After GW Law students left for the summer, some professors and deans continued teaching—just not in Washington, D.C. Members of the law school community went outside our walls to lecture in far-flung places from Buenos Aires to Tasmania.
One group headed to Argentina to participate in an exchange program with The Universidad del Salvador. For the past several years, representatives from GW Law have gone to Buenos Aires to lecture about the U.S. legal system. Professor Robert Cottrol, a fluent Spanish-speaker, developed the relationship with the school.
Cynthia Lee, Charles Kennedy Poe Research Professor of Law, and David Johnson, Assistant Dean for Pro Bono & Advocacy Programs, joined Professor Cottrol as GW's lecturers for 2016. At various points, they spoke to Argentinian students, academics, and practitioners, about how the United States handles capital punishment, the law of self-defense, and a presidential election.
"The engagement was very stimulating," said Professor Lee. "I was able to meet judges, criminal defense attorneys, and other law professors, and was able to learn a bit about Argentina's criminal justice system."
Across the globe, Professor Neil H. Buchanan lectured throughout Australia and New Zealand about the fiscal policy proposals of the U.S. presidential candidates. In total, Professor Buchanan gave talks at Monash University, University of Melbourne, University of Tasmania, University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, and the University of New South Wales.
"Audiences outside of the U.S. are keenly interested in our political, economic, and legal systems," said Professor Buchanan. "They were eager to hear about the U.S., and they asked well informed questions. As a result, I developed a number of ideas for cross-national collaboration."
Dean Johnson echoed the ability of travel to create new opportunities. "The exchange of ideas is important," he said. "When we send members of our community to other schools, both sides bring fresh perspectives."
Interested in international travel of your own? GW Law offers six diverse programs for students to study in other parts of the world.