KU Law, Applied English Center launch program for international students
LAWRENCE — A new program offered by the University of Kansas School of Law and KU’s Applied English Center will help international students improve their English skills while learning about the U.S. legal system.
The Legal English Program is a one-month intensive program designed to help students develop specialized training, presentation, legal research and legal writing skills to prepare them for law school coursework and for legal practice.
The Legal English Program is available to students who have been admitted or provisionally admitted to the LL.M., S.J.D., Two-Year J.D. for Foreign-Trained Lawyers or J.D. programs at KU Law. Participation in the Legal English Program does not guarantee acceptance to the law school. The program is also open to visiting scholars.
“Law school is a challenging endeavor for native English speakers. For non-native speakers, mastering technical legal terms is even more challenging,” said Steven Freedman, assistant dean of admissions at KU Law. “For this reason, we hope international students will join the program.”
Participants must demonstrate some proficiency in English; however, taking an English proficiency standardized test is not required.
The 2021 program is scheduled for July. The program application deadline is April 15.
“We are excited to launch the Legal English Program, designed to prepare students linguistically and academically for the types of tasks they will encounter in their first-year law courses and in their profession,” said Valerie Pierce, director of the Applied English Center. “This program introduces students to the types of reading, presentation style and writing structures they will use in the School of Law and will help prepare them for a fast-paced learning environment.”
The program aims to provide students with essential terms and language concepts needed to be successful in law school. Courses include Introduction to Legal Writing, Active Listening and Participation for Law Students, and Legal Reading and Research Skills.
To learn more or sign up for the program, visit the Applied English Center's website.
Photo: Dean Stephen Mazza, center, with two School of Law alumni. Credit: School of Law.