The Paris Summer Institute is a five-week academic program in international and comparative law. The Institute is cosponsored by Cornell Law School and Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Every year, the Institute welcomes a select group of law students from around the world to study law in the heart of Paris. The students take advantage of the Institute's strong international faculty, expansive English-language curriculum, and unique cultural and professional offerings.
The Institute at a Glance
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| An opening reception at the Paris Summer Institute. |
Students: We welcome law students and lawyers from around the world. In 2009 there were 88 students: twelve from Cornell Law School, thirty from twenty-two other U.S. law schools, and 46 from thirteen other countries: Canada, France, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Turkey, Denmark, Switzerland, and Hong Kong.
Faculty: Our program is taught in a uniquely international and culturally rich environment, combining the excellence of Cornell Law School faculty with Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and international guest lecturers. We limit enrollment to 130 students, to assure relatively small classes and to provide an opportunity for meaningful student-faculty interaction.;
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| Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne provides the Summer Institute's campus. |
Curriculum: The Summer Institute emphasizes the study of international law and institutions, as well as U.S. and other legal systems in a comparative context. In addition to the broad range of course offerings, we provide optional non-credit French language lessons. We encourage you to devote time to developing your proficiency in French during your stay in Paris.
Location: Summer Institute students attend classes at the historic Faculté de droit building, at the heart of the University of Paris, near the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg, and in the vibrant “Quartier Latin,” the Paris home of university students for almost a thousand years.
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| Students visit numerous French and international legal institutions during their stay in Paris. |
The Summer Institute sponsors private guided tours to the Palais de Justice (the site of France’s highest court in the ordinary court system), the Conseil d'État (the “supreme court” in the French administrative court system), the French National Assembly, the French Senate, and the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Court of Arbitration in Paris.
Cultural Opportunities: The Summer Institute also offers an extensive selection of extra-curricular tours of Paris and social events that enable students to savor “la vie parisienne.” In 2009, this included a small-group evening visits to the Louvre and Orsay Museums, a "bateau-mouche" boat excursion on the Seine,a picnic and tour at Versailles, walking tours of Montmartre, the Ile de la Cité, the Marais and the Luxembourg Gardens. We conclude each year with a reception at Le Cercle de l’Union Interalliée, one of the elite private clubs of Paris.
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| Students enjoy a picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens with the French language instructors. |
Accreditation: The Summer Institute is fully ABA-accredited and is an integral part of Cornell Law School's international and comparative law program. We invite you to visit Cornell Law's International web site and explore what we offer on our home campus.
Last Updated 11/9/2009.
