An introductory course in the fundamentals of Russian Law

The Institute for International Communication and the International Institute of Russian Language and Culture (IIRLC), two private, non- profit educational centers under the auspices of Tver InterContact Group, proudly announce the opening of applications for their Second Legal Russian Program, run concurrently with the Summer School of Russian Language and Area Studies at IIRLC in Tver. Throughout the summer, law students from around the world will meet to engage in the unique experience of studying a legal system in its infancy. Many study abroad programs allow students to study established legal systems, but in Russia students will observe the birth of the Rule of Law, study it as it evolves, and analyze what developments have already taken place. Legal students will also receive an introduction to the Russian language as used in the legal system, and will be invited to take part in the wide variety of area study seminars offered to foreign and Russian non-law students attending the concurrent Language and Area Studies schools.

IIRLC's Legal Russian Program held its first session during the Spring 1996 Semester. Building on its three years of experience in offering individual and group language and area studies courses, IIRLC attracted the most highly qualified scholars in the Tver Region to teach a pilot program in legal studies. The Program enrolled students from the United States and Syria and offered specialized courses on the Procurator Service in Russia, the situation of ethnic minorities within the Federation, and Media and Theater Law. As in the upcoming Summer Program, the law students interacted with foreign students studying Russian at IIRLC, and with Russian students studying foreign languages at the Institute for International Communication. Evenings, they gathered around the table in the Linguistic Cafe, relaxing from their studies and practicing their Russian language skills to the accompaniment of guitars, song, food, and drink, far into the night. We invite legal students and professionals from the world around to renew this experience this summer, while enjoying a well-deserved break from their traditional work back home.

The Russian legal system offers a fascinating array of aspects conducive to study. The Federal Constitution, framed in 1993, has been continuously supplemented with new laws modifying the Federal Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. The current dichotomy of a resurgent Communist Party's domination of the State Duma, the democrats' tenuous hold on the Presidency and Council of Ministers, with the Constitutional Court caught in between the two, foreshadow continued changes in the months and years to come. The Summer of 1996 should be a most exciting time to observe this process, in the aftermath of the June 1996 Presidential Election.

Tver InterContact Group, our partner institutions, and the City Council of Russia's friendliest city, Tver, invite law students, law and college social sciences professors, high school social studies teachers, and professional jurists and attorneys, to join us here in the observance of these fascinating times. Come and observe the system of governance as it struggles to adapt itself to the Rule of Law. Attend court trials which after 80 years are reviving the system of trial by jury. Learn the language of law as used in the courts and in international business law. It is a fascinating time, and we offer you the chance to both study and experience it first-hand.

Location

The Legal Program will be held in the ancient Russian city of Tver on the Volga. With half a million inhabitants and a wide range of museums, theaters, concert halls, and student centers, it provides excellent opportunities for recreation, education, and cultural enrichment. The bulk of the academic side of the program will be taught in the classrooms of the International Institute of Russian Language and Culture, which is situated in the historical center of Tver, Tryokhsvyatskaya Street. This pedestrian mall is one of the main attractions in Tver, and truly comes alive in the summer. Townsfolk call it íTver Arbat" because of its architectural resemblance to the original Arbat Street in Moscow, and it is one of the most beloved locations for entertainment, relaxation, and shopping for visitors and natives alike. Tryokhsvyatskaya Street is within walking distance from the ancient city park and the right bank of the great Russian River Volga, which originates at the lakes of the Tver region.

The weather in Tver in summer

Summer in Tver is an unpredictable season. The temperatures can resemble those of either fall or warm spring in most of Europe and the US. Average temperatures range from 20-30 degrees Celsius, and rains come most often during the night. When taking a break from your studies, you will find this an excellent time to relax and engage in the traditional Russian activities of visiting the Bazaar, meeting friends on the streets, strolling Tryokhsvyatskaya Street - TverÊs answer to the Moscow Arbat - picking mushrooms in the forest and picnicking in the fields. Summer in Tver is a season not to be missed.

Dates and Program Descriptions

Two sessions will be offered, each of four weeks length. Session I begins on July 2 and ends on July 28, with students arriving on July 1 and departing on July 29. Session II begins on July 30 and ends on August 25, with students arriving on July 29 and departing on August 26. Students thus arrive at Moscow Sheremetyevo-2 airport on the Monday before the first day of class. Departure is on the Monday following the last day of class.

Two curriculum tracks are offered within each Session:

'A' TRACK (Legal studies only):
Internship (10 hours per week)
Seminars (8 hours per week)
Excursions (2 hours per week)
Consultations (2 hours per week, optional)

'B' TRACK (Legal and language studies):
Russian language instruction (10 hours per week)
Seminars (8 hours per week)
Excursions (2 hours per week)
Consultations (2 hours per week, optional)

SYLLABUS: RUSSIAN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

The core of track B includes weekly training in practical Russian language. Track B students will receive instruction in small groups (5-6 students) taught by an instructor experienced in teaching Russian as a Foreign Language to students from beginning through advanced levels. In addition to basic grammar, vocabulary, and phonetics, legal students will intensively study legal vocabulary, and conversational and writing patterns as used in everyday legal work in Russia.

INTERNSHIP

Track A students will be offered the opportunity to take part in group internships with legal professionals in Tver. Based on the preferences expressed by students in differing placements, intern groups will be formed and may choose to work with the Tver Regional Prosecutor's Office, City Court of Tver, Tver MayorÊs Office, a local law firm, or the legal department of a local business. Each group of interns will be provided with a translator to assist in internship work.

