Professor George Edwards, who is the author of LL.M. Roadmap, traveled to Panama City, Panama to discuss non-U.S. students coming to the U.S. to study for a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree.  On 30 June 2014, Professor Edwards presented at the University of Panama Faculty of Law and Political Sciences (Faculty of Law), and at the Advising Center of EducationUSA, which is a U.S. Department of State program.

Professor Edwards highlighted important information that Panamanian students should know if they want to study law at a law school in the U.S.

He addressed how students should choose the best U.S. law school and LL.M. program for each student, the possibility of considering school or LL.M. program "ranking" in making decisions to apply to or attend specific schools, tips on specializing in specific law areas, the LL.M. application process and getting admitted, English language requirements, U.S. law school teaching methods, sitting for a bar exam in the U.S. after students receive their LL.M. degree, and fulfilling career aspirations after graduation.

Professor Edwards also discussed scholarships and grants available to help students defray the high costs of obtaining a U.S. law school degree.

EducationUSA – U.S. State Department Program  -- Panama
At the EducationUSA Advising Centre, Professor Edwards was hosted by Mr. Paul Alba, who is the resident EducationUSA Adviser. Mr. Alba, who is a former intern at the U.S. Embassy - Panama, was joined by Ms. Allison O’Brien who is a student at Cardozo Law School (New York). Ms. O’Brien is a current U.S. Embassy – Panama intern.

EducationUSA is responsible for providing information to Panamanian students who wish to study in the U.S. Each of its 450 Advising Centers in almost 200 countries offers services to students at any level and in any field. Anyone in Panama with interest may visit the EducationUSA Advising Center located in that city. Unlike some EducationUSA Advising Centers that are located at a

U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate, the Center in Panama City is located in the facilities of the Center for English Language Immersion (CELI). CELI is a partnership between Universidad Latin and the U.S. Embassy - Panama. Professor Edwards also met with Axela Zelaya de Corror, who is CELI’s Executive Director.

Mr. Alba noted that many Panamanians are interested in studying law in the U.S. He said he would like to share U.S. law school and LL.M. program information with Panamanians widely, and that he wants “to give U.S. law school program presentations to students at different law faculties in Panama”. 

Professor Edwards said “I am happy that Mr. Alba and the Fulbright Commission and EducationUSA Panama have taken the lead to promote U.S. legal education for Panamanian students. Mr. Alba, law faculty members, students and others with interest are welcome to contact me for further information about studying law in the U.S. 

University of Panama Faculty of Law
At the University of Panama Faculty of Law, Professor Edwards was hosted by the Dean, Dr. Gilberto Boutin. Dean Boutin led a U.S. legal education round-table discussion with faculty, staff, and students. Professor Edwards again presented about U.S. law school opportunities for Panamanians, and fielded many questions about the application process, success in a U.S. law school, scholarship opportunities, and work post-degree. He was joined by co-presenters Mr. Alba and Ms. O’Brien.

Dean Boutin expressed full support for his students traveling to the U.S. for advanced law degrees. He also expressed strong interests in the Faculty of Law establishing further links with institutes and programs at U.S. law faculties. It is hoped that a U.S. law professor could travel to the Faculty of Law in Panama to help prepare students for their LL.M. program in the U.S. by instructing on, for example, legal English.

Professor Edwards was asked about international human rights law, pro bono, and public interest work at U.S. law schools. He spoke about recent work that he and his Indiana students have done involving the U.S. Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and he spoke about his recent trip to Guantanamo Bay. He also spoke about work he and his students performed on behalf of the defense of Slobodan Milosevic, the former president of the former Yugoslavia who was on trial at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for genocide and other international crimes, and spoke about work they performed related to an ongoing extradition proceedings of an alleged war criminal from Australia to Croatia.

Professor Edwards explained that Panamanian students can benefit greatly if they join a U.S. law school program that affords the students an opportunity to get involved in experiential learning opportunities, such as working on real-life, pending criminal or other law cases.

Dr. Virginia Arango Durling, who is a law professor at the University of Panama, commented on the importance of international human rights law, which is an area of law in which she has expertise. She is widely published in the field, with many of her publications and teaching materials being available on her website:  Pensamiento Juridico Panemano. She too recognizes the importance of experiential learning. 

Professor Edwards said “The students I met at the University of Panama were all leaders in their student body, and they all possess skills important for studying law in a different legal system and in a country other than their own. They would benefitfrom the classroom experience in the U.S., and would also benefit from legal education that happens outside the classroom, in the form of experiential learning.”

