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Applications must be submitted by May 15, 2023.
To successfully apply to the Program, you must:
Please note:
The files names for all documents uploaded in our application portal should only contain letters and numbers (no spaces). The system will reject file names with special characters.
All application materials should be submitted in English. If materials are submitted with another language, please provide a certified translated copy.
If you would like to make changes to your application after you have submitted it, please contact us at paris.law@cornell.edu.
Are you interested in the Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute but can’t participate in this year’s program?
Fill out the info at the survey linked here, and we will notify you once the application is up for the next cycle!
The Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute, which is open to both United States and international applicants, is a unique academic experience that will expand your understanding of a special area of law. The program emphasizes the study of international law and institutions, as well as U.S. and other legal systems in a comparative context. The program also provides a unique opportunity for career advancement, personal growth and development, and networking on a global level.
Students attend classes at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, first in the Panthéon building and then the Lourcine Centre, near the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg and in the vibrant Quartier Latin, the Paris home of university students for almost a thousand years.
Each year’s program sponsors a private guided tour. In the past, students have visited 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.
The Cornell-Paris 1 Summer Institute is open to:
Junior and senior undergraduate students are welcome to apply through this portal with our partners in Cornell’s Office of Global Learning.
If you feel that you don’t fall into the above categories but are still interested in the program, please reach out to paris.law@cornell.edu to discuss if the program is an option for you.
International students: If you would like to determine credit equivalence, please reach out to your home institution’s Registrar’s Office.
The following courses are confirmed for the Summer 2023 program.
Introduction to the Laws of Europe (Required Orientation Lectures) (Non-credit, mandatory) – Taught by Professor Mitchel Lasser:
These lectures examine the origins and development of the national legal systems of Europe, viewed in relation to their common law equivalents. They also present the key features of the European Union and of the European Court of Human Rights. These lectures do not carry separate credit, but attendance by all enrolled students is required, as part of the regular courses.
Comparative Legal Studies (1 credit) – Taught by Professor Mitchel Lasser:
This course introduces students to the study of foreign legal systems. It will provide a broad overview of the institutional and conceptual organization of “civil law” legal systems, comparing them to their “common law” equivalents in the United States. Substantively, the course will focus on the different approaches to private law and procedure, criminal procedure, administrative law and constitutional law that characterize most contemporary European civil law jurisdictions. Methodologically, the course will teach the most important approaches for engaging in comparative legal analysis, so that students will be in a position to practice and critique them effectively.
Globalizing Financial Markets (1 credit) – Taught by Professor Saule Omarova:
This course will introduce students to key legal and regulatory issues raised by the globalization of financial markets and increasingly cross-border nature of financial transactions. Specific topics to be covered include an overview of the main issues in the operation and regulation of internationally active banks, securities firms, insurance companies, hedge funds, and other types of financial institutions; the underlying dynamics in global capital and money markets; the role of central banks in ensuring global financial stability; the causes and consequences of financial crises; and the key legal and regulatory implications of the emerging fintech sector and crypto-finance.
Foundations of Public International Law (1 credit) – Taught by Professor Brian Richardson:
This course introduces students to the basic building blocks of the modern international legal system. The course has three major goals: introducing the principal institutions and processes that shape international law; understanding the major legal principles that animate the modern international legal order; and applying those principles to recent international crises.
Judging the Jury: a Global Perspective (1 credit) – Taught by Professor Valerie Hans:
Around the world, the legal systems of many countries use ordinary citizens to decide important legal questions. Some use juries that deliberate independently to arrive at their verdicts, while others employ mixed courts where professional judges and lay citizens work together to determine the legal outcomes. In recent years new jury systems have sprung up in Asia and Latin America as part of democratizing movements in these regions. The use of citizen decision makers offers an important symbol of democracy and a compelling image of justice in countless movies and novels. But how well does it work in practice? Are ordinary people capable factfinders in the increasingly complex criminal and civil trials that confront them?
Application Fee (non-refundable): $150
Course fees:
Students must enroll in at least 2 credits and up to the full 4 credits.
Program fees only cover tuition.
Travel-related expenses such as housing, transportation to and from Paris, and meals are the responsibility of the student.
Cornell students should apply for loans through financialaid@cornell.edu
Unfortunately, Cornell cannot provide financial aid to non-Cornell students.
Students are required to provide their own health insurance. The Institute is not responsible for medical or dental expenses incurred by the students during the operation of the program. Be sure to include health insurance information on the application.
Cornell Law School complies with the “Cancellation, Change, or Termination of Programs” as set forth in the American Bar Association’s Criteria for Approval of Foreign Summer Programs.
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