Bucerius Law School Summer Programs- Week 1

The following is a sneak-peak into the first week of Bucerius Law School’s three immersive summer programs- the Comparative IP Law Program, the International Business Law Program, and the Sports Law Program. 

Last Sunday, July 10, the Bucerius campus welcomed participants from 26 nations to kick off its three summer programs in Hamburg. North Americans compose just under a quarter of the 75 students and young professionals taking part in the three-week curricula. There are nine students from the United States, five from Canada, and four from Mexico.

Participants in the comparative IP Law program took part in a site workshop at Google Germany to explore the expansion of YouTube and legal challenges associated with the company’s online video service. Discussion was led by Julia Schaake, Associate Legal Counsel on Google Germany’s Commercial Legal Team.

Participants in the International Business Law program explored practical elements of Business Mediation with Prof. Dr. Lars Kirchhoff and Dr. Felix Wendenburg, both of whom are partners at the Berlin-based firm TGKS. Prof. Dr. Peter Huber, Professor of Law at Johannes-Gutenberg-University Mainz and second-time lecturer within the program, returned to Hamburg to lead a course on International Commercial Arbitration.

Those in the Sports Law cohort visited the home stadium of the HSV, a Hamburg-based sports club, to take part in a discussion on the Club’s security concept and tour the facility. They also made large advances in planning a sports event to be held on the final day of the program. Topics explored during the first days of Bucerius’ newest summer program focused primarily on skills of contract drafting as they are applicable to the field of sports, e.g., renting a motorsports racetrack and preparing for the Olympic Games.

Jodi Balsam, Associate Professor of Clinical Law and Director of Civil Externship Programs at Brooklyn Law School, reflected on the week, “The students in my Contract Drafting class impressed me with how ready they were to learn—from me and from each other. The Bucerius program represents the best of what legal education has to offer in terms of crossing cultural boundaries and finding common intellectual ground. I look forward to our second session and the students’ presentations on Olympic sponsorship agreements.”

The first week also included a guided walking tour of the Speicherstadt, the expansive brick warehouse district that was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2015, as well as an excursion to the Hamburg History Museum where participants examined relics and learned about the port city’s development from the ninth century to the present. The week drew to a close with a joint breakfast allowing members of the three programs to exchange first impressions and make plans for a weekend in the city.

To keep up with the activities of the programs, check back with us here every week to read future summaries!