University of Georgia

South Korean Consul General Suh featured at Global Atlanta Consular Conversation

One of the Dean Rusk International Law Center’s current Visiting Research Scholars, Daesun Kim, Esq., attended last week’s Consular Conversation with Sangpyo Suh, the Consul General of Korea in Atlanta. This event, organized by one of the Center’s institutional partners, Global Atlanta, is part of an ongoing series presented by Miller & Martin PLLC. Below are some of Kim’s reflections of the event.

Consul General of South Korea in Atlanta Sangpyo Suh serves as his country’s top diplomatic in the Southeastern United States. In a wide-ranging conversation with Trevor Williams, Global Atlanta’s managing editor, Suh detailed his diplomatic service before his arrival in Atlanta, including: Korea’s Ambassador to the OECD; Korea’s Ambassador to Gabon; Head of Energy, Climate Change and Environment, United Nations Mission; and, most recently, Korea’s Ambassador to Pakistan.

Suh explained that he first came to Atlanta in the mid-90s to study English as a diplomat at Georgia State University. During that time, the population of Koreans in Georgia was around 10,000. Now, in 2023, the population exceeds 150,000 and is growing. Korean investments in Georgia reflect this trend, with over $12.5 billion allocated towards foreign direct investment projects in Georgia alone as part of the $30 to $40 billion annually invested in the United States. The Hyundai electric vehicle plant project, currently under construction near Savannah, is worth more than $7 billion alone. The number of Korean companies in Georgia has increased dramatically in recent years, and Suh hopes to continue to strengthen the economic ties between the Southeast and Korea.

Suh is aware of more than 250 Korean companies in the Southeast, including 150 in Georgia. Outside of automotive investment, there has been trade and investment activity in response to the IRA/ CHIPS Act, with collaborations focusing on semiconductors, EVs, and batteries. He believes that the region serves as an important regional base for these key industries of the future.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance. While the economic partnership between the U.S. and Korea has grown, so have the countries’ cultural ties. Suh talked about how the number of students in the U.S. studying the Korean language is exploding. He credits this in no small part to the soft power of what is known as K-culture, including Korean “K-pop” music, Korean cinema, and television. Suh views part of his role as Consul General to promote these cultural ties and find ways to further develop them.

International Education Week, November 13-17 at UGA Law

During the week of November 13, the University of Georgia School of Law will host events during the lunch hour to highlight International Education Week (IEW) 2023. IEW is a joint initiative between the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education that celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. The theme for 2023 is “International Education Is the Future.”

All events will take place from 12-1pm. Exact locations can be found in the event hyperlinks. The events for the week are as follows:

Monday, November 13: Globalizing Your Legal Education in India

India is an emerging global economic superpower. Gaining academic or professional experience in India will prepare UGA Law students for the future of the global workforce. Learn from a panel of current J.D., Master of Laws (LL.M.), and exchange students about their experiences learning about and practicing law in India:

Tuesday, November 14: Marketing Your International Experience

In an increasingly globalized world, and in the globalizing field of law, international experience is a valuable part of your CV as a law student. Join a panel discussion about how international experiences can set you apart, and importantly, how you can market that experience to recruiters and interviewers during your job search and career. Panelists will include:

  • Andrew Arrington, 3L, completed a Global Externship Overseas at Sorainen in Tallinn, Estonia
  • Brandy Blue, Interim Senior Program Associate, Conflict Resolution Program, The Carter Center
  • Jean Rowe Luciani, UGA Law Assistant Director of Career Development (J.D., 1997)
  • Emily Snow, Associate, Caplan Cobb LLC (J.D., 2021)

Wednesday, November 15: African Women in Law Panel Discussion

Current Master of Laws (LL.M.) students will discuss their experiences as women practicing law in African countries. This event will take place in room E/ 252 of Hirsch Hall. Panelists will include:

Thursday, November 16: International Law Faculty Brown Bag Lunch Series with Dean Peter B. Rutledge

UGA Law Dean Rutledge will speak about his experience in the field of international arbitration. Students will have time for questions.

Friday, November 17: Coffee with Visiting Research Scholars

Join the Dean Rusk International Law Center’s 2023-2034 visiting researchers for coffee and conversation about their research:

  • Mine Turhan, assistant professor of administrative law in the Faculty of Law at the Izmir University of Economics in Türkiye
  • Daesun Kim, ESQ, a foreign attorney practicing law in Vietnam
  • Natalia Pires de Vasconcelos, former assistant professor of law at Insper Sao Paulo, Brazil and current PhD student in sociology

For more information about IEW programming at UGA, please visit the International Student Life website.

