4 Leading Law schools in global study destinations

19 Oct 2016

The world of Law and Statutes may seem full of unmoving constants, but never has there been a better time to obtain a law degree. Innovation and global change create new products and outcomes, and more importantly, new legislation to envelop these changes.

Ongoing international upheavals like Brexit represent huge opportunities for International lawyers, who are responsible for drawing up crucial legislation that concerns everything from housing and support funds, to trade protection and business laws. Every company that trades with, as well as in and out of Britain in any capacity will need to re-examine their legislation, thus meaning more graduates of Law with a global focus are urgently in need.

But a period of change and opportunity for legislators also brings great challenges. Practitioners of law need to stay submerged in current events, keeping abreast of client needs, as well as how laws should encompass and protect those for which they are built. Famous legislator and American President, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in his notes on lectures of law, ‘The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every calling, is diligence.’

Global Expertise Brings Worldwide Prospects

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Today’s world is a maze of interconnections and collaborations at every level. Countries share ventures in travel, education, and trade, and with all these international tethers comes a need for legislature that adapts to the world around it.

International law specialists pick any aspect of global law-making to professionalise in, making them increasingly in demand in today’s connected world, with Global Law Experts reporting over 20,000 search enquiries a month for its 2000+ members of attorneys and legislators.

This type of tailored law education means that students with fields of interest can combine this with their law studies, a choice greatly encouraged by Dana Vioreanu, who wrote on studying International law:

“While you are still in law school, start learning a foreign language. Chances are it will be very useful in your future profession; first of all, employers will be impressed and second of all, the term “international” from “international law” speaks for itself.”

Indeed, learning a second language could be instrumental to working with foreign legislation, and an understanding in photography and film can be instrumental to drafting the rights, laws, and requirements within the film industry.

Worldwide law-focused organisations, like The International Bar Association, greatly encourage student membership, as it offers networking opportunities and helps students ‘bridge the gap between education and practice’ as they follow the latest developments within International law.

Aviation law, banking law, and medical law are further examples of the multi-faceted fields of legislation that can be explored on a global scale by prospective students throughout their studies, in order to help them specialise in their future careers.

With such a wide selection of potential career options on offer, it is paramount for students pursuing a law qualification to consider institutions with law courses offering a professional Global-focus.

FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF THE FREE STATE – SOUTH AFRICA

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The University of the Free State (UFS) is a multi-campus public university in Bloemfontein, the judicial capital of South Africa, making it a prime location for prospective law students. The Faculty of Law is one of the leading Faculties of law in South Africa, being the intellectual home of a significant number of South Africa’s leading academics, located at the judicial heart of the country.

UFS offers law qualifications at multiple levels of study, with two options towards a LLB (Bachelor of Law); one course at five-year’ length, and a shorter four-year course that is available both on the main campus in Bloemfontein and for E-learning study.

There are also post-graduate study in the form of diplomas in Estate and Trust Administration, Labour Law, and various specialisations in Financial Planning Law, as well as LLM and LLD courses (Masters and Doctorates). The law departments have a globally-relevant focus in Private Law, Mercantile Law and in Public Law, which is inclusive of studies in Criminal and Medical Law, Constitutional Law, and Law of Procedure and Evidence.

The Faculty of Law at the UFS is an institution that believes in practical application of law, demonstrating this through a variety of practical learning opportunities for its law students, such as the UFS Law Clinic, which was originally founded for law students to offer free practical legal advice to impoverished members of the local community.

FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI – FINLAND

The Faculty of Law at University of Helsinki was founded in 1640, and today is consistently ranked as one of the most prestigious law schools in the world, making this year’s list for 2016’s Top Law Schools.

The Faculty of Law teaches around 2,400 students each year, with a multitude of international students choosing to study here for its world-renowned resources, such as over 100 student exchange and study-abroad agreements, and bilateral multidisciplinary agreements with nearly 80 universities on all continents.

The international focus is carried further still into language speciality, with students at the University of Helsinki taking law LLB bachelors, LLM masters, and doctorates in Finnish, Swedish or English.

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This level of globally-focused education means its law students are maximising their professional understanding of applied international law, as well as gaining multicultural enrichment.

FACULTY OF LAW, UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG – GERMANY

Built upon the foundations of a 15th Century cathedral, the University of Freiburg is an institute committed to providing a solid base for practical learning in Law.

With over 10 different departments and Institutes of law within the faculty, students can be assured a comprehensive range of modules, with at least 3 Institutes devoted to International Law in relation to Criminal Law, German Law, and Civil and Private Law.

The range of study extends to the state examination of lawyers in Law and two Masters of Laws postgraduate degrees that can be taught in both German and French, as well as a strong support network for its international students.

The University of Freiburg’s law faculty is an active part of its international field, with the Law moot court team frequently taking part in The Annual Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, in which they have won six awards.

TILBURG LAW SCHOOL, TILBURG UNIVERSITY – NETHERLANDS

Ranking #7 in SSRN Top 750 Law Schools, Tilburg Law School is a sound choice for international students eager to earn a globally-focused law degree.

Established in 1963, Tilburg University, is one of the leading law schools in the Netherlands and Europe, with over 3000 students at the Law School alone. Tilburg Law School offers 5 bachelor of Law courses, one of which is the popular Global Law, in which over 55% of the class are International students. The Global Law is also being hailed for its unique approach to teaching law as an interdisciplinary qualification, with links to psychology, economics, and technology.

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There are also 10 Master’s courses on offer, eight of which are taught in English, with the course content ranging from International Business Law to Law Globalisation.

The University welcomes more than 750 international students from over 60 countries as it fully embraces the concept of International-centric education.

*Some of the institutions participating in this story are commercial partners of Study International