2013.10.28
We are pleased to share a report from Nana Sakuma, a graduate of our law school,
who participated in theUniversity of Washington School of Law Summer Program.
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I participated in a course called "The Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice" at the University of Washington School of Law, which was held from August 30 to September 13 of this year.
This course is designed for international students entering LL.M. programs, providing a two-week overview of the U.S. legal system, a common law country. It is conducted in the same format as classes at an American law school. There were four classes between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and we were assigned nearly 100 pages of preparatory reading for each class. Classes proceeded with a discussion format where students raised their hands after a brief explanation from the professor, so if I didn't prepare enough, I couldn't keep up with the discussion. As a result, my weekdays were spent catching up on preparation. Although discussing in English, which I am not used to, was challenging, I believe I gained a lot by trying to participate proactively in class.
In addition to classroom instruction, the program included visits to the K&L Gates law firm, which has ties to the University of Washington, and the Washington State District Court. At the K&L Gates law firm, two partners spoke to us about their work at the firm and then held a Q&A session. I felt it was a valuable opportunity to hear directly from lawyers who are at the forefront of corporate law in the United States. Furthermore, during the court visit, we had the privilege of hearing from a sitting judge about the practice of litigation in the U.S., the rewards of working as a judge in America, and their day-to-day thoughts on their work.
Additionally, through interactions with my classmates, I was able to learn about the laws in various foreign countries, such as those in Asia and Africa, and the issues each country faces. I feel that this was a valuable experience that I could not have had just by studying in Japan.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone on the Global Committee for giving me this opportunity. I also hope that future students graduating from the law school will have the chance to have such an experience.
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