Reflections on Georgetown Law’s Two-Year LL.M. Program by Sheika Al Kamyani

Posted by Stephen Horowitz, Lecturer of Legal English

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!

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

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.” 🙂

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.

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.

ALWD Teaching Grant awarded to Georgetown Legal English Faculty for second year in a row

Post by Prof. Stephen Horowitz, Legal English Lecturer.

Congratulations to Georgetown Legal English faculty members Profs. Julie Lake and Heather Weger, who both teach in Georgetown’s unique Two-Year LLM program, for being awarded a Teaching Grant by the Association of Legal Writing Directors (ALWD) for their grant proposal titled, “An Innovative Approach to Strengthen Multilingual Student Voices and Autonomy in Legal Writing Classes”!

Georgetown Legal English faculty member Prof. Stephen Horowitz (who also teaches in the Two-Year LLM Program) previously received an ALWD Teaching Grant in 2023 for his proposal (with Prof. Daniel Edelson of Seton Hall Law) to create a self-guided online legal writing course that would make legal writing instruction easily available to students in anywhere in the world at no cost and on their own schedule. (The course–Essential US Legal Writing for International Law Students & Attorneys–has since been made available to Ukrainian law schools and to Afghan judges and lawyers connected with the ABA Afghan Legal Professionals Scholarship & Mentoring Pilot Program.)

Below is Lake and Weger’s innovative proposal:

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“An Innovative Approach to Strengthen Multilingual Student Voices and Autonomy in Legal Writing Classes”

Summary: For our teaching idea, we will develop a pedagogical sequence (with tasks and materials) that empower multilingual students, arguably a marginalized sector of law school, to assess and revise their writing using an asset-based lens.

Rationale: Over the past 10 years, as we have taught legal writing to multilingual students in law school, we have seen how these writers are decentered as they navigate their educational experience. This led us to reflect on our teaching practices in our legal writing courses, resulting in several pedagogical shifts aligned with asset-based principles (MacSwan, 2020) that foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity for multilingual (and monolingual) students. The next step is to create a pedagogical process that empowers students to take charge of their legal writing experience and develop their legal writing voice.

Becoming an autonomous writer with a clearly defined individual “voice” (Lancaster, 2019; Matsuda & Tardy, 2007) can be challenging for any novice legal writer and doubly-challenging for multilingual writers. The first step toward developing one’s voice is for emerging writers to develop the ability to analyze their own written texts (Teng, 2020).

Yet, in our legal writing courses, we have noticed that multilingual students often struggle to critically engage with writing in their non-dominant language; instead, they look to teachers to “correct” their written texts.

To help learners overcome this dependency and develop their legal writing voice, we want to transform traditional standard-based pedagogy (Cox, Malone, & Winke, 2018) into asset-based pedagogy (Lubbe & Eloff, 2004) as we design a pedagogical sequence that encourages learners to take charge of their legal writing process.

Teaching idea: We will develop a pedagogical sequence with tasks and materials that relies on an asset-based pedagogy (e.g., MacSwan, 2020) for teaching writing to multilingual law students (our population.)

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And here is the official email announcement from ALWD:

Congratulations to ALWD Teaching Grants Recipients

Dear Colleagues:

The ALWD Board and Teaching Grants Committee congratulate the recipients of our 2024 grants! Thank you to all who submitted proposals, and we look forward to the results of the grants, as summarized below.

Aysha Ames (Fordham University School of Law) proposed “Counter Story: Using `Outsider’ Narratives to Tell Complete Stories.” Aysha will “create a two-credit upper-level legal writing course on counter storytelling with the goal of centering non-dominant narratives in the law. Counter storytelling creates space for untold narratives and truths from ‘outsiders.'”

Stephanie Der (LMU Loyola Law School-Los Angeles) proposed “Rethinking the Legal Research Process in Light of Generative AI.” Stephanie will “draft proposed guidelines on how to shift the way we teach the legal research process to optimize the benefits of AI while alerting students to its limitations” and “support these guidelines with research exercises aimed at helping students to understand when and how to use Lexis AI and Westlaw AI.”

