Future lawyers will have the opportunity to undertake their studies in London and Paris, thanks to a bilingual Double Bachelor of Laws program launched by Queen Mary University of London and the Panthéon-Sorbonne University.
Students will spend the first two years in London where they will be taught in English, and the final two in Paris, where they will be taught in French.
“The development of competitive double degrees is essential to building a new generation of legal scholars”
They will also have the opportunity to undertake tangible work experience, as part of an internship with a law firm, company or within another legal context.
Academic staff will also divide their time between both cities.
Graduates of the four-year program will be qualified to practice law in France, England and Wales.
Head of Queen Mary’s Department of Law and Academic lead for Internationalisation, Valsamis Mitsilegas, explained that with Brexit approaching, collaboration with EU partners is of “utmost importance”.
“There is actually a shortage of native English lawyers working at European and international institutions, so equipping our students with language skills will give them every chance of success in Europe,” Mitsilegas told The PIE News.
“This program is a testament to Queen Mary’s drive to foster new and nurture existing partnerships in Europe and to facilitate the mobility of students and staff.”
He added that by giving QMUL students professional access to two different legal systems, “graduates will be fully equipped for today’s globalised world” and “will also have the flexibility to embark on careers in either the UK or France”.
Queen Mary’s School of Law first partnered with Panthéon-Sorbonne in 2016, when it launched a double master’s of laws program in Paris.
Guy Trébulle, dean of the Sorbonne Law School, said he was looking forward to continuing the longstanding partnership with the University of London.
“Today, the development of competitive double degrees is essential to building a new generation of legal scholars and professionals in Europe,” he added.
The first cohort of students will start in September 2018, when applications for 2019/20 entry will also open.
A spokesperson for Queen Mary told The PIE that the university is currently developing a similar double degree with Tsinghua University in China, where students would “most likely” split their time between London and Beijing, and receive degrees from both HEIs.
