Cambridge Summer Program

For more than 30 years, the University of Richmond School of Law has conducted a summer program in England for American law students. The purpose of the program is to afford students an opportunity to live and study in surroundings that provide maximum exposure to the English common law system, which serves as the basis for much of the U.S. law.

The Cambridge summer program is an extension of the University of Richmond School of Law. Classes and final examinations meet requirements of the Association of American Law Schools and the American Bar Association.

The program is designed for students currently engaged in the study of law and in good standing at American Bar Association or Canadian Bar Association-accredited law schools. A letter of good standing must be submitted prior to the commencement of the program.

A reading and required text list is distributed well in advance of the program. Students should acquire these books before leaving for England, as some books may not be available in Cambridge.

The 2013 summer program will be held at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, from July 7 to August 11. Participants in the program will reside, dine, and attend classes in Emmanuel College facilities.

Academic Credit

Credits earned in the Cambridge summer program will be accepted at the University of Richmond School of Law. Students from other law schools should ascertain in advance the credit transfer policies and residency requirements of their own institutions.

Participation in the program will not necessarily enable a student to accelerate graduation. Students wishing to earn eight weeks of residency credit may wish to attend our three-week, on-campus term prior to leaving for Cambridge. Details are available upon request.

Cambridge program students may take up to four courses (six semester hours of credit). Classes are scheduled to meet four days a week, Monday-Thursday. Although this schedule allows ample opportunity for extracurricular activities, students should attend classes regularly.

Applications should be submitted prior to April 1, 2013. Since enrollment will be limited by available accommodations, it is strongly recommended that students apply early. Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The application must be accompanied by a $150 deposit. All payments should be made by money order, cashier's check, or certified check, made payable to the University of Richmond.

Tuition and Accommodation Fees

The balance of the tuition and accommodation fees must be received by the university not later than May 15, 2013.

The total cost of the program is $6,100.

Airfare is the responsibility of the student.

The University of Richmond reserves the right to cancel this program in the event of compelling circumstances. In such an event, all monies would be returned.

Selected Issues in Public International Law
(2 semester hours)
Prof. John A. Hopkins
Downing College, Cambridge University
Consideration of various discrete issues of public international law, including statehood, boundaries, the law of war, jurisdiction and state responsibility, and their relation to municipal law.

Legal History
(2 semester hours)
Prof. Neil Gareth Jones
Magdalene College, Cambridge University
Development of legal institutions using historical perspective to help understand reasons for apparent anomalies in our legal system, such as distinctions between law and equity, crime and tort, and to aid decisions of law reform.

Comparative Public Law of U.S. and U.K.
(2 semester hours)
Prof. Mark C. Elliott
St. Catharine's College, Cambridge University
Examination and comparison of underlying principles of constitutional and administrative law in the U.S. and the U.K.

Law of the European Union
(2 semester hours)
Prof. Albertina Albors-Llorens
Girton College, Cambridge University
Prof. Catherine S. Barnard
Trinity College, Cambridge University
Survey of institutions of the European Union, and examination of substantive principles of EU law and their integration into the legal systems of member countries.

Comparative Civil Litigation
(1 semester hour)
Prof. Jessica Erickson
University of Richmond School of Law
One-credit course that explores the variety of civil litigation systems used around the world.  In the United States, we largely take our litigation system as given, even as we bemoan certain aspects of it.  The course explores other ways of resolving civil disputes.  It will begin by examining the organization of courts and the legal profession in different countries and then turning to comparing the processes used to plead a case, learn and prove facts, and resolve disputed issues.

Comparative Look at the Death Penalty
(1 semester hour)
Prof. Corinna Barrett Lain
University of Richmond School of Law
One-credit course that compares the death penalty as it is administered in the United States with other countries that have the death penalty and a number of nations that do not (most prominently, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and other nations comparable to the United States in other ways).  Why did other nations abolish the death penalty?  And is the experience of those nations that currently employ the death penalty like ours?  What might the combined experiences of other countries with the death penalty teach the United States about its own practices?

All rooms at Emmanuel College are either single rooms or twin-bedded rooms for married students. The facilities are arranged in semi-private staircases of several rooms each. Linens and maid service are provided at no additional expense. Spouses or dependents will pay the same room and board charges as participants in the program. No dependents under the age of 16 can be accommodated in the college.

Meals will be served in the college dining hall. Prior experience has indicated that most students prefer to travel and eat off-campus on weekends, so the cost of weekend meals has been eliminated from the room and board charges. Thus, no meals will be provided from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch.

Banks and shops are easily accessible. The city of Cambridge offers restaurants, public houses, cinemas and theatres, in addition to its many scenic and historic features.

London is just fifty miles away and is served by frequent fast train and bus connections. Despite its proximity to London, the East Anglican region retains an unspoiled character, and its villages and towns have a quiet charm that is typically English. The cathedral cities of Ely and Norwich are within easy reach.

Each participating student is responsible for travel to England from the United States.