Julie Lake (Georgetown University Law Center) and Heather Weger (Georgetown University Law Center) proposed “An Innovative Approach to Strengthen Multilingual Student Voices and Autonomy in Legal Writing Classes.” They will develop teaching materials that “empower multilingual students, arguably a marginalized sector of law school, to assess and revise their writing using an asset-based lens.”

Bryan Schwartz (University of Arizona Rogers College of Law) proposed “Advanced Lawyering Skills for the NextGen Bar & Future Criminal Practitioner” and will develop “writing projects and simulation exercises aimed at testing and reinforcing the first-year legal writing concepts as well as the foundational lawyering skills likely to be tested by the NextGen Bar Performance Tasks.”

Carolyn Williams (University of North Dakota School of Law) proposed “Team-Based Learning Study Guides and Readiness Assessment Quizzes.” Carolyn will rewrite Study Guides and Readiness Assessment Quizzes for updated material for team-based learning.

Also, the ALWD website has material from recently completed grants. ReviewVeronica Finkelstein‘s (Wilmington University School of Law) case file for an employment discrimination claim stemming from a legal associate’s encounter with bias. Or view screenshots from Stephen Horowitz (Georgetown University Law Center) and Daniel Edelson‘s (Seton Hall University School of Law) free online course for teaching legal English to non-native speakers.

Thank you,

The 2024 ALWD Teaching Grants Committee

Aliza Milner (Syracuse University College of Law) & Emily Zimmerman (Drexel University Kline School of Law), co-chairs; Rachel Goldberg (Cornell Law School); Ann Killenbeck (University of Arkansas School of Law); Megan McAlpin (University of Oregon School of Law); Jonathan Moore (University of Akron School of Law); Sarah Ricks (Rutgers Law School-Camden); Catherine Wasson (Elon University School of Law)

Law & Language: Miranda warning or warnings?

Post by Profs. Stephen Horowitz and John Dundon, Georgetown Legal English Lecturers

Despite teaching the same Two-Year LLM program Legal English course the past three years (same content, different sections), my esteemed colleague Prof. John Dundon and I just realized we differ on whether, when focusing on the line of criminal procedure cases and Miranda rights during our Legal English II course, the correct version of the phrase should generally be plural (i.e., Miranda warnings), or whether it is also acceptable for it to be singular (i.e., Miranda warning.)

I won’t say who was advocating for which side, but the argument for exclusively plural was that the Miranda v. Arizona opinion includes multiple items for which a warning must be provided, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney. The argument against was that the multiple items can be viewed collectively as one warning.

The only civilized way to settle this debate between two lawyer-linguists, of course, was to follow the descriptivist path of looking to the corpora.

Using the entire internet as a corpus (i.e., a Google search of the phrase “a Miranda warning”), it seems to support the use of the singular, as the phrase appears in the Wikipedia entry for Miranda Rights as well as in news articles (e.g., NPR; NYTimes), on legal info sites (e.g., Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute; usconstitution.net; NOLO.com), and on law firm sites (e.g., D’Emilia Law – “What is a Miranda Warning.”)

So do those arguing for the exclusive preference for the plural have the right to remain silent? Not without first consulting an attorney. In fact, nine of them.

If the corpus is instead the line of Miranda cases from our course, all of which were decided by the U.S. Supreme Court–the esteemed body that originated Miranda rights and its associated language–then suddenly we see an extremely strong predilection for the view that Miranda is actually comprised of several warnings, which suggests that the plural may in fact be correct. And the singular version is then just a vulgar mutation that has been adopted by the masses. (Or, stated more objectively, a variation that has been adopted in less specialized settings.)

So what’s a lawyer-linguist legal English teacher working with Miranda cases to tell their students? Our takeaway is to just share this blog post with them so they recognize that the appropriate form–single or plural–likely depends on the context and the audience.

If you’re writing a brief for the court or you’re a judge writing an opinion or perhaps a law professor writing a law journal article, then plural seems the preferred option. But if you’re writing a news article or a client email or having a cocktail party conversation, then singular is would seem to be just fine.

If you disagree with us, then you have the right to consult with an attorney-linguist. And if you cannot afford one, then we will be happy to provide you with one of course.