Kannan Rajarathinam (LL.M., ’88) speaks about the future of the United Nations at UGA Law

University of Georgia School of Law alumnus Dr. Kannan Rajarathinam (LL.M., ’88) spoke to students last week about the future of the United Nations in a multipolar world in a lecture entitled, “The UN at a Crossroads.”

Rajarathinam used his decades of experience working at the UN to frame his central question of what lies ahead for the international organization. Founded in 1945, the UN’s main focus over the past 80 years has remained the same: to provide all nations with the opportunity to work together to find shared solutions to shared challenges. From supporting refugees to providing food and vaccines globally, the UN has many ongoing campaigns that realize this vision.

One area where he felt the UN had been particularly successful is in building awareness of and consensus around the global challenge of climate change. He noted that the UN has led over twenty conferences on climate change, and, as a direct result of their commitment to this topic, climate security is a top concern for many western nations. Although there is still much work to be done, Rajarathinam stated that shared solutions, like a fund being developed to aid the Global South in managing the disproportionately-felt effects of climate change and technology-sharing to establish renewable energy systems worldwide, are more likely to find consensus due to the inclusive design of the UN.

There are many challenges to the UN’s role in the new multipolar landscape, including the emergence of regionally-focused forums like BRICS and the G20, international development initiatives like China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and ongoing conflicts like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. Rajarathinam believes that the ability of the UN to offer all 193 Member States from India to Nauru an equal vote is its main strength in withstanding this contemporary power shift. He concluded his talk by observing that, now that we are entering into a multipolar global landscape, no one country has the ability to control history anymore – and that, as a result, the world will be more colorful.

After his afternoon lecture, Rajarathinam met with current LL.M. students to discuss his career in the UN. Students shared their backgrounds and professional aspirations and were able to get advice from Rajarathinam and his wife, Usha.

Rajarathinam recently retired after nearly three decades of UN peace keeping and political work in the former Yugoslavia, Cyprus, Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan and Somalia. Prior to the UN, he briefly practiced and taught law in India. A commentator of international and political affairs in India, he is the author of two political biographies of Indian leaders and his next work, on the political history of his state of Tamil Nadu in India is due next summer.

UGA Law Professor Amann presents “Child-Taking” scholarship at British universities in Cambridge and London

University of Georgia School of Law Professor Diane Marie Amann, whose expertise includes child rights, international criminal law, and global legal history, recently discussed her research on “child-taking” at two universities in the United Kingdom.

At the end of September Amann – who is Regents’ Professor of Law, Emily & Ernest Woodruff Chair in International Law, and Faculty Co-Director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center – presented “Child-Taking and Human Rights Law” at the 2023 European Human Rights Law Conference. Entitled “Human Rights Law: Prospects, Possibilities, Fears & Limitations,” the two-day conference took place at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Law.

Last week, she gave a public lecture on “Child-Taking in International Criminal Law” at King’s College London Department of War Studies.

Both talks drew from Amann’s forthcoming article, “Child-Taking,” to be published in the Michigan Journal of International Law.

As Amann theorizes it, child-taking occurs when a state or similarly powerful entity abducts children from their community and then endeavors to remake the children in its own image. This conduct lies at the heart of the International Criminal Court warrants pending against President Vladimir Putin and another top Russian official. The article also examines other examples of the phenomenon, including the Nazis’ kidnappings of non-German children during World War II and the forced placement of Indigenous children into boarding schools in North America, Australia, and elsewhere.

UGA Law students attend American Branch of the International Law Association’s International Law Weekend through Louis B. Sohn Professional Development Fellowships

Top row, from left to right: Aashka Vyas, Bohdan Krivuts, N’guessan Clément Kouame, Savelii Elizarov Bottom row, from left to right: Anna Carolina Mares, Eman Abdella Ali, Shivani Ravi Prakash, Victoria Agbakwuru, and Sarah Quinn

Each fall, the American Branch of the International Law Association hosts its annual International Law Weekend (ILW) conference in New York City. This event features over 30 panels, and many of the world’s leading international lawyers and diplomats participate. Audiences recently have included more than a thousand practitioners, academics, U.N. diplomats, business leaders, federal and state government officials, NGO leaders, journalists, students, and interested citizens. 

