Fall 2004 will see a significant advancement and evolution of the Law Center’s Graduate Program. In past years, the program consisted of five recommended Fellows who were personally selected by professors of international universities with whom we had an established relationship. Recently, the program was enlarged to a maximum of 30 candidates, with a full file review of applications by the Graduate Admissions Committee. There will be a sustained growth of the program over time, taking up to 15 candidates now with the possibility of greater growth in the future.
Also, there are ten approved slots for International Exchange students each year, with each slot being one semester. These exchange students are in the midst of their legal education at their home university and come to the Law Center to broaden their educational experiences and return to their home programs with a deeper understanding of common law and the global and comparative aspects of civil law and common law. Several former exchange students have applied to become candidates in the LL.M. program, and one Fellow this year was an International Exchange student last year.
The Law Center enrolled 11 LL.M. candidates in its graduate program in Fall 2004. The countries represented are: Argentina, Bolivia, China, France, Indonesia, Peru, Turkey, and the United States. Four International Exchange students are expected in the fall and at least three in Spring 2005. Their countries include: Belgium, Colombia, France, and The Netherlands.
The Law Center continues to establish very strong bonds with the countries of Latin America in addition to furthering existing ties with several European countries. The Law Center has also worked closely with Latin American trade organizations to recruit the best and the brightest of that region, including organizations based in New Orleans.
