HLS in Focus

It’s getting to be mid-October, which is a fun time for 2Ls and 3Ls because everyone’s deciding what to do for this year’s  J-term.  J-term is the HLS word for January term, a month-long semester where you go to the same class from 9-5 everyday.  It’s really good for classes like the Trial Advocacy Workshop, where you need long chunks of time for mock trials, and it works for people who want to earn credits off-campus, too.  You can propose an independent writing project, you can sign on to do a clinical internship domestically or abroad, or if you’re like me, you can zone out in one of your fall classes last year and see a chalkboard announcement that said “Want to go to India for J-term?  Pound Hall 101, 7 p.m. tonight.”  It wasn’t a whole lot of information, but it was enough for me.  Um, yes I did want to go to India for J-term, thank you. 

Fast forward to the part where I got selected for the trip (paper proposal, then lottery) and then arrived in Bombay with nine other HLS students who would soon become friends.  It was hot and humid, and I had made the mistake of watching Slumdog Millionaire the night before I left, so I was paranoid about getting sick from “fake” bottled water and was thus hauling around about 15 jumbo bottles of Poland Spring from the Newark airport in my luggage.  My soon-to-be friend and roommate Neema taught me that there are certain brands of water that you can’t tamper with the seal, which was a much better solution to hydration than my brilliant—but backbreaking—plan.   

We worked in Indian law firms, which was an amazing opportunity to see a legal system that’s currently closed to foreign law firms.  A lot of people think India may open its legal practice in the near future, and I guess if that happens, the ten of us are going to have a few weeks’ head start on everyone else!  The work was both substantive and doable, which is a rare combination in short internships.  I did contract interpretation, corporate plans, litigation work, and met with clients (including Bollywood directors, how fun is that?), and the whole trip was expertly planned and really well thought out.   

I did think I was going to die a couple of times, but really, the cab driver only fell asleep for a few seconds, and we were only going like 60 km per hour.  And the only reason that wild monkey attacked me when we were hiking on Elephanta Island was because it was almost 100 degrees and he wanted my Limca (Indian version of Sprite, totally delicious and refreshing—or at least it was until a toddler-sized wild monkey ripped it out of my hands and drank it).  That monkey had his own hydration plan, and it was a lot better than my Poland Spring debacle.  Now I just have to choose what to do this year. . .

 - Erin

2L Ayalon Eliach recently e-mailed me about his experience this summer at the Hague:

Prior to arriving at HLS, I spent two years living, working, and traveling abroad.  Whether it was trying to understand how tax treaties between the United States and South Korea affected my earnings in Seoul, taking advantage of the easy access to travel and work visas that I enjoyed as an American, or seeing pictures of President Bush on newspaper covers in almost every country I visited, my experiences overseas piqued my interest in international law and heightened my curiosity about the ways in which the United States’ interests are affected by and pursued through international legal institutions.

When I got to HLS, I began thinking about my 1L summer very early on.  I knew the different elements of what I was looking for but wasn’t sure how to combine them.  I wanted to learn more about international law, better understand America’s role in the international legal order, and contribute what I could to my country.  After speaking to some 1L friends and upper-classmen, it became pretty clear that working for the State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser presented the perfect opportunity to combine those interests. 

I quickly learned that the Office of the Legal Adviser’s summer internship is only open to law students who have completed their 2L year.  Luckily, OPIA’s Job Search Database contains profiles of internship opportunities impossible to find anywhere else on the Internet.  A quick search for “U.S. Embassy” led me to an evaluation of an internship with the State Department’s Office of the Legal Counselor in The Hague.  The evaluation was extremely enthusiastic and contained contact information for a State Department attorney who worked in the office.  I emailed her and although she had returned to Washington, she was able to put me in contact with the current Legal Counselor who explained the application process to me.

