UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY, SCHOOL OF LAW (1996-97)

BACKGROUND:

The London Law Programme of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law offers second and third year law students an exceptional opportunity to study abroad for an academic semester.

An integral part of the Law School, the program provides for the study of international and comparative law, at one of the world's leading centers of these disciplines and enables students to better understand our Anglo-American common law system and its origins.

UDM is the only American law school to operate a foreign based academic year program organized on a semester basis. Open to both second and third year students, the program allows a choice of semesters. During a typical academic year, about 6,080 students from UDM and from other American and Canadian law schools enroll. The program has been approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association.

An ideal location for the program, London is the leading center for international finance, investment, and trade. Students experience the importance of the European Common Market and the growing impact of the Pacific Basin. London is the source of our common legal and cultural heritage. It's also the best foreign repository of American and international legal materials printed in English. More American law firms have offices in London than in any other foreign city. London is a center for students from all over the world, the University of London alone has over 50,000 students, many of whom are from other countries.

London is a city with a history of two thousand years. It is a world center for art, music, and entertainment, and offers beautiful and historic architecture and large areas of park land and open space. London is one of the best (and safest) capital cities of the world in which to live.

The London Law Programme allows students to choose among courses in international, comparative, British, and American law. The offerings include a seminar on the international monetary system and international banking and economics. While the focus is enrichment for the student with a strong interest in international law, the program offers sufficient American law courses for students to keep up with their regular taw programs.

The faculty is outstanding - a blend of British and UDM law professors.

Although the program is primarily for UDM law students, a limited number of spaces are available for students from other American and Canadian law schools.

The program is of superior quality, and students from other law schools will find it most rewarding. Students who participate in the program are able to build a unique experience into their educational framework.

So that the program will not interfere with any students course of study at another law school, we accept and welcome students subject to the conditions set by their home institution. If your law school administration has any questions about the Program, please let us know. We will be happy to respond.

STUDENTS:

The program is designed to accommodate approximately 3,040 regular, full-time students each semester. The core of the student body consists of second and third year students from the University of Detroit Mercy with the remaining students drawn from other American and Canadian law schools.

Admission to the program for non-UDM students is based on standards similar to those applied by the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law for entering or transfer students, depending upon whether the applicant is a first-year student without tested grades or a second-year student.

ACADEMIC FACILITIES:

The program is located at the Maria Assumpta Educational Centre in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in Central London. It is in one of the best residential areas of London and is surrounded by such cultural institutions as the renowned Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum of Natural History, the British Museum of Science, the Geological Museum, the Royal Albert Hall, Imperial College (one of the largest colleges of London University), the Royal College of Music, the Royal College of Art, Maria Assumpta Educational Centre, Kensington Palace (the London home of the Princess of Wales and of Princess Margaret). Kensington Public Library is a few hundred yards away with its quarter of a million volumes and excellent reading and study rooms. The world famous Harrods is an easy walk away. Shops, restaurants, pubs, and boutiques are abundant. Public Transport facilities are good and the institute of Advanced Legal Studies, The Royal Courts of justice, and the Inns of Court are easily accessible. The campus has a fine garden with a tennis court and many other facilities such as a library and refectory.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR:

The London Law Programme is offered in both the fall and spring semesters. Students may attend one academic semester; they are free to choose either the fall or spring. For good reason, students may attend the program for a full academic year. The fall semester may be of particular interest to the third year student who wishes to participate and also to satisfy the possible requirement that the last semester before graduation be spent in residence at the home law school.

The fall or first semester will begin on Monday, September 4, 1995 and run through Wednesday, December 20, 1995, including examinations. (There will be a housing meeting on Thursday, August 31, 1995 at 11:00 a.m.)

The spring or second semester will begin on Monday, January 8, 1996 and run through Wednesday, May 1, 1996, including examinations. (There will be a housing meeting on Friday, January 5, 1996 at 11:00 a.m.)

Each semester has 14 weeks of classes, a mid-term break, and a one-week examination period. Classes meet Monday through Friday and are usually conducted in one-and-one-half hour periods for three credit courses and two hour periods for two or four credit courses. Attendance policies are in effect for all classes.

TUITION:

Tuition for 1995-96 is $6,950 per academic semester. For this tuition, students may take a minimum of twelve and a maximum of sixteen credit hours per semester. In addition, there is a $150 library fee required of each student.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

A Variety of housing, ranging from the inexpensive to the luxurious, is available throughout London and is easy to secure. The public transportation system in London (the underground or tube and buses) is convenient to use and moderately priced. Our experience is that most students will want to arrange their own housing. Many want short-term accommodations ready for them upon arrival until they locate permanent housing for the semester. Others will want to arrange the entire semester's housing before they arrive in London.

We provide a variety of options. Students who wish to make their own arrangements, either before or after they arrive in London, are free to do so. For those who desire short term lodging (about 1 week is normally sufficient) on arrival and wish to become acquainted with other students in the program and with the city before they secure more permanent housing, we can provide information on short-term accommodations. More housing information will be provided once you are accepted into the program. Following are estimates of the living costs you will likely incur in London. Each student's style of living differs, of course, and these figures are merely our estimates of what the average costs will be.

