THE LS HOUSING MODEL

Por Camille Valdes

Northeastern University

Durante los últimos meses nosotros, los estudiantes de Legal Studies, hemos estado viviendo juntos en un apartamento con una profesora de Derecho de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. La verdad, esto ha sido una experiencia increíble que no se debería cambiar. Uno pensaría que vivir con una profesora te cohibiría de salir o algo por ese estilo pero no es así para nada. El alojamiento es básicamente como si vivieras en tu propio apartamento y puedes venir y salir cuando quieras. En cuanto a vivir con una profesora, también es una situación favorable para los estudiantes de Legal Studies ya que si tenemos alguna duda sobre algún tema de nuestras asignaturas, le podemos preguntar. Es un recurso que pienso que se perdería si cambian el tipo de alojamiento al de un anfitrión por estudiante. Sin embargo, no es tan solo el hecho de tener a una profesora ahí para ayudarte pero también es tener a los otros estudiantes de LS ahí contigo que también te pueden ayudar si tienes duda sobre algún tema de Derecho. Entre nosotros, como ya dije aprendemos, ya sea a suponer Nicky contándonos de su practica y lo que ha visto o aprendió en los tribunales o en un bufete de abogados. Si no es Nicky, es alguno de nosotros hablando de un tema interesante que aprendimos en una de nuestras asignaturas. Lo importante de este alojamiento es que estamos constantemente aprendiendo de cada uno y estamos accesible para aclarar dudas si tenemos un examen de nuestras asignaturas en común como Legal Language o Law in Contemporary Spain.
En mi primer año de universidad viví en un sistema más o menos similar, vivíamos los del mismo grado en un piso. Esto lo hizo más fácil para estudiar y como dicho anteriormente aclarar dudas. Claro, esto sólo fue así por el primer año, luego cada uno se fue por diferentes caminos. Sin embargo, pienso que cuando empiezas algo nuevo es bueno tener a las personas que tienen un mismo interés de estudios cerca de ti. Esto es lo que se nos dio oportunidad en mi primer año de universidad y aquí en Madrid. El sistema de alojamiento es ideal para los estudiantes de LS y con una anfitriona como Sabela no hay porqué hacer algún cambio para mejorar el alojamiento.

THE LS INTERNSHIP

By Nicole Tiger

Brandeis University

Hi! Nicky here again to tell you all about my adventures during my Legal Studies Internship here in Madrid. While there probably aren’t enough words of praise to describe this experience, I’ll do my best to explain. However, before I start, I need to shout out a huge thank you to Paco and Helena, my internship coordinators, without whom I would have been completely lost.

My journey started at the bufete (law firm) de García Peña & Andújar. My supervisor there Eduardo García Peña was extremely accommodating and informative. I felt very professional sitting at my own desk everyday across from 3 of Spain’s best abogadas (women lawyers). Not only was the environment very friendly and comfortable, but I was made to feel that I could ask any question at any time. My favorite aspect of my time with GP&A was the fact that while I learned a ton studying different cases everyday, I also was able to make my own contributions. At least once a day I found myself acting as a translator for emails to clients, and often I was able to sit in on live meetings that required translating. It was also especially cool that I was able to participate on an active case and see it through to the end. I aided in the process of the jury selection and was called in to Eduardo’s office when the sentencia was read for the first time at the end of the trial. I truly felt part of the legal team at GP&A and gained invaluable knowledge during my time there.

The second stop on my Internship agenda was the Ministerio de Justicia de España (Spain’s Ministry of Justice). Among other things, there I learned that the role of a Fiscal (prosecutor) has the potential to extend far beyond the duties of a courtroom. I was able to spend some time with a Fiscal during her docket and in between trials, and there I witnessed the conduct and responsibilities that belong to a Fiscal as la Acusación (prosecution). Her responsibility was to represent the public interest and place the welfare of the society above all else, including the personal wishes of the victim. This is precisely why the Spanish legal system created the role of la Acusación Particular (a private attorney to represent the interests of the victim or victim’s family). Aside from my time with Conchita Miranda in the courtroom, I truly value the time I spent with Ángel Núñez Sánchez, a Fiscal that works within the Ministerio de Justicia drafting legislation. It was an incredibly enlightening and exclusive experience to read over his anteproyectos de ley (drafts of legislation) and then be able to ask him personally, as the author, questions about the documents. I was able to learn about the complicated process of how laws are enacted in Spain as well as get inside the head of the a person responsible for a phase in this long procedure. In addition, I also spent time with a Judicial Secretary, an advisor to the Secretary of State, and an Abogado del Estado (a lawyer who exclusively represents the interests of the State).

The final phase of my Internship brings me to the Audiencia Provincial where I spend my days with a Magistrate, el Magistrado Don Juan José López Ortega. It’s really amazing to be able to talk and reason with a Magistrate in order to better understand the decisions he’s faced with everyday. I feel truly honored to be able to get his perspective on cases before hand and then sit in his courtroom as he presides over the trial itself. Overall, I feel this Internship has allowed me to observe a courtroom from every angle. I can now say that I know and understand the perspective of almost every person sitting in a courtroom during a criminal procedure. This Internship, while also the most work, has been my favorite class this semester. I have learned more about el Derecho Español (Spanish law) from spending time in these legal environments than I did in any of my classes. In fact, this Internship prepared me to be a better student in all my other classes. One of my goals for studying abroad in Spain in a Legal Studies program was to gather enough information to be able to conduct a thorough comparison between the judicial cultures of Spain and the U.S. so that I could develop my own opinions. I can say confidently that this Internship experience assured the completion of that goal one hundred times over. To find out my actual opinions on the similarities and differences between the two legal systems, you’ll just have to read my final paper.

THE CARLOS III UNIVERSITY

By Virginia Burke

University of Mississippi

La Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, more commonly known as Carlos Tres, is considered a very prestigious university for the study of law in Spain. After spending two months at the university I can definitely see why. The quality of the professors is unparalleled. I am fortunate enough to have instructors that are both leaders in their fields of study but take the time to make sure that their students understand the material from their classes and are enjoying their study abroad experience in Madrid and at the university.  Not only do the professors at Carlos Tres give inspiring lectures, they are willing to take the learning outside of the classroom so that students can see the judicial process firsthand.

            The students at Carlos Tres are equally impressive and I have yet to meet an unfriendly classmate. The Spanish students are more than happy to explain concepts and terms that I do not understand and eager to share many different aspects of their culture with exchange students. The university is also very popular among ERASMUS students or students that are on exchange from other European universities which gives the university a very cosmopolitan and diverse feel. It has been very easy to make new friends and study partners.

            The facilities at the university are very modern and the campus is very compact which makes getting to and from classes very easy. While the idea of a 45 minute commute on a train to school is a new concept for me I have found myself enjoying this time to reflect upon my experiences thus far. Overall my experience at Carlos Tres has been a positive one. Though I have had my occasional moments of confusion over different things such as how to print a document or order food in the cafeteria I have been lucky to find another student willing to help me figure out all of the necessary details. Though the course work is challenging I am sure that my experiences at the university will be very valuable when I start law school in the US.