Professors Reitz and Wing with Patrick Patelin, Arcachon native and Iowa graduate, during a summer program in Arcachon, France.
International and Comparative Law Program
In keeping with its educational mission of encouraging the acquisition of both broad social awareness and technical professional competence, The University of Iowa College of Law offers a strong program of study in the rapidly expanding fields of international and comparative law. It does so for essentially three reasons:
- In an era of global interdependence, one must understand international law and foreign legal systems in order to be an effective lawyer.
- As professionals and community leaders, lawyers familiar with international and comparative law are crucial to the formulation of public policy at all levels of our society.
- The study of international and comparative law provides an essential theoretical foundation for all lawyers by affording unique insight into the nature of law and legal process.
Curriculum
Iowa offers a broad range of opportunities to study international and comparative law in its curriculum. Particular specialties include comparative law, European Union law, international business law, the law of international economic institutions, international environmental law, the law of international finance, international human rights law, the law governing international organizations and the conduct of United States' foreign policy, the law of war, and legal reform in Africa and the Near East, East and Southeast Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the successor countries to the Soviet Union.
The courses listed here include all UI-appoved Collge of Law courses in these subject areas. The college does not offer each course every year. The College of Law Guide to Courses [pdf] contains a list of courses that have been offered within the past two academic years. It also lists courses the college expects to offer during the next academic year.
Advanced Problems in International Business and Economic Relations
Advanced Problems in International Environmental Law
Comparative Constitutional Law
Comparative Law
Comparative Law in Post Communist Countries
Cultural Property/Heritage
European Union Law
Family Law in the World Community
Foreign Comparative & International Legal Research
Foreign Relations Law
Human Rights in the World Community
Immigration
International Business Transactions
International Commercial Arbitration
International Criminal Law
International Environmental Law
International Trade Law: Basic Norms & Regulations
Introduction to the Law of France & the European Union
Introduction to Public International Law
Law in the Muslim World
Law of War, Peace, and Military Affairs
National Security Law & Government Power in Emergencies
Private International Finance
Problems of International Law
Rethinking Public International Law
Faculty
The College of Law ensures that all of its students are exposed to international perspectives. With the exception of the special LLM tutorial and writing seminar, LLM students take their courses with JD students from the school's rich offerings on U.S., international, and comparative law. Foreign research scholars also audit some courses. As a JD student, you might, for example, sit in one of your first-year classes with a Chinese judge or a young German lawyer, or take an upper-level seminar with students from Zimbabwe, Mexico, or Korea.
The following professors provide the chief teaching and research support for the International and Comparative Program at the College of Law.
Patricia N. Acton
John Allen
David C. Baldus
Willard L. Boyd
Steven J. Burton
William G. Buss
Jonathan Carlson
Enrique R. Carrasco
Marcella David
Alexander Domrin
Ann Estin
Don Ford
Nicholas Johnson
John C. Reitz
Christopher Rossi
Mark Sidel
Alexander Somek
Lea VanderVelde
Burns H. Weston
Adrien Katherine Wing
Opportunities for Students in International and Comparative Law
From speakers and symposia to a law library with an outstanding array of international resources, a variety of opportunities exist for all students to get involved in international issues without even leaving the College of Law. Co-curricular and extra curricular activities include:
Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems (TLCP)
International Law Society (ILS)
Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
Centers for International and Comparative Law Issues
The University of Iowa College of Law is affiliated with two centers that tackle International and Comparative Law issues. For more information on these centers and their ongoing projects, please click on the links provided below.
UI Center for Human Rights
UI Center for International Finance & Development
International Opportunities Outside the College
Beyond the college, ample international and foreign area studies programs offered through other University of Iowa colleges, departments, and centers enable students to supplement their foreign and comparative law study either through a joint degree program or through individual courses. In particular, students interested in international and comparative areas are encouraged to develop and maintain their foreign language skills.
Contact
If you have questions regarding the Iowa LLM or Iowa's International and Comparative Law Program, please contact our office directly.
By Mail
Professor and Associate Dean Marcella David
The University of Iowa College of Law
Iowa City, IA 52242-1113 USA
By Telephone
800-553-4692 ext. 9095 (from within U.S.) (Admissions Office)
319-335-9169 (International & Comparative Law Program)
By Fax
319-335-9098
By E-mail