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

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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  

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.
                                                                                                                  _______

Professor George Edwards, the LL.M. Roadmap author, will give presentations on U.S. legal education at U.S. Department of State affiliates on a visit to Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. 

Professor Edwards will lecture on opportunities for Georgian students to study law in the U.S., and provide information about Master of Laws (LL.M.) and other law degree programs at U.S. law schools. He will discuss the relationship between international legal education and peace, security, diplomacy and human rights. Professor Edwards will also speak about the possibility of a United Nations International Declaration on Rights of International Students that could address discrimination against and exploitation of students enrolled at educational institutions outside their home countries. He will be hosted by different entities in Georgia, including EducationUSA Advising Centers (US Department of State) and law faculties. He will visit the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi, and the Embassy's American Corner.

One presentation is scheduled to be at the Educational Advising Center Kvali, which is located on the grounds of the Tbilisi State University. More information about the Kvali Center (in English) can be found here. Information about other EducationUSA Advising Centers in Georgia can be found here.  The Kvali Center presentation is described in the Flyer posted below. Notices about additional presentations in Georgia will be posted here.

Attendees at these presentations and meetings in Georgia are expected to include Georgian students who wish to study for an LL.M. degree in the U.S., law faculty members from Georgia, faculty advisers who advise students on study abroad, U.S. Embassy and other officials, LL.M. graduates, and Georgian judges and lawyers. Arrangements are being set for meetings with and presentation attendance by members of the European Law Students Association (ELSA) - Georgia and the local groups of ELSA Tblisi  and ELSA Kutaisi.

International educators at a conference in St. Louis, Missouri evaluated the need for a global charter to protect international students’ human rights.  Panelists discussed how academic institutions may short-change international students, and discussed increasing levels of discrimination against and exploitation of students enrolled in schools outside their home countries. They examined health, safety, security and well-being deprivations encountered by these students. They explored  possible domestic and international remedies for these wide-ranging human rights violations.

Panelists examined the Australian Government Principles to Promote and Protect the Human Rights of International Students, and the International Student Mobility Charter of the European Association for International Education (EAIE). A call to action was made for countries, international education associations, and others to design and adopt similar localized principles and guidelines to protect international students.

A call to action was also made for a universal charter, through the United Nations, to protect international students. It could be named the United Nations Declaration on International Students’ Rights, and could be used as a model and guide for similar instruments to be promulgated by the European Union, the Organization of Amaerican States, the African Union, and other inter-governmental organizations.

Panelists suggested that educational institutions around the globe adopt international students’ rights protection instruments, disseminate them widely to stakeholders, and support enforcement measures to help ensure that international students’ internationally recognized human rights are protected at all levels.

Widespread adoption of these instruments would cement recognition that international students’ rights are human rights, and should be protected throughout the world.

The U.S. State Department hosts a series of programs that facilitate international students coming to the U.S. to study. Many thousands of international come to the U.S. each year.

In 2011 - 2012, international students who came to the U.S. contributed over $22 billion to the U.S. economy. This includes money students spend on tuition, housing, food, and other expenses in their local communities throughout the U.S.

The State Department collects information on the impact that international students have on the U.S. economy.