Cambridge Summer Program

For 40 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.

Participants in the program will reside, dine, and attend classes in Emmanuel College facilities. Professor W. Clark Williams is the Cambridge Summer Program Director and will share on-site program director responsibilities with other University of Richmond Law faculty.

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.

Tuition and Accommodation Fees

The total cost of the program is $7,800. The $150 deposit should accompany the application. The balance of tuition and accomodation fees must be received by the university no later than May 15, 2022.

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.

While the application may be submitted online, payment must be submitted separately by mail.

Send payment to:
University of Richmond School of Law
203 Richmond Way
Summer Program in Law at Cambridge
Attn: Tracy Cauthorn
Richmond, Virginia, 23173

Application 

Applications should be submitted prior to April 1, 2022. 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. Deposits are not refundable after March 1, 2022. All payments should be made payable to the University of Richmond.

Selected Issues in Public International Law
(2 semester hours)
Prof. Rumiana Yotova
Gonville and Caius 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)
Dr. Ashley Hannay
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)
Dr. Shona Wilson Shark
Girton 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
St. Johns 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.

Identity and Advocacy
(1 semester hour)
Prof. Laura Webb
University of Richmond School of Law
What does it mean to be part of a profession that requires “zealous advocacy”? Our legal profession values and requires well-reasoned arguments on behalf of clients, both inside and outside the courtroom. This course will discuss public perceptions of lawyers (from morally bankrupt hired gun to noble defender of the downtrodden) and explore the ethics of advocacy. We will briefly explore non-U.S. legal systems so we can compare and contrast the role American lawyers play to the role of lawyers in other systems. Students will develop an authentic sense of their own identity as an advocate, integrating and aligning personal values with the profession’s requirements.

Does Art Want to be Free? Intellectual Property and Burning Man
(1 semester hour)
Prof. Ashley Dobbs
University of Richmond School of Law
Burning Man is a cultural event that finds artists and makers, engineers and inventors, musicians and DJs, and free-thinkers of all kinds together for one week in the desert.  The event is loosely organized under shared principles such as de-commodification, radical self-expression, immediacy, and radical inclusion.  The event results in giant public, interactive art, ephemeral performance pieces, structures and sculptures, paintings and more.  Even with these ideals, the creators bump into issues which implicate intellectual property laws.  Learn the basics of  Copyright,  the Visual Artists’ Right Act, Trademark, and other IP law concepts, through actual art and controversies arising from Burning Man events. No prior background in IP law required.

All rooms at Emmanuel College are single rooms. 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.