Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law has announced a new study abroad program that will be held at the University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, Scotland, June 2-July 2, 2024.

 

The robust international experience will allow Cumberland School of Law students the chance to immerse themselves in Scotland’s incredible history, culture and scenery, while also expanding their knowledge of a legal system outside that of the United States. Program curriculum includes a variety of classes such as The Scottish Legal System, The Art of Persuasion, Literature & Advocacy, The Persuasive Narrative and Devilish Advocacy.

 

Students will attend an opening reception at Edinburgh Castle with a private showing of Scotland’s crown jewels, and a closing event held at a historic Edinburgh venue such as the Signet Library, the original law library in Edinburgh and still working library for advocates representing the British Crown.

 

The Scotland excursion adds to Cumberland School of Law’s repertoire of international experiences, the other being its long-running program held at the University of Cambridge. In 2024, Cumberland School of Law students studying in Cambridge and Edinburgh will come together for a special visit to Brussels, Belgium, for a tour of the offices of the European Union.

 

Cumberland School of Law’s international programs are a direct reflection of the university’s global influence initiative of the Fidelitas strategic plan. By fostering international connections and professional growth in these renowned settings, students expand their worldviews and become more prepared for their professional careers.

 

Jill Evans, Cumberland School of Law associate dean, said, “Students who participate in our summer abroad programs while in law school return home with a broadened scope of legal understanding. The reality is that they are entering practice in a global environment and these programs are specifically designed to expose them to different legal systems and approaches and, equally important, other cultures.” 

 

Applications for the Scotland program will open Jan. 11, 2024. Learn more at samford.edu/law/study-abroad.

 

In addition to offering this new global experience for current students, Cumberland School of Law will hold an international CLE seminar for its alumni, June 27-28, 2024, at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in Edinburgh. Alumni may inquire about the CLE opportunity here.

 

Evans added, “I am particularly excited about our new study abroad opportunity in Scotland which builds a persuasive advocacy component into our elite advocacy program and pairs a CLE at the end designed to give practicing attorneys as well as students a focused series of workshops and presentations to hone their persuasive advocacy skills and integrate them into their practice. Both Cambridge, with its broader focus on the laws of England and the European Union and now Scotland, which concentrates on persuasive legal advocacy, give students very different insights, each important, into how legal practice is evolving.”