SEMINARS

Each week will focus on two areas of Russian law. The aim of the seminars is to provide a general overview of all major facets of Russian civil, criminal, and international law, and to lay a framework for further intensive study or research in the area of specialization. Each Session will cover the following topics: Criminal Law; Civil Procedure; Constitutional Law; Tax Law; Civil Rights of Minorities and Federation Citizens; Property Law; Commercial Transactions; Women & the Law.

EXCURSIONS

Each week, students will visit sites of interest relevant to the week's course of study. Scheduled visits at this time (subject to change) include: Tver Regional Procurator's Office; City Court of Tver; Tver Regional Court of Appeals; Tver Mayor's Office; Tver Militia Headquarters; Central Customs House for Tver Region; and Tver City Prison. At each excursion site, students will go on a tour of the facilities, meet with administrators and officials, and be able to ask questions about their work. Translators will accompany all tours.

CONSULTATIONS

Despite the general overview which is the primary objective of the legal seminar program, students may have specific questions which they would like to pose to satisfy their personal knowledge, or in order to further their research for theses or papers they wish to prepare for their home law schools. At the end of each week, students will have an opportunity to meet professors and ask detailed questions on their areas of interest, in special consultation sessions.

Certificates

An official Certificate of Attendance is awarded for each Session completed. This transcript lists all courses attended and records the hours invested in each area of study, and is accredited through the Tver State University, Department of Law, the fourth most prestigious legal program in the Russian Federation. IIRLC will assist any student in consultations with his/her home law school's or college's academic transfer office, and if necessary with the ABA, in assigning the appropriate number of credit hours to courses of study.

Legal Program Faculty

Dr. Elena Tolkachova, Director of the Institute of the Russian Language and Culture
Dr. Marina Oborina, Vice President of Tver InterContact Group and Director of Academic and Research Programs
Richard Smith, Esq., Director of International Programs and Director of the Legal Russian Program

Russian language courses --
Dr. Nina Fedotova, head instructor
Mrs. Olga Kashevarova, instructor
Mrs. Valentina Nefedyeva, instructor
Mrs. Tatyana Sukorkina, instructor
Mrs. Elena Savina, instructor

Legal seminars --
Dr. Valery Vyacheslavovitch Kharitoshkin, Professor of Criminal Law
Dr. Lyudmila Petrovna Mikhailova, Professor of Criminal Law
Dr. Nikolai Vasilyevitch Tchentsov, Professor of Civil Procedure
Dr. Lyubov Botsova, Professor of Constitutional and Civil Rights Law
Yustous Olga Yurievna, íKandidatÎ of Science in Commercial,Property, and Tax Law
Lyudmila Alekseevna Belousova, Instructor in Legal Linguistics

Daily schedule

Working Schedule Monday through Friday:

10.00 - 11.30 Russian Language / Internship
11.30 - 12.00 Coffee Break
12.00 - 13.30 Seminar in Legal Studies / Russian Language Classes
/ Internship
13.30 - 15.30 Lunch Break
15.30 - 17.00 Elective Area Studies Courses / Research

Saturdays and Sundays --
Recreational and Sports Events
Recreational and Educational Excursions

Free time opportunities

Every Saturday evening a reception for international students will be held. This includes a small concert, coffee/tea party, and dancing.

For those interested in sports, any type of relevant recreation can be organized at the students' request.

Accommodation

All participants are offered two standard types of accommodation:

• Living in a carefully selected Russian family (a separate room for one)
• A shared room in a local recreational center Both options include half board: breakfast and supper. At the applicant's request and for a small additional fee, the Institute will procure a private apartment as accommodation. (Note: requests for private apartments must be received by June 10 at the latest.)

Enrollment Procedures and Cost

To enroll in the Legal Russian Program, contact us via mail, telephone, fax, telex, or electronic mail. Please indicate your exact address to make our exchange of information and necessary documents more expedient. For students applying within one month of the starting date of their program, inclusion of a fax number is highly recommended to avoid international mailing delays. Upon receipt of your application form, the Institute will issue an official invitation enabling you to obtain a visa from your country's local Russian Consulate.

Students will be responsible for making their travel arrangements to and from Russia. The Institute will advise each student as to any requirements for obtaining health insurance, and/or other requirements for entry into the Russian Federation, after receipt of the application and according to the immigration legislation in effect at the time of arrival.

The Institute will arrange for meetings and transfers from Moscow international transport terminals, and we will see students off at their airport or railway stations in Moscow upon completion of the School.

These services are provided free of charge on the following dates: July 1, July 29, and August 26. Alternative dates of arrival and departure can be arranged, with a $50 surcharge for transfer services.

Course tuition, room, and board are included in the following rate, made possible due to generous financial support from the Tver Regional Board of Education and the City Administration of Tver. Costs of transportation to Tver, insurance (if desired), and personal expenses are the responsibility of the student.

Cost of either four-week Session is $975 US.

Additional Services

When in Tver, for a small fee students may register to obtain access to e-mail, fax, and an international cellular telephone line, and they can also receive and make international calls at the Institute's offices.

CONTACT:

Richard Smith, Esq.
International Programs Director
International Institute of Russian Language and Culture

P.O. Box 0565
Central Post Office
Tver 170000, Russia

Email: legal@ic.redline.ru
Phone: +7.0822.425419, or .425439
Fax: +7.0822.571765