The internship was everything that I had hoped for and more.  I had the opportunity to directly work for and learn from two brilliant attorneys from the Office of the Legal Adviser stationed in The Hague.  I attended meetings with other states’ legal representatives, trials of alleged war criminals, and readings of legal decisions that impacted countries’ sovereignties and borders.  Being in the world’s capital of international law gave me unparalleled exposure to the issues I was interested in, and researching and writing about those issues deepened my understanding of them.  By the end of the summer, I had done substantive work related to the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Iran-US Claims Tribunal, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and other legal institutions. 

The internship brought my 1L Public International Law class to life and enabled me to get out of my 1L summer everything that I had hoped for and more.

I recently sat down with Marissa Vahlsing to talk about her experience this summer at La Asociacion Civil por la Igualdad y la Justica in Buenos Aires:

Marissa Vahlsing podcast

Transfer alumnus Matthew Perault graduated from HLS in June 2008.  A native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he received a BA from Brown University in 2002, and is now a law clerk for Judge Gladys Kessler in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Admissions staffer Julia Foresman recently had the chance to catch up with Matthew about how his interests in international development and human rights drew him to HLS.

Matthew Perault: (10:44)

William Langer ‘08 reflects on the factors that went into his decision to transfer to HLS. He is currently working temporarily at Machado Meyer Sendacz e Opice in São Paulo until he returns to Simpson, Thatcher & Bartlett LLP where he is an associate.

“Looking back over the last three years since my decision to transfer to HLS, and reflecting on the various wonderful personal, academic and professional experiences that HLS made available to me over these years, I cannot imagine having done things differently, and I highly recommend making the transfer to HLS to anyone considering doing so.’

“After growing up in central New Jersey and going to college in New York City, I felt a need to see a bit more of the world beyond the northeastern US, and ended up spending a year teaching English and studying Spanish in Madrid. In addition to developing my interest in foreign languages, I was captivated by the international atmosphere and world view that I was exposed to in Europe, and I decided that I wanted to do something with an international focus in my legal career.’

“After my first year of law school, I was still committed to doing something international, however I was still unsure of the specifics. My academic and professional interests had always been broad, and my college majors in Economics and Political Science, as well as several humanities courses that I took, had only widened my interests. This became a principal factor in my interest in transferring to HLS.’

“Because I was still figuring out what I wanted to do, I felt that HLS would offer me a wide variety of options, and also that the various departments and programs were among the best in each of their respective areas. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a richer array of options than those offered at HLS, with its long list of top professors in all fields of study, various clinical programs, and dynamic campus life revolving around the many student organizations and journals, run by intelligent and inspiring students, all of whom bring amazing experiences to share with one another.’

“With all of these options, HLS makes the task of exploring one’s interests easy and rewarding for anyone willing to commit the effort to their own personal and professional development. Personally, I am amazed and humbled by the various academic and professional opportunities that I was offered during my two years after transferring, from a three-week internship working with a judge in Peru (during HLS’ month-long Winter Term), to my experience working on two of the various specialty journals, to two different internships working in microfinance with organizations in the Boston/Cambridge area, to my 2L summer, which I split working at a New York City law firm and then at a New York City microfinance/urban development organization, to fascinating courses in diverse areas such as Human Rights, International Finance, and Law and Public Health, as well as a course on the world history of legal thought from 1850-2000, a seminar on the writings of Freud and Nietzsche, a reading group on the city of Mumbai, and language courses in French and Portuguese at Harvard undergrad. HLS’ training and reputation also helped me to get two papers that I wrote as part of my coursework accepted for publication in law journals. Currently, I am working at a Brazilian law firm in São Paulo, practicing international corporate law. Living and working in Brazil has been a fascinating experience thus far. Another advantage of HLS is that when you travel to other countries everyone knows Harvard, which is good from both a professional as well as a social standpoint, since HLS is a good conversation starter, which is nice even when the questions people ask you are about Legally Blonde.’

“Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in terms of the transition to HLS there was (and, I believe, continues to be) an excellent organizational effort among the 3L transfers to hold events and get-togethers so that the relatively large group of transfer students from both classes could all meet each other. The 3Ls were also readily available and extremely helpful in answering all of our questions about academic and student life, which further served to ease the transition process. I quickly acquired a group of friends among the transfer students during the transfer orientation, and eventually, with the help of classes, student groups, journals, etc, my close friends consisted of both transfers and non-transfers, and also included 1Ls, 3Ls, and members of the large LLM class, in addition to my fellow 2Ls. Indeed, the reason why much of this post is not specifically about my transfer experience is that, after a certain point in my experience, I stopped noticing the transfer/non-transfer distinction and just thought of myself as a normal HLS student.’

“In all, I can say that my transfer to HLS helped me tremendously in my personal and professional development. In my first year out of law school, it is difficult and a bit daunting to predict exactly what the future will hold in terms of my career, but I can be certain that my background at HLS, and the many different academic and professional experiences that I was able to take advantage of during my time there, will serve me well as my career path continues to develop.”

If you weren’t sure before how boundless your international opportunities are at HLS, a recent presentation by the International Legal Studies office allayed much doubt through its introduction to a variety of study abroad programs available including a joint LLM degree with the University of Cambridge.

For those who may not know, the Semester Abroad Program is an opportunity for HLS students to receive a semester of ungraded credit towards the Harvard JD degree for study at a law school overseas. The study abroad program is intended to afford students a valuable educational experience, immersion in a foreign legal culture. This includes exposure to what makes the legal system function as it does: its underlying assumptions, how local lawyers think about the law, what law is designed to do, and how it relates to the society more broadly.

“Study abroad gives you a chance to be a fish out of water,” said ILS staffer Ben Cook. “You gain a perspective on law you wouldn’t otherwise have if you stayed here.” Among the advantages cited is professional development. “Depending on what your post-HLS goals are, you may be at competitive advantage… by studying abroad. You’re having an uncommon experience and a substantive academic experience that can facilitate professional goals and personal development.”

In recent years students have developed individualized programs of study abroad that have enabled them to explore the following: commercial and capital market regulation in Argentina; rights of indigenous people in Australia; environmental law in China; and European take-over law, among others.

Concerned that your area of interest may not relate to a study abroad experience? Don’t be, said Cook. “It is not just for someone interested in human rights or business, but a wide range. In making a decision about whether it’s right for you, be sure to evaluate your goals; is there a program that fits? Also be sure to evaluate your foreign language proficiency if applicable and be mindful of the school’s academic calendar when planning your summer internships.

In addition to studying abroad, Cook urged students to think about the JD/LLM joint program with the University of Cambridge. “This can really set you apart from other students,” he said. “Particularly if your interests lie with the EU… this program can provide a leg up for those thinking about pursuing more in-depth academic work. The Cambridge JD/LLM joint degree program also benefits students interested in learning about British or European Law with an eye to practicing in Europe or for a transatlantic firm.”

For more information, be sure to visit the International Legal Studies website: http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/spotligh…

1L and Co-Chair of the Public Interest Auction Sarah Jelsema recently sat down for a Q & A with us after this yearly highlight of the HLS calendar.

What is the public interest auction?
The public interest auction is a fundraiser run entirely by the 1L class that raises money to support students who do public interest work over the summer. We solicit donations from faculty, staff, alumni, parents, students, firms, and local businesses. Some donate money and some donate things to auction off. We receive all sorts of donations – things like Red Sox tickets, gift certificates to restaurants and salons, lunches and fishing trips with professors, cookies and brownies made by the librarians, and a tour of the Northwest Corner Construction project. The auction is one of the biggest social events of the year. Every year the auction has a theme, and we decorate Austin Hall accordingly. This year the theme was “Bright Lights: Bid City” and so the different rooms were decorated as different big cities – London, Paris, and New York.