One Panamanian student explained that she is now convinced that attaining a law degree in the U.S. is an achievable goal for students from her law school class.

Conclusion

In both Panama presentations, Professor Edwards recognized the value of students receiving an overseas law degree.

He said “When you are studying at a U.S. law school, you will acquire knowledge and skills that will be useful in your legal careers, wherever you choose to work. You will share with your U.S. law school colleagues your Panama experience, and you will bring back to Panama what you have learned in the U.S., inside and outside the law school classroom”.

Professor Edwards hopes to return to Panama for additional presentations. He said “It was exciting to learn of Panamanians’ high level of interest in U.S. law study. I look forward to returning to Panama for further discussions. If any Panamanians have further questions, they should feel free to contact me. They can also check our website, www.LLMRoadMap.com.”

Professor Edwards is The C.M. Gray Professor of Law at Indiana University McKinney School of Law, and the law school’s Special Assistant to the Dean for Inter-Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations. He is also Faculty Director (Founding) of the law school’s Program in International Human Rights Law.

Professor Edwards is also the author of LL.M. Roadmap: An International Student’s Guide to U.S. Law School Programs (624 pages). He is also the creator of the book’s website:  www.LLMRoadMap.com.

For additional information, you may reach Professor Edwards at LLMRoadMap@yahoo.com. 

For information about EducationUSA or Fulbright in Panama, please contact:

Paul Alba
Adviser – Director 
EducationUSA Panama City
U.S. Department of State Network 
Office: +507 380-2200/2202
panamacity@educationusa,info

http://www.educationusa.info

https://www.facebook.com/EducationUSAPTY

_______

BARBRI's LL.M. Preview will help you prepare to enter your LL.M. program in the 2014 autumn semester. 

During the weeks and months before your LL.M. classes begin, BARBRI's special LL.M. Preview gives you tools you need for success in your LL.M. classroom. It will help as you adjust to your new degree program, and as you prepare yourself for taking a bar exam or getting a job post-LL.M.

Get a head start before classes begin!

At LL.M. Preview, you will learn basics in U.S. law school learning styles, the Socratic Method, and the U.S. legal system, and learn fundamentals in key areas of U.S. law and practice.

You will  learn tips on how best to present yourself to the employment marketplace as you prepare to apply for internships or part-time jobs while you are enrolled in your LL.M., or as you prepare for full-time legal positions in the U.S. or elsewhere post-LL.M. You will learn about U.S.-style resume and cover letter writing,  so you can arrive at your LL.M. program a step ahead in your quest for internships, part-time jobs, or post-LL.M. employment.

At LL.M. Preview you will gain insights into qualification for U.S. legal practice, including bar exams in states that permit LL.M. graduates to join their bars and practice law.

LL.M. Preview is offered live in Los Angeles and New York in August 2014. Components of LL.M. Preview will also be available online, so you can begin preparing for your LL.M. before you leave your home country! 

At LL.M. Preview, you will meet LL.M. students from many different U.S. law schools in different parts of the country. You can establish strong friendships and professional bonds with LL.M. colleagues that will serve you well as you tackle issues at your different law schools, and as you complete your degrees and return to homelands, go elsewhere, or stay in the U.S.

Jump start your LL.M. degree program. Arrive at your LL.M. program fully prepared!


Check here for additional information about and to sign up for BARBRI LL.M. Preview.


PS:  Your BARBRI LL.M. Preview instructors will be from well-known law schools and LL.M. programs from around the country. Instructors will also include individuals closely associated with national and global LL.M. undertakings, such as the author of LL.M. Roadmap.

30 U.S. jurisdictions permit non-U.S.-trained lawyers to join the bar
The Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, published by the ABA and the National Conference of Bar Examiners, identifies 30 U.S. jurisdictions that permit non-U.S.-trained law graduates to become members of their bar. These include 27 states, the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.), Palau, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For ease, I refer to these 30 as “U.S. jurisdictions” or “states”.

Some of these jurisdictions require non-U.S.-Trained lawyers to sit for that jurisdiction's bar exam. Some permit these lawyers to join without taking the particular jurisdiction's bar exam. It is suggested that you carefully review the requirements for each jurisdiction in which you have an interest. Check early. Make certain that you can satisfy the jurisdiction's requirements in a time frame that suits you. You are advised to check the requirements early, and often, as requirements may change.