This year, the University of Georgia School of Law was a sponsor of the event, and eight students attended through the support of Louis B. Sohn Professional Development Scholarships awarded by the Dean Rusk International Law Center. This builds on a tradition of supporting students seeking professional development opportunities (Prior posts here, here, and here). Recipients of the scholarships this year included:

Krivuts was selected by ABILA to serve as one of six Student Ambassadors for the event.

ILW keynote speakers included Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed Saif Al Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, and Judge Gatti Santana, President, International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. The students enjoyed hearing a range of perspectives on the current international law scheme and how its shortcomings and challenges may be met. For example, one of the panels that Vyas attended was “Investment Law and Energy in times of Armed Conflict.” She appreciated the legal framing of the recent events in Ukraine, and noted that these discussions illuminate the “…considerable gaps…in the current legal regime” and how they could potentially be addressed by “…adopting new measures to maintain cross-border investments during armed conflict.” Kouame, meanwhile, enjoyed the panel entitled “Trade, Labor Rights and Forced Labor.” He said that the panelists provided insight concerning the enforcement of labor and human rights provisions of the USMCA directly related to a research project he is conducting under Professor Christopher M. Bruner.

In addition to the ILW programming, students met with LL.M. alumni working in New York. These included Julie Guo (LL.M., ’09), who hosted students in her firm’s New York City office; along with Parham Zahedi (LL.M., ’18) and Tatyana Popovkina (LL.M., ’23), who met with students before the conference on Saturday. In both meetings, students were able to learn about the experiences of Guo, Zahedi, and Popvkina at UGA Law, how they prepared for the New York bar exam, and their advice for conducting domestic job searches. Students appreciated their insights; Mares, for example, commented that her conversations with alumni reminded her of the strength of the UGA Law community. “Alumni spoke about their gratitude for time spent at UGA and mentioned wanting to do as much as possible to help UGA grads entering the legal field,” she reflected. “Though New York is a competitive market to enter, with hard work and support from fellow UGA grads, it appears to be in reach as a dynamic place to establish a legal career.”

Each of the eight UGA Law students who attended the ABILA ILW agreed that being able to attend this type of professional conference is valuable as they learn about the field of international law and consider their professional futures. Ravi Prakash noted the event’s “transformative impact” on her professional aspirations. “This experience introduced me to a network of highly accomplished individuals in the realm of international law, many of whom are prolific writers, professors, ambassadors and successful attorneys in the field,” she commented. “Interacting with these experts not only expanded my knowledge but also provided valuable insights and connections that will be invaluable in my journey. On a personal level, it instilled in me a deeper passion for international law and a sense of belonging within this community of experts. This event has undoubtedly set me on a path to a more promising and fulfilling future in international law.”

UGA Law Professor Cohen Speaks with International Law Society

Gabriel M. Wilner/UGA Foundation Professor in International Law & Faculty Co-Director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center Harlan Grant Cohen spoke to International Law Society (ILS) members in late September as part of an ongoing brown bag lunch series with international law faculty at UGA Law.

Cohen provided the students in attendance with an introduction to his current research. He then outlined his path into academia and offered students insight into the spectrum of professional opportunities within the field of international law, noting fast-growing sectors like export controls, CFIUS issues, and space law. He also offered some reflections on the changing nature of the field, including the recent trend of withdrawal from international organizations and treaties; the emergence of new centers of power that challenge norms in international law; and increasing economic competition influencing international law through mechanisms such as trade rules and sanctions. Cohen encouraged student questions to drive the majority of the conversation, providing career and networking advice throughout the discussion. He recommended that students interested in international law enroll in the spring Public International Law course, attend conferences and get involved in international law organizations, and try to learn a second language if possible.

ILS President, 2L Madison Graham, spearheaded this series with the intention of orienting new law students towards the international law faculty. She hopes to expand the student body’s definition of what international law means and to bring their attention to the academic achievements of the international law faculty here at UGA Law.

ILS is the student chapter of the International Law Students Association, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that for decades has provided students with opportunities to study, research, and network in the international law arena through conferences, publications, and administration of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. At UGA Law, ILS hosts events and projects designed to stimulate and advance understand of international, comparative, foreign, and transnational law and institutions. ILS’ faculty advisor is Diane Marie Amann, Regents’ Professor of International Law, Emily & Ernest Woodruff Chair in International Law, Faculty Co-Director of the Dean Rusk International Law Center.