What has gone into preparing for this event and what have you gotten out of the experience as a co-chair?
Almost all of the 1L class helps out with the auction. We divide the students up by committees and committees mostly help out either by asking for donations, calling alumni and asking them to donate, emailing firms, going door to door in Cambridge, or by helping process the donations and get them ready to sell, or by helping out on the night of the auction. As one of the auction co-chairs, I had the opportunity to work with a group of amazing people to try to plan and coordinate this huge event – it was definitely a  challenging experience for all of us. From coordinating hundreds of student volunteers to keeping track of hundreds of donations, to making sure everything comes together on the night of the auction, being a co-chair was a lot of work, but it was extremely rewarding. It was also a good opportunity to meet new students.

The event is always a lot of fun for students, faculty and staff. What was your favorite part of the evening? Did anything surprise you?
The event was a huge success. My favorite part of the evening was the live auction. Our auctioneers – this year Professors Elizabeth Warren and Jonathan Zittrain – were auctioning off the “right to be – or not be – in the 2010 parody.” The first bidder was the Dean of Students because they gave her a hard time this year in the parody, but then Professor Mann, who bought this item last year, got in a bidding war with Professor Warren and everyone was laughing so hard!

Why should admitted and prospective students seeking a strong public interest community choose Harvard? Why did you?
I think that students looking for a strong public interest community should choose Harvard because they can go anywhere and do anything with a degree from Harvard Law. We are a bigger law school, but as a result, we have so many more options to pick from than other law schools. Good public interest law jobs are really competitive – and since I want one, I’m glad I chose Harvard. I know that the connections and friends that I will make here, with professors and fellow students, will be of benefit for the rest of my life.

Starting April 15, HLS will begin accepting transfer applications for the fall. Over the last couple of years, there have been increased opportunities for Harvard Law students to study off-campus through joint degree and foreign study programs which make it possible for us to admit more transfer students than ever before.

The question of whether to apply as a transfer student is the right move is up to you, but we think that a little research will show you the vast benefits of transferring to HLS. With 102 full-time professors and more than 300 courses, HLS is home to the most intellectually stimulating legal community in the world. Outside the classroom, there are 14 journals, over100 student organizations, clinical placements in approximately 30 areas of the law, and more than enough opportunities for you to experience the incredible diversity of the HLS community during your second- and third- year. For example, the Harvard Law Review encourages transfer applicants to apply for membership and several past transfer students have been successful in that endeavor.

Bottom line? Whether you are interested in constitutional law or environmental law or human rights advocacy or any number of other areas, the breadth and depth of our offerings is incredible. Whether you want to clerk at the circuit court level, follow the path to academia, or pursue a career in public service, the opportunities presented to our graduates are unsurpassed.

For more details on the transfer application process including eligibility guidelines, deadlines, and application requirements, please visit: http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/j…

Also, stay tuned in the coming days and weeks for blog entries of a few students talking about their experience transferring into Harvard Law School!

If someone told you that the solution to save the planet was building more skyscrapers, you probably wouldn’t believe it. Yet, as explained by Harvard economics professor, Ed Glaeser, in a recent discussion with the HLS Real Estate Association, if you want to be good to the environment, you should stay away from it. In fact, suburbanite Americans are guilty of leaving some of the deepest carbon footprints on the national landscape. Professor Glaeser’s most recent work looks at “the greenness of cities,” with a particular focus on carbon dioxide emissions and urban development. “When environmentalists resist new construction in dense cities,” he said, “they inadvertently ensure that it will take place somewhere else with higher carbon emissions.”

In his study with Professor Matthew Kahn of UCLA, Professor Glaeser began by estimating the amount of carbon dioxide an average household (measured by family size and income) would emit if it settled in a variety of major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and then measured comparative data between projected central city versus suburban emissions within new or recently built homes. “We calculate carbon emissions from four different sources,” said Glaeser, “including home heating, electricity, driving, and public transportation, which make up approximately 40% of America’s carbon footprint.”