General bar admission requirements -- Exam or No Exam Required?
There are two basic paths to bar admission in the U.S. (and neither of these paths is “easy”!):

a.       Admission by examination. This involves satisfying certain eligibility requirements, registering, then sitting for the state’s bar exam. Non-U.S.-trained lawyers typically take this examination route. 

b.       Admission not by examination. A state may grant a “waiver” so a candidate does not have to sit for the particular state’s bar exam. This is rare for non-U.S.-trained lawyers. The Comprehensive Guide indicates that U.S. jurisdictions that permit

Professor George E. Edwards, the author of LL.M. Roadmap, was named a Member of the Advisory Committee of the Universal Rights Group (URG), which is a small, independent international human rights law think tank based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Universal Rights Group is dedicated to analyzing and strengthening global human rights policy-making and policy-implementation. Based in Geneva, which is the European Headquarters of the United Nations, the Universal Rights Group is the only think tank in the world focused exclusively on human rights.

The Universal Rights Group provides rigorous yet accessible, timely and policy-relevant research, analysis and recommendations. The URG provides a forum for discussion and debate on important human rights issues, and offers a window into the work of mechanisms within the United Nations Human Rights Council and other U.N. bodies. The URG promotes transparency, accountability, awareness and effectiveness. The URG seeks to make the international human rights system more accessible to, and bring it into closer orbit with, policy-makers and other stakeholders—including the victims of human rights violations and human rights defenders—at regional, national and local levels.

Professor Edwards’ Human Rights Background and Experience
Professor Edwards’ decades of teaching, research and practical accomplishments in international human rights law are consistent with the work of the Universal Rights Group.

In 1997, Professor founded the Program in International Human Rights Law (PIHRL) at Indiana University McKinney School of Law. The PIHRL offers human rights courses, and also assists governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental  

All LL.M. program websites in the U.S. list “deadlines” for applicants to submit their LL.M. applications. However, there are different “types” of deadlines. And different schools treat “deadlines” in different ways.

Below are some tips, secrets and surprises on LL.M. application deadlines. Follow them to help ensure that you meet the deadline of the U.S. law school(s) you want to attend!

Also, click here to find the LL.M. application deadlines for 148 different U.S. Law Schools in over 40 U.S. States, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC. 

                               8 Tips, Secrets & Surprises for LL.M. Application Deadline

1.       The LL.M. deadline is part of the “formal component” of your LL.M. Application.

All LL.M. applications have two components: (a) a formal component; and (b) an informal component.

On the formal side, your LL.M. application will contain proof of your academic success such as transcripts, diplomas, certificates, list of honors, record of work experience and extra-curricular activities, recommendation letters, personal statements and essays, CV or resume, English language proficiency test scores, and possibly a phone or in-person interview.

An important part of the formal side of the application is the deadline – you must formally submit your application by the deadline identified by the school. Your accomplishments and merit will not be persuasive if your application is not received in a timely fashion.

The informal side of your LL.M. application consists of impressions the admission committee may gather from the courteous or non-courteous manner in which you communicate with them, your application’s tidiness or sloppiness, your perceived ability or inability to follow directions, and your general attitude, as perceived by the admission committee and others at the law school with whom you come into contact during the application process. The admission committee might form an impression, favorable or otherwise, based on the timing of your application – Did you meet the deadline? Did you beat the deadline? Did you miss the deadline? Does it appear as though your application is sloppy because you rushed to meet the deadline?

Please respect and follow all LL.M. applications deadlines! Begin preparing your application early enough so you do not have to rush to submit by the deadline.

2.       Identify and understand the different types of LL.M. Application Deadlines

There are multiple types of LL.M. application deadlines, including: (a) Fixed deadline; (b) Rolling admission deadline; (c) Early admission deadline; (d) Flexible deadline; (e) International v. U.S. student deadline; (f) Part-Time deadline; and (g) Full-Time Deadline.

a.       Fixed LL.M. Application deadline. 

Schools with a “fixed deadline” set a date on which all applications must be submitted. The school will not consider for admission any applicant who submits an application post-deadline. If you miss the deadline, you are out of luck for that year! However you

There are many things to consider when preparing your LLM Application. You can find 12 LLM Application Tips here. 

Below are 23 additional ideas to help may your LLM Application great! Keep these tips and hints in mind as you prepare your LLM Applications for US law school LLM programs.

1.        The entire application process is about marketing yourself to the admission committee.

2.        Applications contain information about what you have accomplished and your potential. What have you done? What will you do?