UGA Law 3L Meredith Williams reflects on participation in the Bavarian International Trademark Association (“BITMA”) convention in Munich, Germany

Today we welcome a guest post by Meredith Williams, a member of the University of Georgia School of Law Class of 2024. Meredith is one of several UGA Law students to participate in a semester-long international externship, a pilot extension of our existing Global Externships Overseas initiative. This pilot is a joint initiative between the Dean Rusk International Law Center and the law school’s Clinical and Experiential Program. Meredith’s post describes her experience attending an international convention as part of her externship.

I am spending the fall semester of my 3L year working as a legal extern with Weickmann, an intellectual property law firm located in Munich, Germany. I work under Dr. Udo W. Herberth (LL.M., ’96), who heads the firm’s brands and designs group.

A highlight of my global externship thus far has been attending the second annual Bavarian International Trademark Association (“BITMA”) convention, which Dr. Herberth founded. The conference took place over two days, during which I met trademark and patent attorneys from fourteen different countries. On the first day, attorneys from each country presented on the topics of 1) use and 2) jurisdiction.

My externship and this conference in particular have crystalized for me how intellectual property is an increasingly international area of law. Many clients and companies wish to register, maintain, and prevent infringement of their trademarks in more than one country; yet, there are nuanced and important distinctions between different jurisdictions’ requirements and timelines. In a field of law where adding value to a brand is crucial, it is important to be aware of these differences and stay on top of deadlines.

I enjoyed learning from the diverse group of individuals at the BITMA conference. For example, a topic I found compelling was the question of translation of trademark languages. In Canada, the Quebec charter regarding French language has been amended. Attorneys at the conference suggested this will have an impact on trademarks because the French portion of the mark must be twice the size, yet the entire trademark need not be translated. For example, in Quebec, an Apple store could display a large “Le Magasin” before “Apple,” and not have to translate “Apple” into “Pomme.” Further, in Japan, there are four different scripts, which create even more nuance to registering a word mark. These evaluations go into much more detail than we had time to cover during the conference, but it has piqued my interest as something I had never thought about living in the English-dominant US.

Another aspect of the BITMA conference that I enjoyed was the balance between personal and professional. The group of 25 of us shared many meals, watched the traditional Bavarian parade for the opening weekend of Oktoberfest, and eventually made our way to the festivities. While the substantive knowledge I acquired from this group is important, I also learned a lot from interacting with everyone on a personal level. Dr. Herberth fostered a warm and supportive atmosphere throughout the convention. This type of collegial experience served as a reminder that there is value in getting to know colleagues as people outside of work. The BITMA group treated me as an equal and were interested in my path and life. It reminded me that I want to lend a helping hand to law students and those in the early stages of their careers as I progress through mine.

I look forward to the second half of my semester working at Weickmann. I thank UGA Law for leaving such a lasting, positive impression on Dr. Herberth; it is for this reason that he was incentivized to provide educational experiences for UGA Law students like myself, and it is also why I know that I, too, want to provide this type of experience to a UGA Law student one day.

Alexander Campbell King Law Library hosts annual gathering for international students

Last Friday, international students at UGA Law gathered for an annual reception hosted by the Alexander Campbell King Law Library. International students in the J.D. program, Master of Laws (LL.M.) students, and exchange students from O.P. Jindal Global University Law School (JGLS) were invited to this social gathering to meet with each other and Law Library staff. This year, several LL.M. alumni/ae were in attendance, in addition to staff from the Dean Rusk International Law Center, the Center’s two Visiting Research Scholars, members of the Center’s Faculty Committee, and law faculty who teach classes for LL.M. students.

This event began in 2018 when Access Services Manager Marie Mize and Access Services Associate Szilvia Somodi proposed that the Law Library host a reception for the LL.M. students in order to introduce them to the law library staff and to talk about the library’s services. They and Foreign & International Law Librarian Anne Burnett planned the reception, which was first held September 11, 2018.

Over the years, this event has evolved in response to both students’ needs external circumstances. The event date was adjusted to accommodate the acculturative stress patterns of international students, who, Law Library staff learned, tend to experience homesickness around this time of the year. During the 2020-21 academic year, the Law Library held two virtual receptions in the fall and spring semesters to build community despite not being able to gather in person. In lieu of catered refreshments, Somodi and Mize assembled goodie bags that were made available for pickup in the Law Library for the week surrounding the virtual events.

