PUBLISHED:March 18, 2011

Duke's 2011 Summer Institutes boast global faculty, hot topics

Duke’s Asia-America Institute in Transnational Law and the Duke Geneva Institute in Transnational Law will offer topical and timely courses taught by a global and accomplished faculty during the 2011 summer sessions, which will be held July 3-Aug. 2.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who spoke at Duke Law School in 2009, will teach a course at the Duke-Geneva Institute in Transnational Law.



Among the highlights: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia will join the faculty in Geneva, teaching a course called Separation of Powers with Professor Markus Schefer of the University of Basel; and a course on Copyright in International Law: From Inception to Implosion, taught by David Lange, the Melvin G. Shimm Professor of Law at Duke University, and Professor Marcelo Thompson of the University of Hong Kong. Also in Hong Kong, Raphael Lotilla, program director for the Partnership in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia and the former Philippine secretary of energy, will co-teach a course on Contemporary Issues in Space Law and the Law of the Sea, along with Professor Zhao Yun of the University of Hong Kong.

“We are extremely pleased to have such outstanding scholars and practitioners teaching courses in our summer institutes this year,” said Judith Horowitz, associate dean for international studies and program director for the Asia-America Institute in Transnational Law. “It is especially wonderful to have Justice Scalia joining us this year. The range of courses and faculty expertise that we will be offering to our students continues to be extraordinary.”

Now in their 25th year, the summer institutes offer intensive four-week courses for law students from throughout the U.S.; students from outside the U.S., some of whom will begin an LLM program in the United States in the fall; and legal practitioners from many countries. Applications are due May 1. Participation in the institutes is required for Duke JD/LLM students.

“The program was amazing and truly renewed my love of learning,” said Tara Brennan JD/LLM ’11, who participated in the Asia-America Transnational Institute during her first summer of law school. “Having classes with international students not only provided diverse perspectives, but also enabled a more engaging dialogue. Additionally, the professors were very generous with their time and knowledge outside of class.”

Professor David Lange

Duke Law Professor David Lange, an internationally recognized authority on intellectual property law, copyright, trademarks, and unfair competition, will teach a course at the Asia-America Institute in Transnational Law.



Each course is taught in a comparative framework by professors from different legal traditions. This gives students the opportunity to analyze legal questions from a transnational perspective. Classes are small, facilitating close faculty-student interaction and strong friendships among all participants. And students and faculty live in a collegial residential site at both institutes, offering further opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and learning that extends far beyond the classroom.

The institutes also take full advantage of the unique economic, political, and historical features of each host city; students participate in visits to and meetings with local law firms, organizations, and businesses and participate in a variety of cultural and social events.

Each institute is hosted by one of the region’s elite universities: The University of Geneva Law Faculty has a well-established tradition of scholarship that dates back to the 16th century and offers top-quality programs in international and cross-border law, financial law, European law, art law, and humanitarian law. The University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law is one of the leading centers of legal education and research in Hong Kong and one of the leading legal academies in Asia, offering programs in law and business, law and government, and law and literary studies.

“The summer institute in Geneva provides a wonderfully rich experience for students and faculty alike, in both academic and non-academic ways,” said Richard Schmalbeck, the Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Professor of Law at Duke University and faculty director of the Geneva institute. “The courses afford a brief but intense opportunity to engage in either an overview of a broad subject, or a deep exploration of a subject of particular current interest. And all this takes place in the charming setting of one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities.”

For more information about the host universities, application details, and faculty bios and course descriptions, see the Hong Kong institute website and the Geneva institute website.

Below are the courses to be offered this summer:

Geneva



Hong Kong