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September 18, 2015

University of Washington and GDAE Summer Institute in Transnational Law Ends on a High Note

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The newest partnership with the Global Dominican Academic Exchange (GDAE) program and the Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice at thGDAE Logoe University of Washington (UW) School of Law came to a successful close this week, where six Dominican law students earned a certificate for the two week-long program, from September 4-18, 2015. The students will return to the Dominican Republic with new understanding of the various methods of legal analysis and argumentation practiced in the United States.

Using both traditional U.S. law school-style instruction and small group tutorials and practice sessions, participants of the Summer Institute focused on three areas–Introduction to the American Legal System and Practice, Legal Skills and Methodology, and Legal English. Topics included the U.S. Constitution; branches of government and sources of law; criminal and civil court systems and procedures; alternative dispute resolution; the common law system and introduction to contracts, property and torts; how to read and brief case law; and persuasive legal writing and argumentation. All Summer Institute sessions were taught by law faculty and practitioners who are experienced in cross-cultural communication. The GDAE students shared the classroom and made friends with more than 80 other participants from countries all over the world.

GDAE participants also visited the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, where they met with the Chief Justice and attended a panel discussion at one of Seattle’s largest transnational law firms, K&L Gate Law Firm. In addition to these professional excursions, students enjoyed exploring Seattle on their free time, where they took advantage of many major tourist attractions, including the Space Needle, the Great Wheel, Seattle Art Museum (SAM), Seattle Aquarium as well as going kayaking and doing a harbor cruise.

UW_School of Law_LogoThe GDAE Summer Institute in Transnational Law and Practice is a collaborative effort between InteRDom, a program of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD), the UW School of Law and the Ministry of Higher Education in Science and Technology in the Dominican Republic (MESCyT). The institute was developed by the UW School of Law — one of the world’s leading centers for innovative teaching and research on international, comparative, and U.S. law.

The GDAE program organizes a series of topic-specific events of short (maximum two weeks) duration in collaboration with faculty and Dominican student organizations at a variety of United States universities throughout the year. The InteRDom staff works closely with faculty and student representatives to plan the activities, and then to recruit and bring students from Dominican universities to participate. Hosting events with different thematic concentrations ensures that diverse groups of Dominican students have the opportunity to participate.

The Global Dominican Academic Exchange program, a project of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and its sister organization in the Dominican Republic, Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), an extension of their internship, research and study program, InteRDom, aims to introduce Dominican students to the American style of liberal arts education and encourage dialogue between Dominican students and their Dominican-American counterparts attending these institutions, thereby encouraging and inspiring partnership and entrepreneurship initiatives which will foster innovation and stimulate Dominican economic development and international understanding.

 

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