Beginning in 2022, the Law Library expanded the event to include all international students in the J.D. program and Visiting Research Scholars. This year, the first two exchange students from UGA Law’s partnership with JGLS joined, in addition to several LL.M. alumni/ae. Somodi and Mize continue to be crucial to the planning and execution of the event, with the broader support of the library’s Student Engagement Team.

This event shines a spotlight on the relationship between the Law Library and UGA Law’s community of international students, emphasizing that they are welcome and encouraged to use the library’s facilities and services— and that the Law Library staff is glad they are here.

UGA Law clinics continue efforts on behalf of immigrant women alleging abuse, retaliation while in ICE detention

The University of Georgia School of Law clinics’ faculty and students, including Jason A. Cade, Associate Dean for Clinical Programs and Experiential Learning, and Kristen Shepherd, Community Health Law Partnership Clinic Staff Attorney of the Community HeLP Clinic, have continued their advocacy on behalf of women clients who are challenging the abuses they endured while in U.S. immigration detention.

As previously posted UGA Law’s Community HeLP Clinic and First Amendment Clinic have pursued administrative, judicial, and advocacy paths in support of women who had been in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Irwin Detention Center, a privately run facility in south Georgia. While there, the women were subjected to nonconsensual medical procedures. Those who spoke out were met with retaliatory acts, including attempted or actual removal from the United States. For more than two years, the UGA Law clinics have represented these women in judicial and administrative proceedings.

The Community HeLP Clinic made significant progress in recent months on behalf of several women who experienced nonconsensual medical procedures while detained by ICE. These efforts included ongoing advocacy before a State Clemency Office, representation before immigration court on behalf of a woman who was unjustly deported, and successful advocacy before the Board of Immigration Appeals to reopen a third woman’s removal proceedings. The Clinic continues to represent these women and others in a putative class action lawsuit relevant to their allegations of medical abuse and retaliation. More information on these successes and engagements can be found here.

The Community HeLP Clinic is centered around interdisciplinary advocacy that focuses on immigration status and health, noncitizen workers and detainees, and public education. Along with overseeing the law school’s 11 in-house clinics and 7 externship programs, Cade directs the Clinic and aids law students in undertaking an interdisciplinary approach to immigrants’ rights through individual client representation, litigation, and project-based advocacy before administrative agencies and federal courts. Shepherd supervises students as they engage in a variety of services including interviewing and advising clients, conducting research and drafting legal documents, advocating in court proceedings and administrative hearings, and collaborating with legal and medical professionals in the community.

From classmates to colleagues: LL.M. alumna Rawdha Hidri (LL.M. ’23) and 2L Carolina Mares reflect on summer work experience together

Through the Global Externships Overseas (GEO) initiative administered by the Dean Rusk International Law Center, 2L Carolina Mares spent her summer working in international arbitration at the Houerbi Law Firm in Tunis, Tunisia. In this placement, Ms. Mares worked under the supervision of Rawdha Hidri, a Fulbright recipient who completed her Master of Laws (LL.M.) at UGA Law in May 2023.

While it is not uncommon for our J.D. students to work under our LL.M. alumni/ae in GEO placements, this is the first experience in recent memory when they had the opportunity to meet on-campus and learn together as classmates prior to their experience abroad. Below, Mares and Hidri describe their experiences participating in the GEO from the perspectives of student and supervisor, respectively. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.   

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Carolina Mares, 2L

What initially interested you about the Global Externships Overseas (GEO) initiative?

With the desire to practice international law in my career moving forward, I knew that the GEO initiative was an incredible opportunity designed to encourage me to explore one potential avenue for my future. I was torn between pursuing summer work in public international law or looking for a firm that would give me some experience in international arbitration. However, when I heard about the possibility of focusing exclusively on international arbitration at Houerbi Law Firm, my mind was set.

What was your GEO experience like?

This summer, I worked at Houerbi Law Firm in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. The firm specializes in commercial international arbitration and operates between Tunis and Paris with a focus on disputes in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. My work consisted of reading case dockets, synthesizing parties’ positions, analyzing factual and legal exhibits, drafting an answer to a request for document production, and writing appropriate parts of an award. What I enjoyed most was the novelty of each case I got to work on. The parties in the disputes ranged from state to private parties in the UAE, Italy, Jordan, Iran, Malaysia, Tunisia, Turkey, and Morocco. I also had the chance to learn about all sorts of industries, including oil and gas, gold and fine jewelry manufacturing, and government procurement.

