Forging Global Connections
This article originally appeared in the fall 2017 issue of Amicus, Colorado Law's semi-annual alumni magazine. Read the full issue.
When Will McNamara (’18) signed up for the American Indian Law Clinic (AILC) during his second year in law school, he had no idea that would be the catalyst for law-related travels to the United Nations in New York; to North Dakota to assist the Standing Rock Sioux tribe; to New Mexico and Arizona with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples to visit representatives of tribal nations; and to India and Jamaica—all before his 3L year.
First as a student attorney in the AILC, then as a recipient of the Bussian Fellowship for International Dispute Resolution, and finally, through a connection made during his fellowship, McNamara’s example illustrates the ripple effect that can occur when academic programming meets international connections, a key goal of Dean S. James Anaya.
In May 2017, Anaya announced his strategic priorities for the University of Colorado Law School, which include broadening access and inclusiveness, strengthening academic excellence, and connecting globally. Recognizing that the interconnectedness of the world affects all lawyers, even those who will never practice outside the United States, Anaya’s vision is to animate learning with an international scope to prepare students to practice in a global society.
This work aligns with the University of Colorado Boulder’s Flagship 2030 vision, which positions the university as a leader in addressing the humanitarian, social, and technological challenges of the 21st century by shaping tomorrow’s leaders, being the top university for innovation, and positively impacting humanity.
“It’s exciting that the dean has prioritized connecting globally at this particular moment in history,” said Mekela Goehring (’02), executive director of the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network. “Regardless of what type of work you end up doing—public sector, government, private sector, technology, business—global connections are such an integral part of who we are as a country that it’s absolutely essential that students have access to those opportunities.”
Associate Professor Anna Spain Bradley, an expert in international law and assistant vice provost for faculty development and diversity at the campus level, coaches and mentors law students who are both interested in pursuing careers abroad and extending their professional networks globally. In 2016–17 alone, Colorado Law became an academic partner of the American Society of International Law, had a student team participate in the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, and reactivated its chapter of the Doman Society of International Law.
“The world is growing, and it is more interconnected. We must be, too,” Spain Bradley said. “There is something very unique and special about CU Boulder. By going global, we can amplify the things that make us unique. We can hold on to what we have and globalize in a way that maximizes our strengths.”
Beyond its international law curriculum, Colorado Law is building programs and supporting student involvement around various points of global connections for all students.
For example, in May 2017, Professor Norm Aaronson’s Criminal Defense Clinic won asylum for a client from Djibouti who was tortured for his political stance. Professors Ming Chen and Violeta Chapin, recipients of the 2017 Calhoun Public Service Award, frequently involve students in their work with immigrants from around the world. Students had opportunities to meet with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, who affects human rights work happening across the globe.
Spain Bradley emphasizes this range of opportunities when coaching students. “There are numerous opportunities out there for students to engage with the broader world,” she said. “I tell students that it’s less about ‘Can you?’ and more about ‘How do you?’”
Many law students have the opportunity to travel to different countries as part of their coursework.
With a desire to pursue public interest law and foreign/domestic civil litigation, Patrick Lee (’18) applied for and received an international public interest fellowship from Colorado Law, which allowed him to work on ongoing litigation and international advocacy in Belize last summer. For two months, he supported a local lawyer with several cases going to court related to Maya customary land rights and tenure. He also helped with another case being reviewed by the Caribbean Court of Justice and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Through these experiences, Lee was able to get a firsthand view of another legal system and compare it to what he had learned of the U.S. legal system.
“Being exposed to [a legal system and different cultures] that are entirely different and unfamiliar is the best way to break down prejudices that you may have built up,” Lee said. ”This summer, especially, I found myself constantly challenging my perspective—most importantly, around how I analyze the law with regard to litigation and international advocacy.”
Critical to extending our influence globally is embracing our local roots. Colorado Law’s strong legacy in the American West is essential to our future and global influence, and while we will always have a permanent home in Boulder, Colorado, we will provide a high-quality legal education that is both locally rooted and globally engaged.
One of the ways Colorado Law is extending its influence globally is through its alumni network. With more than 7,000 alumni on six continents, Colorado Law’s global presence has never been stronger. The Career Development Office helps students secure internships and jobs all over the world and coaches students to pick the right fit for them and how to stand out.
A flourishing alumni base worldwide helps facilitate connections between current students and job markets abroad. With increasing interconnectedness among countries, and growing volumes of cross-border transactions and relationships, it is more likely that lawyers graduating from Colorado Law and other U.S. law schools will be required to understand and deal with legal situations involving parties from multiple jurisdictions and backgrounds, said Mark Rolfson (’93), a legal consultant at Lee & Ko in Korea. Additionally, in the increasingly competitive legal profession, the possibility of pursuing career opportunities not only in different states, but also in other countries, should not be ignored.
“A law school that emphasizes global connections in teaching, programming, and research will be better preparing graduates for the inevitable challenges of dealing with issues that have multijurisdictional dimensions, and opening students’ eyes to a whole, wider world of potential opportunities of which they may not otherwise be aware,” Rolfson added.
As a law student, Heather Strack (‘11) took a summer position clerking for the Supreme Court of Ghana. Today, she is an attorney at Gutterman Griffiths PC in Denver. “Colorado Law provided an excellent analytical foundation, which transferred to my work that summer [in Ghana],” she said. “While I was researching a totally different set of laws in a totally different country, I had the analytical foundations necessary to quickly analyze problems and develop legal arguments for draft opinions.”
She added: “A law school’s emphasis on global connections in its teaching, programming, and research is crucial to developing attorneys who can think critically in a variety of legal situations and work with any type of client.”
For McNamara, the opportunities provided at Colorado Law, coupled with Dean Anaya’s background, make Colorado Law a unique place to connect globally.
“I’m really happy with all the opportunities that Colorado Law has provided me to get involved with international advocacy. These experiences have been far and away beyond what I could have expected in law school,” he said.
Pictured: In August 2017, students in the Comparative Criminal and Juvenile Law class taught by Clinical Professors Ann England and Colene Robinson met with children, parents, staff, and youth leaders of the Sidi Moumen Cultural Center in Casablanca, Morocco. The center provides at-risk children and vulnerable youth in Casablanca's disadvantaged neighborhoods with resources and opportunities to stay in school and avoid deliquency, drug addiction, and extremism.
