Fall 2019 J.D. exchange students highlight rewarding semester at King Hall

UC Davis School of Law hosts a thriving J.D. exchange program that welcomes students from various countries to study U.S. law. The program also offers UC Davis students the opportunity to study for a semester at a partner institution across the globe. We recently asked a few inbound J.D. exchange students to share about their time at King Hall this fall. 

J.D. exchange student Ignacio Andres Coll Sauma traveled to UC Davis for the fall semester from the University of Chile. Coll Sauma studies bankruptcy and criminal Law. During his time here, he took Drug and Policy Law with Professor Todd, U.S. Legal System Seminar with Dean Greenwood, Basic Finance for Lawyers with Professor Hunt, International Trade Law with Professor Florestal, and Comparative Telecommunications Law with Professor Clarke. Coll Sauma shared that “Drug Law with Professor Todd was one of my favorite courses, because it is intriguing to learn about drug policies in America compared to other countries around the world.” In International Trade Law, he found  the exercises and mock trials to be very helpful learning tools. “Although you are not given much information at first,” Coll Sauma says, “after the trial, you end up learning so much from your mistakes, as opposed to just being given the information first.” One of his goals for his time as a J.D. exchange student was expanding his legal vocabulary in English, which he feels he accomplished through his interactions with peers and professors. 

J.D. exchange student Val Bianchi-Demicheli studies at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, where he specializes in information technology and data protection law. He also spent time in Southern California, where he worked in the entertainment industry, which piqued his interest in intellectual property law. At King Hall, he took Contracts, Trusts, Wills and Estates, and Intro to Law with Professor Horton, Professional Responsibility with Professor Yeroshek, Negotiations with Professor Shestowsky, Appellate Advocacy with Judge Mesiwala, Remedies with Judge Talley, U.S. Legal Systems Seminar with Dean Greenwood and Legal Research with Professor Janes.  Bianchi-Demicheli remarked, “I’ve been pleasantly surprised by all the caring faculty and their availability. All my professors have a ‘never say no’ attitude; they always want to find a solution to help.” Bianchi-Demicheli also participated in the Pepperdine National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition with other UC Davis Law students. He notes that “Moot court has been the most challenging part of my time here, and practice was a crazy amount of work, from preparing our 41-page brief to practicing arguments ... but I’m very excited, because this is exactly the kind of work I want to do.” When he had a break, Bianchi-Demicheli visited the hammocks on the Quad to relax or ventured to the ARC to work out. Bianchi-Demicheli found a home at King Hall -- he entered the LL.M. program in the spring semester.

Anna Hansen was a J.D. exchange student from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, with legal interests in a variety of areas, such as intellectual property, human rights, corporate law, and information law. Her fall class schedule included Patent Law and International IP Development, both with Professor Lee; Negotiations with Professor Shestowsky; Community Lawyering with Aoki Center Director Frampton; and Supreme Court Simulation Seminar with Professor Tang. Many of her classes had a maximum of 20 people, and she “enjoyed the small class size, because it allows for great discussions.” Hansen notes that “Community Lawyering has developed my passion for the intersections of law and other fields. This class has emphasized the importance of having knowledge of subjects beyond legislation, to better understand and help the people you work with as a lawyer.” In her Negotiations class, she competed in mock negotiations, which she notes are “so practical, because they challenge you to learn from your mistakes and help you develop a good strategy for different situations.” Coming into this program, she had personal aspirations of gaining greater independence and fully immersing herself in American culture. From engaging with welcoming peers and faculty, to participating in the plentiful activities offered in Davis, she believes she fulfilled these goals. Hansen says she always will be fond of the relationships and professional achievements she experienced during her exchange program. 

For information about the International Law Programs, please visit law.ucdavis.edu/international or contact Kate Asche at [email protected] or 530-752-6081.