Who are you? Tell us about yourself!

My name is Jiacheng (Joy) Wang. I’m a Tech Law and Policy LLM at Georgetown Law. I received my law degree in China. This coming summer, I will be heading to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue a JSD program.

What drew you to Georgetown’s LL.M. in Technology Law and Policy?

In large part, it came down to research. During my undergraduate years, I spent nearly three years as a research assistant focused on data protection and information privacy law, and in my final year I began exploring AI regulation as well. Throughout that time, I kept encountering the work of Georgetown Law professors, such as Paul Ohm on privacy and surveillance, Julie Cohen on platform regulation, and Anupam Chander on internet governance. Their scholarship shaped how I think about these issues in fundamental ways. As such, Georgetown felt like the natural place to be, not just because of the quality of its program, but because it offered the rare chance to engage directly with the scholars whose work had already been shaping my thinking for years.

How has your LL.M experience informed your post-graduation plans?

This summer, I’ll be heading to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to pursue a J.S.D., and I can trace that path directly back to my time at Georgetown in two ways.

 First, the coursework gave me a much clearer intellectual foundation. Taking AI and the Law with Professor Paul Ohm in my first semester helped me build a systematic framework for thinking about AI regulation as a whole. At the same time, the National and Global Health Law colloquium introduced me to the fundamentals of U.S. healthcare. Taken together, these two threads converged into what I now want to pursue as my doctoral research focus: the regulation of medical AI. 

Second, the faculty here made a real difference. I made a point of going to office hours as much as possible, and every time I reached out for guidance, professors responded with genuine and constructive advice. Professor Filippo Lancieri in particular — himself a J.S.D. graduate of the University of Chicago — was enormously helpful in shaping my thinking about an academic career and even provided specific feedback on my research proposal.

What advice do you have for incoming Georgetown Law students that want to get involved with tech law opportunities?

First, I’d encourage others, like me as an international student, to lean into the perspective we bring. Our ability to view issues from outside the American context is a genuine asset in tech law, where so many of the biggest questions are global ones. Second, treasure the chance Georgetown gives us for self-discovery. It is rare to have such a time and environment to figure out what you actually care about. Last, be brave. Following your intellectual interests will eventually lead you to moments that require real courage to act on. Please don’t shy away from those moments; all you need to do is just to do it.