"The London Law Program is truly one of a kind,” says third-year Law student Jordan Weatherless. “I chose to participate in the program because of the opportunity to see and experience the British legal system, the renowned professors teaching different international law courses, the possibility of witnessing cultural differences both personally and professionally, and because of all the exciting field trips and fun events planned.”
The London Law Program at Iowa Law will resume this winter after being postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is open to law students who are in good standing at ABA accredited schools and who have completed their first year, with preference given Iowa Law students.
The program gives Iowa Law students a unique opportunity to spend the University of Iowa’s winter session overseas. Students will spend 14 days in London studying British law and have the chance to participate in a variety of fun activities outside the classroom.
Claire Eichhorn, a second-year law student, chose to participate in this year’s London Law Program because of its experiential learning opportunities, her love for travel, and her interest in comparative law.
“I had the opportunity to study abroad for a winter session and a semester during my undergraduate studies and they were two of the most formative experiences of my life,” says Eichhorn. “The classes you take are important but the knowledge you gain from experiential learning while studying abroad is priceless. In London, I am taking a course about the British legal system while we get to visit key landmarks within the British legal system itself. Experiential learning gives you the opportunity to take in the material but also to live it and truly contextualize it.”
Eichhorn also says she is simply excited for the opportunity to travel, as the London Law Program will be the first time she will be leaving the country in a few years.
“I loved getting to learn about other cultures and governments while in my undergraduate studies, so I am thrilled to continue that interest in law school and learn about how the British legal system operates.”
Third-year law student Amber Crow says her experiences through hosting foreign exchange students and traveling abroad have influenced her desire to participate in the London Law Program.
“Over the course of my educational experiences, I have both hosted two foreign exchange students and studied abroad myself,” says Crow. “These experiences have been life-altering, especially being a 6th-generation Iowan from a very small homogenous town of about 500 folks. They have always proven to be enriching and broadening of how I see the world.”
Crow says her former professor and director of the London Law Program, Stella Burch Elias, also influenced her decision to explore the legal field from an international perspective.
“I’ve taken three courses with Professor Elias (Civil Procedure, Comparative Law, and Immigration Law and Policy), and they have sparked my interest in the law from a global and policy-based perspective. I’m especially eager to take British Legal Systems with Professor Elias since my job following graduation has a London Office and some of my business litigation matters may intertwine," says Crow.
The London Law Program’s return is especially exciting for this year’s participating students, as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the college's experiential learning opportunities over the past few years.
"I'm thrilled to be returning to London this winter with a group of 40 Iowa Law students," expressed Professor Elias, "The students will be studying the British Legal System in a class that I teach, and International Commercial Arbitration in a class taught by Professor Michael Howe. We have a packed schedule with visits to Parliament, the UK Supreme Court, the Royal Courts of Justice, the Inns of Court, a mini-symposium at Oxford University, a night at the theatre to see Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution, fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve, a series of delicious meals, and an end-of-program evening cruise along the River Thames."
“We have several excursions planned, but I’m especially looking forward to touring the University of Oxford and the courts. Starting law school in the middle of COVID was certainly not ideal and I couldn’t think of a better way to end my final year at Iowa Law,” says Crow.