Housing - 70 to 80 pounds per week per person. These figures apply to sharing a flat with other students. Utilities occasionally will be included in that rental. Telephone costs are in addition to the figure quoted. An abundance of decent housing is available in such centrally located areas of London as - apart from Kensington itself - Earls Court, Notting Hill Gate, Holland Park, Fulham, Bayswater, and Hammersmith, which are amongst areas within walking distance of the Kensington Campus.

Meals - Perhaps 45 pounds per week per person. This figure assumes that a reasonable combination of meals are prepared in the flat and purchased from restaurants, pubs, or cafeterias. Obviously, the more often you eat in a restaurant, the higher your costs will be.

Commuting - Approximately 10 pounds per week per person. This is an estimate for tube (subway) or bus trips to and from the law school. The variation depends on whether you buy weekly, monthly or longer term passes.

Theatre - Standby or student tickets are in the range of 10 pounds and higher. Because of the large student population in London, many discounts are offered to students. It is a good idea to obtain an international student identification card before you go to London.

CURRICULUM and REGISTRATION:

The tentative curriculum for the academic year is as follows:

Public International Law 3 cr.
International Business Transactions 3 cr.
European Community Law (Common Market Law) 3 cr.
Health Law & Ethics 3 cr.
International Law of Human Rights 3 cr.
International Space Law (Fall Term) 2 cr.
International Air Law (Spring Term) 2 cr.
International Commercial Arbitration 3 cr.
International Maritime Law 3 cr.
Tax Aspects of International Transactions 2 cr.
The Commercial Law of the Persian Gulf 2 cr.
English Legal History 2 cr.
Conflict of Laws 3 cr.
Internships 1 or 2 cr.
Besides those courses listed, there may be additional traditional American law courses offered each term. Which courses, if any, depend on the faculty members assigned to teach in the London Law Programme.

Pre-registration and final registration will take place in the summer for the fall term, and in the fall for the spring term. If there are courses not mentioned here that would be of interest to you, please indicate this interest on your application form. If a sufficient number of students express interest in a course not listed, we will attempt to include it in the curriculum. Please note that a course can be canceled for insufficient registration, or if the instructor becomes unavailable. As noted above, traditional American courses may also be offered. Which, if any, of these traditional courses are offered will depend on which University of Detroit Mercy faculty members are assigned to teach in London. All courses offered in the program satisfy the requirements of the ABA. Course descriptions are available upon request.

In addition to the courses offered at the University of Detroit Mercy London Law Programme, students may arrange, at their own expense, to audit graduate-level courses or parts of courses of the law faculties of the constituent colleges of the University of London. Be aware that academic calendars and examination schedules may vary. A semester that includes University of London courses must be tailor-made for you. See the director as soon as you arrive in London to make the necessary arrangements.

FACULTY:

The program faculty is a combination of British scholars with regular appointments in British universities and faculty members from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Following is a list of some of the professors currently teaching in the program.

Professor Bin Cheng, LL.D., Ph.D. -
Visiting professor of law at University of Detroit Mercy. Emeritus professor of Air and Space Law and former dean of the Faculty of Laws at University College, University of London.

Professor Doreen Hinchcliffe, LL.B., Ph.D. -
Senior visiting fellow in Islamic Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies, specializing in Islamic and Comparative Law. Consultant on Middle Eastern and Islamic Law.

Professor Neville March Hunnings, LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D. -
Visiting lecturer at the London School of Economics, specializing in Common Market Law. Former visiting lecturer at University of Kent at Canterbury and King's College, University of London.

Professor John Keown, B.A., M.A., D.Phil. -
Lecturer in law at Cambridge and fellow at Queens' College, specializing in Law and Ethics of Medicine. Former lecturer in law at University of Leicester, with degrees from Cambridge and Oxford.

Professor Simon Lee, B.A., LL.M. -
Dean and director of the Law School and holder of the chair of Jurisprudence, Queen's University Belfast. Former member of the Faculty of Laws, King's College, University of London; former lecturer in law at Trinity College, Oxford; degrees from Oxford and Yale.

Professor C.G.J. Morse, B.A., B.C.L., M.A. -
Former dean of the Faculty of Laws at King's College, University of London. Former visiting professor at John Marshall School of Law; specializing in Conflict of Laws; degrees from Oxford. Additionally, Professor Morse is currently director of the London Law Programme.

Professor Alastair Mullis, LL.B., LL.M. -
Visiting professor of law at University of Detroit Mercy-, member and sub-dean of the Faculty of Laws, King's College, University of London; specializing in International Business Transactions; law degree from Cambridge.

Professor Ravi Tennekoon, LL.B., B.C.L. -
Member of the Faculty of Laws, King's College, University of London, specializing in International and Commercial Financial Law. Former lecturer and tutor in law, Trinity College, Oxford; Rhodes Scholar, Oxford.

Professor David Rhidian Thomas, M.A., LL.B. -
Professor of law at University of East Anglia. Former senior lecturer at National University, Singapore, specializing in International Private Maritime Law and International Commercial Arbitration.