When examining the results, it may not come as a surprise that the five metropolitan areas with the lowest levels of carbon emissions are all in California. Naturally temperate climates and dedicated environmentalists battling for the use of energy efficient appliances and hydroelectric power are two factors that make colder or warmer cities like Rochester (with more heating emissions) or Houston (more electricity use) appear ‘browner.’ And New York, in spite of low electricity usage and impressively low transportation-related CO2 emissions, tends to use dirtier sources of power such as coal. Sunbelt cities, like Atlanta and Memphis, ranked worst not by heating their homes but rather by electricity (dirtier sources of energy and hot summers) and the geographic sprawl that demands driving. “The data suggests that households in dense urban areas have significantly lower carbon emissions than households in the suburbs,” said Glaeser.

The question of environmental damage associated with carbon emissions nationwide remains. Even by the most conservative estimates, new homes in Memphis do more than $600 worth of environmental harm per year than homes in San Francisco, which are associated with fewer tons of carbon. “Before carbon taxes,” said Glaeser, “the country should rethink its land-use policies which currently push people towards high emissions areas and away from greener ones.” Specifically, Glaeser referred to California’s strict land use regulations that inhibit the growth both upward and outward of cities. “By restricting local development, California regulators just make that construction occur elsewhere… [more] building in the state would reduce average commute lengths and improve per-capita emissions. Higher densities could also justify more investment in new, low-emissions energy plants.”

Professor Glaeser is the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard, where he also serves as Director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government and the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston.

Interested in working in India doing either public interest or private practice work? If so, a recent panel hosted by the South Asian Law Students Association (SALSA) would have been right up your alley.

2L Nitya Shekar, whose interests include public interest litigation and activism, got her internship last summer with the Alternative Law Forum (ALF) in Bangalore through the Human Rights Program here at HLS. “It was really a great experience in a great city,” she said. “Bangalore is on the rise with public interest movements.” While she was there, Shekar was involved with the city’s first GLBT pride parade and anti-road widening litigation.

3L Lauren Birchfield and SJD student Iain Frame were also involved in public interest with the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) in New Delhi were. “The Human Rights Law Network provides pro bono legal services, conducts public interest litigation, participates in advocacy, and collaborates with social movements and human rights organizations. Maintaining both litigation and publishing departments, HRLN works on issues such as right to food, women’s justice, dalit rights, disability rights, and rights for persons living with HIV/AIDS,” explained Birchfield who worked specifically with the Right to Food Campaign. “I greatly appreciated how much HRLN invested in us and in our project, and how much freedom was given to us regarding the project’s construction and implementation. I found HRLN a fantastic organization to work for, and I was pleased to walk away from the internship having recognized that this – this kind of work, this kind of project – is what I want to pursue as a career.”

On the private-sector side was 2L Erin Walczewski, who spent Winter Term with Nishith Desai Associates in Mumbai. “I was interested in alternative dispute resolution and arbitration and got to do lots of research on the differences among arbitration tribunals,” she said. “I met with clients, and the attorneys walked me through how litigation worked in India. The attorneys were especially interested in how business practices differed between the U.S. and India.”

When asked how to approach the application process for public interest firms, the panel advocated being direct and having a project in mind. Respect for interns at HLRN? “It of course depends on the supervisor you get,” said Frame. “Because HRLN was so large it helps to have an idea about what you want to do when you get there… your experience will be more dynamic if you take charge.”

Concerned about needing experience in Indian or international law? “I dealt almost entirely with Indian law which was totally new to me,” said Shekar. “But since ALF is so small, the work they do is very focused and my relationship with them was more intimate… there was no hierarchy and everyone was happy to answer questions for me.” “I found my international law class from 1L year to be very helpful,” said Walczewski, “particularly in terms of understanding how international agreements work.”