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SKILL SHARPENER
Learning About NAF TA In Mexico City: Study Abroad Brings Knowledge to Life [by Erica Winter] After a friend and fellow classmate at North Carolina Central University School of Law returned from a study abroad program in Mexico City and sang its praises, Dave Hall decided to go.
The program in Mexico City, one of eight
the city, he took a dictionary and a map, and
summer abroad programs run by the Uni-
“was able to communicate very well,” he
versity of San Diego (USD) School of Law,
says.
in Paris. With such a broad reach and high credentials, the USD Law study abroad programs may
actually encouraged the planned start-up of a new student clinic at North Carolina Central,
Taking summer courses in a foreign country
still find their greatest impact is made on the
says Hall.
that is currently affected by those issues
individual, local level.
meant that learning “didn’t stop in the classHall’s classmate is taking time off to go
room,” says Hall. The lawyer with whom he
to USD Law and see how their immigra-
stayed had done human rights work with the
reer, had a graphic design and sign-making
tion clinic is run there, with an eye towards
Zapatista rebels in southern Mexico, and they
business before entering law school. He
duplicating the model in North Carolina on
talked about that experience, as well as about
was inspired to become a lawyer through
his return. Now that Hall has returned from
how NAFTA is effecting rural people and
the grassroots efforts of his church to help
his stint in the Mexico program, he plans to
farms in the country. In the program, “you
residents of a neighboring public housing
“most definitely” be involved with the new im-
can take what you learn out on the street
development who were going to be evicted to
migration clinic when it is up and running.
and talk about it” with people in the city, says
make way for building renovations.
Hall, who is embarking on a second ca-
Hall. Since the church provided free day care for
Hall, who is going into his second year of law school in the fall, is interested in how govern-
Courses are tailored to fit each country in the
the children in the development, as well as
ment policy affects law, and was able to study
USD Law study abroad program. While Hall
other services, being displaced would have a
that first-hand in Mexico City. As he and other
studied NAFTA in Mexico City, other program
great impact on the development’s residents.
program participants studied courses on
participants were taking courses on Interna-
“Our church is very community oriented,”
immigration law and NAFTA, they were living
tional Negotiation, East-West Trade Law, and
says Hall. Lawyers in the church did pro bono
in a place where those policies and issues
Russian law in Moscow, says USD program
work with residents dealing with the housing
are affecting people’s lives — and they could
coordinator Cindy King.
authority, which inspired Hall. “It motivated me,” he says, and, seeking an HBCU (Histori-
discuss the issues both inside and outside of the classroom. Taught in the context, the
In Florence, law students can study interna-
cally Black College or University), he applied
courses “gave me a great introduction to how
tional comparative law in the arts and intel-
to North Carolina Central Law. “I want to
lectual property law. In Dublin, the program
make a different kind of difference in people’s
focuses on human rights issues, especially
lives.”
the policy works,” says Hall. In Mexico City, program participants — from
those in the European Union’s legal system.
several different law schools, and coun-
Hall hopes to work with a nonprofit group
tries — were placed with families for the
Some faculty and student alumni of the pro-
on civil rights issues in his future legal
five weeks they were there. Hall lived with
gram are quite well-known. Justice Antonin
career. He sees his experience in Mexico as
two other law students with the family of a
Scalia taught a course at the USD program
forwarding that goal through the connections
Mexican lawyer. Hall studied Spanish in high
in Dublin in 1998, for example. And one law
between immigration issues and civil rights
school, and bridged any language gap at the
student who participated went on to become
work — understanding international issues
house with the help of the lawyer’s wife, who
the President of Ireland. The USD programs
and applying them back at home.
spoke English, and his fellow students, who
are also distinguished by their longevity, says
are both fluent in Spanish. Out and about in
King, with the first program launched in 1973
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