The Foundations of American Law (Extended Program) is a full time, 3-month program offered by Georgetown University Law Center to students following completion of the Garrigues Masters of Law Program.

The Program.  This program consists of three basic components:

• participation in Georgetown Law Center’s Foundations of American Law and Legal Education Program (July 9 - August 5, 2006);
• participation in the U.S. Legal Writing Program for International Lawyers (August 14 - 25, 2006);
• following Foundations of American Law and Legal Education and the language course, the opportunity to stay an additional month with access to the library and all other facilities at Georgetown Law Center (August 28 - September 29, 2006). 

              The heart of this program is participation in Georgetown’s Foundations of American Law and Legal Education (http://www.law.georgetown.edu/foundations/).  This intensive four week program offers students an introduction to the American legal system, the common law method, and basic principles of American law. It is taught by faculty from Georgetown and other prominent law schools.  The program was designed for students who will be staying in the United States to pursue an LL.M. degree.  Last year the program included approximately 140 students from about 50 countries and was open to students who would be remaining at Georgetown for their LL.M. as well as approximately 40 Fulbright recipients who were pursuing LL.M. degrees at other schools.  For the summer 2006, Georgetown will for the first time open up its Foundations of American Law and Legal Education to a limited number of non-LL.M. students who are graduates of the Centro de Estudios Garrigues.

              In addition to the Foundations of American Law and Legal Education program, Garrigues students may participate in the U.S. Legal Writing Program for International Lawyers, an intensive two week program focusing on written English.  The instruction will be provided by the Georgetown University Center for Language Education and Development (CLED).  This Center has extensive experience providing English language programs for professional, academic, and business purposes. 

              Following the completion of the writing program, students may remain an additional month at Georgetown to pursue their own research projects.  Students will have full access to the library and other facilities and can participate in activities at the Law Center.  Because a large number of the students in Foundations of American Law and Legal Education will be continuing at Georgetown, the Garrigues students will have a community of colleagues from around the world with whom they can interact during this month.

              Students will be enrolled as full time students at Georgetown Law Center throughout the Foundations of American Law Extended Program.

Certificates are awarded upon successful completion of the program.

Cost.  Tuition for this three month program is $4200.  This amount is the program fee only – it does not include housing costs. Tuition for students who wish to attend only Foundations of American Law and Legal Education is $2200.

Housing.   The Gewirz Student Center is an on-campus housing facility which is open to students participating in Foundations.  Only 2-bedroom apartments may be available during Foundations.  However, this facility closes at the end of Foundations (August 5), so students who are able to live in Gewirz will need to make other arrangements for the second half of their stay.  The cost of renting an apartment in Gewirz during Foundations is $1600.

              Georgetown Law Center has an off-campus housing office that can help direct students to housing options in the area.  The cost of renting a furnished efficiency apartment in the Washington, D.C. area ranges from $1000-$2000 per month; for a one-bedroom apartment, the range is $1500-$3000 per month.

Program Dates.  The full program will run from approximately the beginning of July to the end of September.   Specific dates are as follows:

Sunday, July 9:       Move into Gewirz for those students living there
                             Nighttime tour of Washington, D.C.

Monday, July 10:     first day of Foundations, registration, library tours

Friday, August 4:     last day of Foundations

Saturday, August 5: move out of Gewirz

Monday, August 14:  first day of written English program

Friday, August 25:    last day of written English program

Friday, September 29:  final day of extended program

Student Qualifications.  All students participating in this program should have high competence in English.  The Foundations program is taught entirely in English and includes significant amounts of reading in English.  Students generally have a TOEFL score of at least 250 (600 under the old paper-based exam, or 100 on the internet-based TOEFL).

Visa information.  Students who are not U.S. citizens (or Permanent Residents of the U.S.) will need an F-1 student entry visa.  Details on the process of obtaining an F-1 entry visa are on the second page of the application form.

Application form.  Students interested in being considered for this program must submit an application, their Garrigues transcript and a copy of their TOEFL score or other evidence of English language study and proficiency to Vanessa Izquierdo at Garrigues:

Centro de Estudios Garrigues
Paseo de la Castellana 52 - 1ª planta
28046 Madrid
telephone: 34 91 514 53 30
telefax: 34 91 561 01 13
email:  Vanessa.Izquierdo@garrigues.com.