3.        Get involved in extracurricular activities now--before you apply.

4.        Contact EducationUSA for guidance and advice.

5.        Find alumni of schools—ask about their experiences.

6.        Be realistic about your goals, attributes, and finances.

7.        What are your research interests?

8.        Clearly state who you are—advocate on your own behalf.

9.        Meet, or beat, deadlines. Begin early—months in advance.

10.     Follow directions.

The LL.M. Roadmap author gave a presentation at the BARBRI LL.M. PREVIEW on the topic of LL.M. Survival and Empowerment.

The question is how you as an international student may get the best out of your LL.M. program year? The lecture provides tips and hints on how you achieve maximum benefits from your LL.M. program. How can you achieve your academic, personal, and career goals?

Listed below are some LL.M. Survival and Empowerment lecture suggestions. For more survival & empowerment tips, check out LL.M. Roadmap.

1.         Embrace the Socratic Method [link to section on Socratic Method – in section on success in the LL.M. classroom]. This method of U.S. law school instruction may intimidate international LL.M. students, but it presents an opportunity for you to gain an edge in thinking on your feet, analyzing complex issues quickly, and arriving at sound solutions. Leap at the opportunity to practice your lawyerly abilities!

 You will learn how to think quickly and arrive at reasonable conclusions. U.S.-trained lawyers are expected to possess this skill!

You can get practice at the Socratic Method from taking courses like BARBRI’s LL.M. Preview.

2.         Take advantage of opportunities to gain legal skills. Sometimes this means engaging in non-credit activities outside the classroom. This may interfere with some of your study or leisure time, but it is a worthy investment.

Your U.S. law school should have opportunities for you to do clinical work with real clients, pro bono work research, internships, or other work outside the classroom. You can learn a great deal from hands-on exposure to the law. See # 4 below.

3.         Understand who is who at your law school. What is the difference between the following officials at your U.S. law school:

The U.S. government sponsored the EducationUSA LGBT Virtual College & University Fair on 4 September 2013.

The Fair was hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, under the direction of Rosie Edmond & Jonathan Lembright (Regional Education Advising Coordinators – REACs of EducationUSA).

 Presenters in the 4-hour Fair talked about opportunities for LGBT students to come to the U.S. to study at colleges and universities. Topics included scholarships, professional associations, student programs and many other services available to LGBT students in and outside of US campuses.

The Fair’s opening remarks were made by Ambassador David Huebner, US Ambassador to New Zealand & Samoa (U.S. Embassy, Wellington). Closing  remarks were made by Consul General Patrick J. Linehan, who is U.S. Consul General at Osaka-Kobe (Japan).

LL.M. Roadmap author (George Edwards) presented on this topic:  Rights of LGBT International Students Enrolled in U.S. Colleges & Universities: International Human Rights Law, U.S. Federal Law, and State & Local Law Protections. (A handout of his presentation is attached below in this blog entry.) Many faculty and staff at other U.S. schools presented on a range of topics.

Discussion was lively throughout the Fair, with professors, staff, students, government officials from Portland to Perth to Penang, and many cities and countries in between. 

The fair was scheduled based on Tokyo time 8:00 a.m. to noon 4 September 2013. However, given the many time zones of

For many years  the U.S. has recognized protections for overseas LGBT students enrolled in the U.S., including in LL.M. programs. In the past, the protections generally fell under U.S.  obligations to protect the human rights of all persons in the U.S., without discrimination. These obligations derived from international human rights law and U.S. federal, state and local law.
 
Recently, the  U.S. has recognized more specific obligations to protect human rights irrespective of the person’s sex,  sexual orientation, or sexual identity. International LGBT LL.M. students can now point to more specific protections under U.S.  law.

General  Human Rights of International LGBT Students Protected by International &  U.S. Law

First,  all  LGBT international LL.M. students in the U.S. are entitled to protections under  general international   human rights law.

Second,  all LGBT international students in the U.S. are entitled to certain protections under US  Constitution,  Federal Statutes, State Constitutions, State Statutes, and Local Ordinances.
 
The  primary categories of rights protections under this law  follow:
 
1.   Non-discrimination  based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
2.   Equal  protection  under the law and general equality rights.
3.   Freedom  of expression  & association. 
4.   Right  to privacy.
5.   Protection  from hate  crimes, harassment,  bullying.
6.   Right  to marry  or form civil  unions or domestic  partnerships
7.   Right  to have dependents  recognized (same-sex partners, dependents)
8.   All  rights that  international non-LGBT students are entitled  to.
9.   All  rights that  non-international students are entitled to (with some  distinctions).