In addition to Rawdha, Mr. Houerbi was a phenomenal mentor to me during my time in Tunisia. With sixteen years of experience as the Arbitration and ADR Director of the ICC for the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa, his positive and direct feedback played an important role in shaping my work and experience at the firm. He often invited me to sit in on team meetings that did not pertain to my particular cases so that I could gain exposure to as many disputes as possible, and he encouraged me to observe all of the virtual hearings that took place this summer.

How do you envision your GEO contributing to your academic and professional goals?

Taking part in the GEO has already impacted my professional trajectory. First, I now know that I enjoy the work involved in international arbitration, and I can picture myself pursuing a career in this practice area. Second, I’m convinced that my participation in a GEO is the reason I landed a 2L summer job fairly quickly, as it was the hot topic in all of my interviews. But more importantly, the GEO gave me a chance to take a deep dive into a niche area of law that is difficult to get into as a novice, especially in the Atlanta area. In addition to delving into international arbitration, the GEO program allowed me to develop my confidence navigating across cultures all while improving my French skills in a captivating work environment.

What was the best part of participating in a GEO?

The highlight of my GEO experience was making deep connections with my colleagues and experiencing day-to-day life in an incredibly rich culture that was brand new to me. Besides taking on the role of mentor, Rawdha was also my cultural guide. She introduced me to the coastal neighborhoods of Tunis, invited me to join her family and friends on the weekend for a shopping expedition in the Medina, pointed out the flocks of flamingos flying by in V-formation as we lounged on the beach, and took me sightseeing in Hammamet where we attended an amateur Opera concert at the Dar Sebastian villa overlooking the Mediterranean. In short, the best part of doing a GEO was getting a feel for the flow of life in Tunis and growing in my cultural competency, all of which I owe in big part to Rawdha’s support as my mentor and host.

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Rawdha Hidri (LL.M., ’23)

What interested you in serving as a placement supervisor for a GEO?

My time at UGA Law was so formative, I was eager to reciprocate and provide inquisitive American J.D. students with an experience as enriching as the one that I had in Athens. I strongly believe that immersing oneself in new experiences and can be influential on both personal and professional levels. Throughout my journey at UGA Law, I embraced the role of an informal cultural ambassador for my country Tunisia. The GEO initiative emerged as an ideal opportunity for both providing American J.D. students with professional experiences in a distinct legal framework and within a specific geopolitical context and with rich cultural immersion in my home country.

How did hosting a UGA Law student contribute to your firm’s work?

Carolina’s ability to methodically structure and articulate her thoughts has been a valuable addition to our team dynamics. Her innate attention to detail was evident from the outset, as she engaged diligently with the tasks assigned to her. Encouraging her to delve further and uncover nuances within cases became a rewarding challenge, showcasing her dedication to thorough exploration.

How did you approach integrating a UGA Law student into the local community and culture?

In the spirit of fostering a sense of belonging, I took it upon myself to introduce Carolina to the richness of Tunisian culture, ensuring she tried traditional Tunisian cuisine and experienced the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean. The entire team enthusiastically engaged in this process, sharing suggestions of places to visit, offering language lessons, and collectively enjoying lunches together outside the office on a weekly basis. This collaborative approach not only enhanced Carolina’s integration but also fostered a supportive and inclusive environment, benefitting both her and the entire team.

What did you enjoy about serving as a supervisor for a GEO?

Serving as a supervisor for a GEO was incredibly rewarding on a personal level. It expanded upon my own Fulbright journey that I started at UGA Law, allowing me to share my perspective and insights with someone eager to learn. The most fulfilling aspect was knowing that the student I hosted would carry their experiences in Tunisia with them, and that perspective would continue to guide them in their professional pursuits. This connection ensures a lasting impact, creating a sense of continuity and mutual understanding that extended beyond the program itself.

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Global Externships Overseas (GEOs) are four-to-twelve week summer placements in diverse areas of legal practice around the world. Students return to Athens with new colleagues and mentors, legal practice skills, and a deeper appreciation of the global legal profession. Over the last fifteen years, more than 200 UGA Law students have completed a GEO. Students secure placements tailored to their career goals with the aid of the Dean Rusk International Law Center.

For more information about GEOs, visit our website.