International Law Programs
About the Programs
Why should UNM law students study abroad, take courses in international law, or participate in other international activities?
In addition to the intellectual and personal enrichment to be gained, such experiences can lead to valuable insights about New Mexico, where 90% of the law school's graduates traditionally have practiced.
The UNM School of Law's location in a state that shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora provides a foundation for an international orientation. Moreover, New Mexico’s foreign-born population has grown significantly in recent years, and this demographic trend is likely to continue.
In addition, there are twenty-two federally recognized tribal jurisdictions and governments in New Mexico. The relationship among the tribal, state and federal governments is subject to federal Indian law, which originated in international law during the early days of the United States, when the federal government treated Indian tribes as foreign nations. New Mexico attorneys in a wide variety of practice areas encounter Indian law issues so often that Indian law now appears on the New Mexico bar exam.
The centerpiece of the law school's study-abroad opportunities is the well established Guanajuato Summer Law Institute in central Mexico. UNM law students also can study abroad for one or two semesters through the law school's direct exchange programs with other law schools, and through the numerous university-wide exchange programs managed by the UNM Office of International Programs and Studies and the UNM Latin American and Iberian Institute. Other study-abroad opportunities are available through a variety of summer, semester, and cooperative programs that are approved by the American Bar Association. Subject to ABA rules and UNM Law School approval, students can make individual arrangements to study at a foreign law school not covered by the above programs.
UNM law students pay UNM tuition and fees to participate in study-abroad programs covered by reciprocal exchange agreements to which UNM is a party, or programs sponsored or co-sponsored by UNM. For other study-abroad opportunities, UNM law students pay program-specific tuition and fees to the program provider.
Studying abroad is a life-changing experience for many students since it challenges their assumptions about the host country and the United States. Enhancing your legal education by studying abroad requires imagination and initiative. Please spend some time visiting our website. If you would like to explore the possibility of studying abroad, please contact us.
