Tuesday, February 27, 2007

DAAD Scholarship: International Lawyers

Introduction to German Law including Practical Training

DAAD offers young lawyers from around the world the opportunity to gain unique insight into the structure and function of German law during an eight-month study visit to Germany. During the course, theoretical and practical training takes place at the University of Tübingen, the Ministry of the Interior and Justice of North Rhine Westphalia and law firms in the Düsseldorf area. The scholarship is open to applicants from Canada, the US, Belgium, the Russian federation, the Ukraine, Belarus, France, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Through this program, DAAD aims to support and encourage international links in the area of law and to improve mutual knowledge of the legal systems in other countries.

Eligibility Requirements
Course Description
Terms of Award
Application Guidelines
Application Deadlines
Questions?

Download Applications


Eligibility Requirements
DAAD encourages applications from North American lawyers who hold JD or LLB degrees. Students currently in their last year of law school who will obtain a JD or LLB and will have passed the bar examination by the beginning of the scholarship period may apply.

Applicants should preferably have some relevant professional experience. The importance of gaining knowledge of German law should be evident from the applicant's stated professional or research goals.

Applicants must have a very good command of German, enabling them to take an active part in all lectures and discussions.

Applicants should, as a rule, be younger than 30 years of age.

Course Description
Up to 20 places per year will be made available to applicants from the 14 countries listed above. There is not a national quota system. Scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to the best-qualified candidates. The course runs from the end of October to the end of June of the following year (eight months).

The course is divided into two parts:

I. University of Tübingen, late October - December

The main course, Introduction to German Law, gives insight into essential fields of German law. The lectures will be given by members of the law faculty of the University of Tübingen.

The special course Legal Terminology aims to strengthen the knowledge of legal vocabulary and the composition of legal texts.

The intensive language course is designed to improve already existing German knowledge and is therefore not a beginner's course.

There is also the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities.

II. Ministry of the Interior and Justice of North Rhine Westphalia, January-June

The second part is an integrated program including practical training in Düsseldorf.

January - March : A four-week theoretical course in International Civil Law and Organization of Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Commercial Law at the Ministry. Judges will offer seminars in specialized topics such as Company and Partnership Law, Tax Law, Banking Law and Practice, Cartel Law, Copyright and Trademark Law, and Labor and Social Law.

All classes are taught in German by practicing lawyers, judges and civil servants who volunteer their time. Attendance at all lectures in this phase of the program is mandatory. Discretionary selection of topics is precluded in the interest of curriculum integrity and overall success of the program.

April - June : Participants intern in different law firms in the Düsseldorf area and have the opportunity to apply and extend their theoretical knowledge. During this period additional tutoring will be offered.

The classroom program will be supplemented by a number of activities, such as participation in events with German Referendare (articled clerks), and an appropriate subject-oriented program as well as visits to places of cultural interest. The supplementary program may also include visits to the Bundestag (Federal Parliament), the Bundesrat (Federal Council), Landtage (Provincial Parliaments), courts, prisons, chambers of industry and commerce, employers' and employees' unions and the stock exchange.

Terms of Award
During the language course, participants will receive a monthly stipend of approximately €615 to cover board and a single room in university housing. From January to June the monthly stipend will be approximately €975.

Participants will receive an international travel subsidy and a start-up allowance. Tuition is paid for by DAAD. Course materials will be provided and may be retained by the participants.

Please note: Under no circumstances can spouses be accommodated at Tübingen.

Application Guidelines
If possible all parts of the application form should be typewritten or word processed and submitted in triplicate (one original, two photocopies). Applications not submitted in triplicate cannot be processed.

Please do not staple any of the application materials.

A complete application consists of the following parts. Collate, but do not staple any of the application materials, each copy of the application should be in this order:

* DAAD application form entitled "Program for International Lawyers". Please answer all questions on the form, even if you refer to additional material.

* Curriculum vitae.

* A detailed statement explaining why participation in this program is important for the applicant's professional or research goals.

* Official copies of all post-secondary transcripts and diplomas, including law school class standing.

* DAAD language evaluation form ("Sprachzeugnis").
The language evaluation form is part of the application form (the last page) and needs to be filled out and signed by a faculty member of the German Department at the applicant's institution or by an official of a Goethe Institute.

* Two letters of recommendation on organizational letterhead from law professors or professional persons (not from colleagues of the same rank) in the field of law. The letters of recommendation must have been written within the past twelve months.

* Notarized copy of the Board of Law Examiners' notification letter. (If not available at time of application, must be submitted before commencement of DAAD program.)


Application Deadline

* The deadline is March 1, 2007.

* Complete applications should be sent to DAAD New York. Applications postmarked March 1 or earlier will be accepted; those with later postmarks cannot be processed.

* Applications of qualified candidates will be reviewed by a committee of representatives from American and German legal institutions. Applicants will be notified about the outcome of the competition by the end of June.

* Please note:
Incomplete applications cannot be processed.
Application materials will not be returned.
No reasons for a decision will be given.


Questions?


If you have questions regarding the DAAD International Lawyers program, please contact kim@daad.org

If you are NOT a citizen or student in the UNITED STATES or CANADA, please see:
DAAD International

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