Pace Cassell

Dean Rusk International Law Center participates in event at the Halle Foundation in Atlanta

Last week, the University of Georgia School of Law’s Dean Rusk International Law Center participated in a dinner reception celebrating global education and the philanthropic generosity of the Halle Foundation, supporting American-German educational exchange. This event was jointly sponsored by the University of Georgia’s Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies and the Office of Global Engagement.

The mission of The Halle Foundation is to promote understanding, knowledge, and friendship between the people of Germany, as seen in its European context, and those of the United States. In furtherance of this mission, the Foundation supports, primarily through grantmaking, initiatives and activities with a preference to organizations and institutions operating within, or with some discernable connection to, the state of Georgia. UGA has several international mobility initiatives, including Georgia Law’s semester-long Global Externships Overseas (GEO) initiative, that are beneficiaries of the Halle Foundation.

The evening program began with welcoming remarks by Dr. Eike Jordan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Halle Foundation and Dr. Martin Kagel, Associate Provost for Global Engagement, UGA Office of Global Engagement. Then, faculty and administrators at UGA who oversee initiatives benefitting from the Halle Foundation’s support spoke about the impact that their grants have on students. Speakers included: Dr. Jan Uelzmann, Co-Director of Film, Art, and Cultural History in Berlin program; Dr. Heide Crawford, Co-Coordinator of ENGR-GRMN Dual Degree Program, Director of the Freiburg Study Abroad program; and Sarah Quinn, Director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center.

Then, UGA students shared reflections about what their time abroad in Germany meant to them academically, professionally, and personally. Georgia Law student Pace Cassell (J.D. ’26) spoke about her experience as a legal extern at Baker Tilly in Hamburg, Germany during the spring 2025 semester through the semester-long GEO initiative, jointly administered by the Center and the DC Semester in Practice. Cassell is the recipient of a grant from the Halle Foundation, awarded to the law school in summer 2024 to support six students over three years participate in semester-long externships in Germany.

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Applications are open for fall 2027 semester-long Global Externships Overseas (GEOs). All current 1Ls and 2Ls are invited to submit an application by February 15. For more information and the application, please email: ruskintlaw@uga.edu

Halle Foundation grant recipient Pace Cassell (J.D. ’26) reflects on semester-long Global Externship Overseas in Germany

Today, we welcome a guest post by Pace Cassell, a member of the University of Georgia School of Law class of 2026. Cassell is the eighth Georgia Law student to participate in a semester-long international externship and the second recipient of a grant from the Halle Foundation to support her externship in Germany. The semester-long externships overseas initiative is an extension of the Center’s existing Global Externships Overseas and is offered jointly between the Center and the law school’s Clinical and Experiential Program. Cassell’s post describes her experience as a legal extern with Baker Tilly, a global professional services network specializing in advisory, tax, assurance, and legal services. Cassell is based in Hamburg, Germany, where she works under Georgia Law alumnus Dr. Christian Engelhardt (LL.M., ’01). Dr. Engelhardt is the Head of IP/IT Legal at Baker Tilly.

Living in Hamburg

I am going to miss so many things I’ve gotten used to during my time here in Hamburg – living on a cobblestone street, taking the U-Bahn all over the city, grabbing a Franzbrötchen on the way to work, and having everything I could need within walking distance.

Hamburg is located on the Elbe River, which connects the city to the North Sea. The Hamburg port is the largest in Germany and has driven much of Hamburg’s industrial and economic development. Within the city are the Alster Lakes, which are surrounded by walking paths and cafes. The swans on the Alster are protected by law and taken care of by the city; Hamburg legend says as long as there are swans on the lakes, the city will be free and prosperous. Due to these bodies of water, Hamburg has more bridges than any other city in the world, and more canals than Venice and Amsterdam combined.

Navigating a new city where you know no one can be daunting, especially when there is a language barrier. I took German classes from elementary school through college, but classroom learning truly does not compare to being immersed in the language the way I have been in Hamburg. The real-life context and direct association of words to concepts allows for faster understanding and retention and makes the learning process feel more intuitive and natural.

While I am still far from fluent, I’m proud of how far I’ve come with my German in such a short time. As philosopher Tomáš Masaryk put it, “As many languages you know, as many times you are a human being.” Language shapes our perception of reality, and learning how another culture expresses thought has been transformative.

Substantive Work and Comparative Perspective

Baker Tilly is an international law firm and has 698 branches, with eleven in Germany alone. The partner I work under, Dr. Engelhardt, focuses his practice on intellectual property, information technology, and data privacy. During my placement, I’ve been able to undertake research assignments ranging from analyzing European Court of Justice opinions, to investigating U.S. sanctions on foreign companies, and comparing American and European policies on artificial intelligence and data privacy.

Prior this experience, I had a vague interest in the General Data Protection Regulation, but I never considered my personal data important enough to merit much consideration. I felt little concern about the use of this data by large companies. However, understanding the principles of transparency, democratization, and fair competition embodied by the European data privacy regime has shifted my thinking and awakened an interest in a new area of law. Data privacy is much more than an abstract policy issue. The collection of our personal information, who can access it, and how it’s used to influence decisions can have significant implications on daily life – from targeted advertising to employment opportunities and even political influence.

More broadly, gaining a comparative perspective has allowed me to not only learn more about German culture but has also provided greater context for understanding my own. Seeing the practical effects of European and German regulations and policies on everyday life has been invaluable, and I never would have been able to gain this perspective had I not spent my semester here. This exposure has deepened my appreciation for the role legal frameworks play in shaping societal norms, and the value in evaluating the law through a global lens, both in a legal workplace and daily life.

Takeaways from the experience

I’ve always been curious about international law, and how American jurisprudence compares to that of other countries. I would recommend a global externship to anyone who shares this fascination. Outside of what you may learn about a legal system directly through doing legal work, living in another country allows you to experience firsthand the nuances of how its laws interact with society at large. Living in Germany has been a dream come true for me, one I’m sure I will continue reflecting on for years to come.