Some International Instruments That Protect or Incorporate Protections for International LGBT Students in the  U.S.
  o   Charter  of the United Nations
  o   Universal  Declaration  of Human Rights 
  o   United  Nations  International  Covenant on Civil & Political Rights 
  o   Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (2006)
 
President  Barack Obama  has recognized international human rights law in his steps to protect LGBT persons, including repealing Don’t  Ask, Don’t Tell (gays to serve openly in the military), promoting marriage  equality, appointing LGBT persons to high level positions, and providing tax  and visa benefits to same sex couples at the same level as for opposite sex  couples.

 Secretary  of State Hillary Clinton  invoked international human rights law protections for LGBT persons in declaring  that “human rights are gay rights, and gay rights are human rights, once and for all.” This has been reaffirmed by U.S.  Secretary of State John Kerry.
 
Some  Domestic U.S. Laws that Protect International LGBT LL.M.  Students
  o   U.S. Constitution
  o   U.S. Federal Statutes
  o   State Constitutions
  o   State Statutes
  o   Local Ordinances

U.S. Constitution - General.
The U.S. Constitution guarantees all people, including LGBT people, “equal protection of the laws”.  LGBT students are protected in areas of freedom of speech and religion, privacy rights, and due process rights. The U.S. Constitution protects consensual same-sex private sexual conduct.

U.S. Constitution & Freedom of Expression &  Association.
The Constitution’s 1st Amendment protects free expression. The government (and public schools) may not improperly interfere with your 1st Amendment right to express yourself or to receive communications from others.  State constitutions have similar speech protections.

Your expression is protected on or off campus. You may speak about “LGBT issues”, and you have the right to receive information from other sources. You have the right to remain silent regarding sexual orientation or gender, or the right to speak if you wish. 

A  school (or the government) can restrict your speech only if your speech:  (a) is verbally abusive (like harassment); (b) promotes illegal drug use or that is lewd or profane; (c) could substantially disrupt the school’s operation; or (d) interferes with the rights of others.

Under law, freedom of association & expression go hand in hand. Students have the right to speak, communicate with, or associate with each other, or with whomever else they wish.

 U.S.  Constitution & Equality - General  U.S. visa rules for LGBT LL.M. students.
As  of 2013, under President Obama, U.S. embassies and consulates adjudicate same-sex visa applications the same as opposite-sex applications, including for international students, their same-sex spouses, and their children. 

U.S. Constitution & the Right to Marry (including international students)
In June 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court in U.S. v. Windsor recognized same-sex marriage for federal law purposes. This has many implications for international students in the U.S.

U.S. Federal Statutes
Federal statutes banning harassment, bullying, and other violence include:

 ·   Federal  Equal Access Act (EAA). (when public schools provide resources or access to non-LGBT groups, they must provide the same to LGBT groups)

 ·   1964 Civil Rights Act, Title VII. (bans discrimination based on sex, broadly construed).

 ·   Education Amendments of 1972, Title IX. (bans sex discrimination in federally supported education programs, including no sexual harassment, discrimination for failing to conform to gender stereotypes, or discrimination against inter-sexed,  transsexual, transgender or androgynous individuals.)

·    Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. (when bodily harm inflicted due to a
  person’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, or gender  identity).
 
Freedom to Work – Federal Law
U.S. law limits the ability of international students to work in the U.S. while they are enrolled in school and after they graduate. Once an LGBT international student begins work, they are protected by federal anti-discrimination laws. Some states have similar laws.

State Constitutions
All state constitutions ban discrimination, though each state provides a different level of protection, but that protection must be consistent with the U.S. Constitution.

State & local law banning harassment, bullying, and other violence (selected).
Many states & DC have laws addressing violence based on sexual orientation and sexual identity.

State law re same-sex relationships. 
Marriage rights are currently determined by each state.  Some permit same-sex marriage, and some permit same-sex civil unions or domestic partnerships. International LGBT students are entitled to the same rights at the same levels.

Public schools versus private schools. Rights and protections at schools funded by the federal government may be different
than those at privately funded ones. Private schools that do not receive government funding may not afford as wide a range of protections as public schools. When choosing an LL.M. program in the U.S., LGBT international applicants might consider the
distinction between protections afforded by public versus private U.S. law schools.
                                                                                                                  _______