle Ueland, Benjamin Cheng and Yi Song.)

Prof. Hoffman getting the rock star treatment from some of his students.

Ben Cheng

Prof. Cheng was on leave this semester while he and his wife were blessed with the birth of their second child, Matteo. We and our students all look forward to working with Prof. Cheng again in the fall (and also look forward to Matteo’s first visit to campus!)

The newest member of the Georgetown Legal English Team: Prof. Matteo Cheng!

Heather Weger & Julie Lake

We have had another successful academic year! We would like to use this opportunity to give some “shout outs” (i.e., recognize the colleagues and students who made this year possible) and update you on our work.

Shout Outs

Most notably, we want to express deep gratitude to Craig Hoffman, whose innovative mind has created a supportive space that recognizes and empowers the voice of Multilingual Lawyers from around the world. Being part of his Legal English vision has enriched our understanding of what student-centered learning means and given us a platform to build meaningful programming.

To honor his legacy, we warmly congratulate our multilingual students in the Two-Year LLM Program. First, to our graduating cohort! Keep us informed of your ongoing adventures. Second, we recognize the hard work of those who have just completed their first year! It has been an honor to be a part of your journey to practice law in a multilingual world. See you next year.

Finally, we want to thank our colleagues, past and present, for continuously innovating and pushing the boundaries on legal education practices: Profs. Benjamin Cheng, John Dundon, Stephen Horowitz, Mari Sakai, and Michelle Ueland.

Our Ongoing Work

Our professional journey during the last several months has had plenty of amazing highs, starting with the lawyer-linguist partnerships and classroom spaces that we shared with the multilingual lawyers in the Two-Year LLM Program. These months have also been filled with milestones to propel us forward: including providing a Legal English curriculum to a brilliant team from the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, forming a working group with Ukrainian linguists teaching in the law context, receiving both the Jim Weaver and ALWD grants that will help us continue to innovate our Legal English pedagogy, and introducing our asset-based Legal English approach at TESOL 2024 International Convention.

[Editor’s note: See the Georgetown Law Magazine Spring 2024 issue’s cover article “Justice for Ukraine: Georgetown Law Partners with Ukrainian Prosecutors” for more info about the initiative in which Profs. Lake and Weger provided their legal English expertise.]

Prof. Julie Lake (4th from left) and Prof. Heather Weger (2nd from right) led the Georgetown Legal English team that hosted staff from the Office of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General for a five-week intensive language program.

As we turn to summer 2024, we look forward to continuing partnerships with Ukrainian colleagues in our Legal English Pedagogy initiative, upcoming writing partnerships with colleagues at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (KMA), and presenting our asset-based approach to legal writing at the Legal Writing Institute (LWI) Biennial Conference in July 2024. Here’s to a busy summer 2024!

John Dundon

This summer, Professor Dundon is returning to IE Law School in Madrid, Spain, where he will teach a class on contract drafting to students in IE Law’s LL.M. program. He’ll also teach a similar class on the same subject matter this summer in Taipei, Taiwan, with one section taught to law students at National Chengchi University and another taught to practicing lawyers organized through the Taipei Bar Association.

Professor Dundon will present his research at two linguistics conferences, both in the United Kingdom. His first presentation, at the i-Mean 7 Conference on Meaning in Social Interaction in Bristol, UK, will concern the procedural and evidentiary rules in the U.S. legal system that result in interactional asymmetries in trials. His second presentation will be at the 5th European Conference of the International Association for Forensic & Legal Linguistics in Birmingham, UK, and he will summarize his recent research on production format in U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments.

Finally, Professor Dundon will teach U.S. Legal Research, Analysis & Writing during Georgetown Law’s Summer Experience program for newly-matriculated LL.M. students.

Stephen Horowitz

Ukraine

*Organized a second round of Legal English training sessions which included 1) a series of Pronunciation/Speaking Presentations sessions led by Legal English Specialist Linda Pope; 2) a session titled “The Flipped Classroom: A Student-centered Approach for Instruction” led by Prof. Susan Dudley of the University of Richmond Law School; 3) a session titled “Case Analysis & Written and Oral Advocacy” led by Joel B. Kohm, a retired Canadian barrister and solicitor and founder of Kohm Arbitration & Mediation Inc.; and 4) A session titled “Resolving legal disputes without going to trial: ADR, negotiation and mediation” led by Prof. Barrie Roberts, author of The Getting to Yes Guide for ESL Students and Professionals.

*Helped launch a new training focused on the teaching of Legal Research & Writing and recruited a team of US and Canadian legal research and writing experts to participate. (In collaboration with Artem Shaipov of the USAID-funded Justice For All (Ukraine) program.)

*Helped arrange for Prof. Nadiia Maksimentseva, who specializes in constitutional and election law, to give a presentation sponsored by Georgetown Law’s American Constitution Society titled “Derogation of Human Rights and Freedoms During Martial Law in Ukraine.” (Special shout out to my TA Conor Bigley, an ACS officer this past year, for all his help in making this happen.)

