The Effects of Globalization on Legal Education
Prof. Michael Bogdan
Senior Professor
Comparative and Private International Law
University of Lund – Sweden
Abstract:
The paper discusses the role international, comparative, and foreign law can and should play in the education of those law students who do not wish to specialize in transnational matters. Students desiring such specialization should, of course, be offered the widest possible array of optional courses on such matters, depending on the personal and financial resources of their institution.
However, in most law schools the students wishing to specialize in transnational issues constitute a relatively small minority, while the majority of law students intend to work mainly within the framework of their own national legal system. This gives rise to the question whether, and to what extent, the compulsory part of the curriculum should compel this majority to study subjects such as public international law, private international law (conflict of laws), and comparative law.
The space for compulsory courses is limited and there are many legitimate demands for a slice of it, but in a globalized world of today almost every lawyer must be prepared to face transnational issues, irrespective of his or her field of work. This paper, based on the long-time experience of its author as researcher and teacher of law, argues for a more globally-oriented legal education, especially for an increased role of comparative and foreign law.
Keywords:Comparative law; Foreign law; International Law; Law school curriculum; Legal education.