Law in London Program

Law in London Program

by Josh Engel

First of all, let me say congratulations on your being admitted to Syracuse University College of Law. I wish I could tell you all the hard work is behind you, but I’d be lying. Even with all the hard work that is ahead of you, there are some wonderful and fun experiential learning opportunities.
   
When I came to law school, I knew I wanted to be in a corporate/business setting with some international flavor. I came across the Law in London program. It seemed to offer a little bit of everything. I applied and had placement interviews with Deans Day & Abramovsky. They worked tirelessly to find the perfect placement for me.
   
Once in London, I was surprised at how “international” it was. I ended up working in the corporate legal department for one of the top ten hedge funds in the world. My supervisor was the only American that I worked with. There was only one English staff member, others were from South Africa, Vietnam, and Scotland. Working with people from other areas of the world was simply amazing. I picked up many cultural differences, just between the English and American ways of life.

I was lucky enough to have a supervisor that was a SUCOL alumnae, so she knew exactly what I was experiencing as a 1L, being abroad, and working in my first legal job. She and the rest of the staff gave me the time to learn the business of the hedge fund until I felt comfortable enough to begin working on different legal matters. In any legal position, it’s most important to get sense for what your client does and what it is they want. That may be the most valuable lesson I learned.
   
Maybe one of the best parts of the Law in London program is going over there with other law students (both from Syracuse Law and other law schools). Most of us chose to live in the Syracuse Law affiliated apartments. It was great having 15-20 of your friends being right next door. We would go out to eat together, see shows, go to clubs, and travel around the world together. Traveling from London can be relatively cheap so be sure to plan some travel time.
   
There are not enough good things to say about the Law in London program. Looking back as a 3L, I can say it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my law school career.


Questions?  Find me on the Law Ambassador website.

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