*Continued the weekly Legal English Conversation sessions which matched 20+ Ukrainian law and legal English faculty with 20+ US/EU law and legal English faculty. In addition to legal English practice, the weekly Zoom sessions have evolved into a place to share ideas and understanding feel connected as a community. Legal English Conversation for Ukrainian Faculty is taking a break for the summer but will continue in the fall. (If interested in getting involved in any way, feel free to email me at stephen.horowitz@georgetown.edu.)

Refugee Afghanistan Judges

*Continued conducting assessments for refugee Afghan judges and lawyers in connection with the ABA Afghan Legal Professionals Scholarship & Mentoring Pilot Program. The assessment project is in collaboration with Prof. Daniel Edelson (Seton Hall/USLawEssentials.com) and Prof. Lindsey Kurtz (Penn State Law).

*Continued offering a self-guided online pre-LLM legal English program (i.e., Fundamentals of the US Legal System; Reading Cases; Legal Writing; etc.) on the USLawEssentials platform to help prepare Afghan candidates getting ready to start an LLM program at a US law school.

Bar Exam Support for LLM Students

*Will again co-teach a 4-week bar essay skills course (for MEE and MPT) this summer with USLawEssentials using a “pay what you can” model to make legal English support accessible to all LLM students who need it.

Conference Presentations

*(04.26.24) International Education Abroad and Administrators of LLM Programs (ILEAC) Conference: “Legal English Assessment & Refugee Afghan Judges and Lawyers: A Case Study” on a panel with Dr. Lindsey Kurtz (PhD Applied Linguistics, Director of Legal English Certificate Program and Legal English Specialist at Penn State Law); Prof. Daniel Edelson (Director of Academic Success at Seton Hall Law and Founder of USLawEssentials LLC); and Dana Katz (Vice Chair, Afghan Legal Professionals Resettlement Task Force, American Bar Association (ABA) International Law Section (ILS)).

*(06.06.24) 16th Global Legal Skills Conference in Bari, Italy: “Making Legal English Accessible: Ukraine, Afghanistan & the US Bar Exam”

Miscellaneous

*Attended the ABA International Section Conference in Washington, DC on May 10 to see Dana Katz, Daniel Edelson and others on a panel presentation titled “Lean on Me: Guiding Legal educational and Career Pathways for Afghan Lawyers and Judges Starting Over in the United States.” After the presentation, I was honored to get to meet in person several of the Afghan judges whom I’d met via Zoom to conduct legal English assessments with and also several of the U.S. legal professionals who have been serving as mentors to the Afghan judges and lawyers.

*Completed three legal English text book reviews for academic publishers and also wrote a blurb for the back cover of The Getting to Yes Guide for ESL Students and Professionals: Principled Negotiation for Non-Native Speakers of English by Barrie J. Roberts.

*For a third year in a row hosted the Two-Year LLM students (along with Legal English faculty and members of the Office of Graduate and International Programs) for an end-of-semester, good ol’ American-style cookout + potluck that included cornhole, soccer, and s’mores! Looking forward to continuing this fun and wonderful tradition for many years to come.

What’s jury duty like? Some firsthand experience from Georgetown Law’s Darius Ngo

Darius Ngo, Director of Operations for Georgetown Law Office of Graduate & International Programs

Darius Ngo is the Director of Operations for the Office of Graduate & International Programs at Georgetown Law. He is not a lawyer nor a law professor. But like every other American citizen, he is required to report for jury duty when called. And that’s exactly what happened two weeks ago.

Jury duty is an intriguing curiosity for many of our LLM students (both in the Two-Year and One-Year LLM programs at Georgetown Law.) Especially for students coming from a country that doesn’t have jury duty in its legal system. And based on the media portrayal, jury duty is an experience of high drama, full of action and plot twists. Or cases where a woman is awarded millions of dollars for spilling hot coffee on herself. Or even cases involving a former US president!

For that reason, we thought it might be both helpful and interesting to ask Darius to share his own personal experience with jury duty. Here are some of his thoughts:

I was summoned on Monday morning and selected that late afternoon. The trial was on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the jury deliberated and provided a verdict on the charge.

The case I was on was a criminal misdemeanor sexual assault case, and we found the defendant guilty of the charge.

I think the most fascinating parts of the process were 1) watching the prosecutors and defendants try to discredit the opposing witnesses during cross examination, 2) watching closing remarks and how each side addressed the jury and how each narrative was spun, and 3) the deliberations itself since each juror had different perspectives. We deliberated for the day because we were going back and forth on whether we believed it was beyond reasonable doubt that the charge occurred. But at the end of the day, the evidence presented was clear.

It was definitely a great experience seeing the process unfold. My experience of jury duty in the past has been standing in line, waiting in the juror lounge and being dismissed after a long day. But beyond that and getting chosen, I definitely felt like I did my civic duty and contributed.

I think the most arduous part of the process is the first day of sitting, waiting, answering the judge’s selection questions, and the anticipation of getting selected or dismissed. I think that’s the majority of people’s experience with jury duty since so few are selected. But once selected, I think being in court and contributing to the U.S. justice system was very fulfilling since I am just an ordinary person not trained in law.

For LLM students who want to learn and hear more about jury duty, we encourage you to stop by the Office of Graduate & International Programs (Hotung, 5th floor) and ask Darius about it the next time you see him!