University News Last updated 28 March 2012
A ground-breaking centre that offers the most challenging student placements at any British university is being officially launched next week.
The Centre for American Legal Studies (CALS), part of Birmingham City University’s School of Law, was established as a centre of excellence for the study of US law and offers the unique American Legal Practice programme; the largest student internship of its kind in the UK.
Dr Jon Yorke, the Director of CALS, said: “This event is both a celebration of the work already undertaken on American law by the School, including collaboration with attorney’s offices and organisations across the country, and is a launching pad for future exciting educational and professional initiatives.”
The official launch of CALS, being held at Birmingham law firm Squire Sanders will be attended by professionals representing all areas of the legal profession, including senior colleagues from the United States. Leading New York defence attorney James Kousouros will make an official address, while a leading British barrister, Mark George QC from Garden Court North Chambers in Manchester will chair an open-questions session.
The Centre’s American Legal Practice Programme offers one of the most demanding but rewarding internships in the sector with placement students experiencing the high-octane challenges of stateside law first-hand.
Julian Killingley, Professor of American Law, will also confer the honour of ‘CALS Visiting Professor’ on James Kousouros and ‘CALS Visiting Practitioner’ on Mr Mark George QC. Mark George QC said: "I am very honoured to be made a visiting practitioner. CALS has a vital role to play in educating students and legal practitioners in the UK in the law and practice of the United States and I am very pleased to be associated with the Centre."
The event will also officially launch the “British Journal of American Legal Studies;” the first British university law journal to focus on American law.
Dr Anne Richardson Oakes, Reader in American Legal Studies, added: “This journal fills a gap in the range of British scholarly legal publications. Its peer review processes offers British and American authors an alternative to American student-edited legal journals.”
CALS offers a range of courses covering different aspects of US law principally relating to the administration of criminal justice, the nature and role of punishment in the US legal system, the socio-legal aspects of desegregation, the role of experts in the US court system and comparative aspects of environmental protection law in the US are all offered by the Centre. For further information, please see the Birmingham City School of Law web page.