These faculty have written numerous books and articles in various areas of the law. Their contributions to legal scholarship are well known in England, continental Europe, and throughout the world.

All the non-American faculty have experience teaching American law students (in American law schools or American law programs abroad or in graduate law programs in British universities) and they are familiar with American methods of legal education.

Note: These individuals are currently teaching, their inclusion for the upcoming year is only tentative. They do represent the quality of faculty available to students each term. The list does not include members of the University of Detroit Mercy Law faculty visiting the London Law Programme for a semester only nor does it include American lawyers practicing in London and teaching in the program.

LIBRARIES:

Students in the London Law Programme may use the Library of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, the best collection of American and International legal materials in London. In addition, our library on campus contains a working collection of materials, including hornbooks and treatises appropriate to the classes offered.

Students with unusual research needs not accommodated by the above may arrange to use the Bodleian Law Library at Oxford, the library of the School of Oriental and African Studies, and the British Library at the British Museum.

OTHER EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Law Review and related experiences are available for our London students. It is possible to arrange Moot Court Competitions with either the Inns of Court or law faculties in London if there is sufficient interest.

A limited number of internships are available under the close supervision of the director of the London Law Programme. These internships are with American law firms, firms of British solicitors, barristers, legal departments of major international corporations, High Court Judges, Members of Parliament, and in public offices. Students who participate may earn up to two credits for the experience.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

There will be regular lectures by outside experts and political figures. Whenever possible, there will be scheduled opportunities for students to discuss (sometimes over dinner) issues with notable legal and non-legal figures in London.

In the British tradition, students in the London Law Programme will be able to dine at Middle Temple, one of the Inns of Court, which historically has considerable links with the United States and Canada, and will be invited to attend social functions sponsored by various legal groups in London.

Again, we emphasize London's importance as a student center. Students may, for a small fee, affiliate with the University of London student union and/or the Imperial College student union. Both offer many services, sports, and numerous other facilities. The city offers an exciting variety of services designed for and available to the large student population. When you arrive in London, the director will provide assistance in locating these services.

COURSE MATERIALS:

Casebooks, textbooks, and text materials for all courses offered will be available for purchase in London.

EMPLOYMENT IN THE UK:

Students who wish to secure part-time employment (other than internships, which, of course are unpaid) should make contact with:
BUNAC, Box 49, South Britain, CT 06487 (tel-. 203 2640901), or
Work Abroad, CIEE, 205 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 (tel: 212 661-1414)

TRANSPORTATION:

Students attending the London Law Programme are expected to make their own provisions for transportation to and from England, and the University of Detroit Mercy assumes no responsibility for such transportation. The scheduled airlines provide a variety of reduced fare plans and various charter flights are also available. Your local travel agent should be most helpful in this regard.

PASSPORTS:

Passports are required for travel to England and are the responsibility of each student. If you do not have a valid passport, you should contact the nearest State Department Office or Post Office for further information. If you wish to travel from England to other countries, a visa may be required, and prior arrangements should be made.

FINANCIAL AID:

University of Detroit Mercy students eligible for financial aid from the School of Law may use this assistance for the London Law Programme. Students from other law schools may also be eligible for assistance through the University of Detroit Mercy Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Information is available from the Law School Financial Aid coordinator, who can be reached by phone at (313) 596-0214 or by mail at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law, 651 E. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226-4386

ACADEMIC POLICY:

The same academic policies, including grading, which apply on the Detroit campus normally apply in the London Law Programme. The director, at his discretion, may modify these policies if they are not appropriate for the program.

APPLICATION:

University of Detroit Mercy law students apply by submitting the following:
1.A completed application form (copy enclosed);
2.A statement (no more than 100 words) detailing why you wish to study in the program; and
3.$50.00, a non-refundable application fee.

In addition to these, applicants from other schools must submit:
1.An official copy of the law school transcript (for upper class students) or a copy of the LSDAS report (for first-year students). Canadian students who may not have this report should so indicate on the application form and supply a copy of the LSAT score.
2.A letter of good standing from your law school.

The application deadline for the fall semester of 1995 is June 1, 1995.

The application deadline for the spring semester of 1996 is December 1, 1995.

Space is limited and early application is advised.

MISCELLANEOUS:

Additional information,including registration materials, the payment schedule for program fees, refund policy, housing, and London banking arrangements, will be provided to accepted students.

The University of Detroit Mercy School of Law is fully accredited by both the ABA and the AALS. As indicated earlier, the London Law Programme has also been approved by the ABA, which requires such approval for foreign based credit granting programs. The program is also contingent upon a sufficient number of students enrolling. If the program is canceled for lack of enrollment, or for any other reason, all application fees and deposits will be returned.

if you have any questions or desire more information, please call or write:

Admissions Office
University of Detroit Mercy
School of Law
651 E. Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226-4386
(313) 596-9949

Include:
Name, Current and Permanent Address with Phone numbers, Law School, Graduation Date, and Semester Planned to study abroad

This brochure on the London Law Programme is published for information purposes only. It creates no contract rights for either students or staff. All questions concerning the application Of any stated policy to an individual must be referred to the appropriate University officials for final determination.