The plane landed at the J.F.Kennedy.Apt Airport slowly, navigation lights dim suggests this is the North American continent. Although there is no surprise to attempt too much at the beginning, but hidden in the heart of curiosity still from welling up. It is with the system, education and culture to foreign legal curiosity and exploration of this heart, I entered the Columbia University law school (the Jerome Green buildingJerome L. Greene Hall), began to study life in the America law school interview.

 

Brother of the Jerome Green law school building

 

A

 

   Columbia University is one of the five oldest university America.1754Years, in the vicinity of the New York City Tower, created the "King's College", still retains the unique style of the Royal Academy, such as big brother school badge on the crown; American after independence, renamed the "Columbia college",1896Officially named as the "Columbia University", is the world famous "Ivy League" (Ivy LeagueOne of. In big brother early training of students, as far as I know, at least including foundation America constitutionalism as "Federalist Papers" the three writers: Alexander Hamilton (twoAlexander HamiltonAnd (John Jay)John JayThen, the former America), became the first minister of finance, and the latter as American Supreme Court chief justice. In addition, the incumbent president Obama in USAIn 1983 graduated from the big brother. Before the Law Institute, Columbia University has 60 years of teaching experience in law course. In 1793, Kent (James Kent) was appointed the first professor of law at Columbia University, in big brother teach law, until five years after he was appointed to the New York state Supreme Court judge. His legal notes later published, is regarded as the classic "common law" America law interpretation.

 

The office building of Columbia University

 

   Columbia University law school is USA's earliest law school.In 1858, the law school brother formally established, become the opening of a law school America modern legal education earliest. School of law, the first president Theodore Dwight (Theodore Dwight) was USA legal education has made the tremendous contribution. In 1860, the law school the first graduation ceremony held at the New York historical society building, there are 28 students in the graduating class at the time of the Co. In 1891, William Keener (William A. Keener) to succeedBrother Dwight, a law school's second dean. Based advocacy and to promote the use of case teaching method, modify the program, the study period was extended to three years, to increase the teachers, and improve the standard of recruiting students. These reform measures American modern legal education center laid a solid foundation for the brother school become.

 

The Butler library, big brother

 

   In 1896, the big brother to now is located in Chaoyang heights (Morningside HeightsThe site). View from the view of modern people, it is a long, neoclassical style campus. Ancient bronze statue, engraved with the name of the library thinker, the smooth marble staircase, flat lawn lawn, so that each one into the campus or after people -- both students and tourists -- it's hard not to be attracted by its elegant temperament. Not long ago, I went to New York for the annual Thanksgiving Day parade, a USA lady beside and chat, learned that her son (about eight or nine years) the most desirable university is big brother. So far, this university including law, economics, education, political science, philosophy, medicine and Engineering16 college 69A system, in which, the law school and the Institute of education, School of business, School of international and public affairs and journalism as big brother's most powerful college.

 

Big brother Mark -- Matt bronze statue of Goddess

 

Two

 

   Since the beginning, brother school always encourage students and teachers to create not just spread law. So far, this philosophy is reflected in the law school graduation brother in many fields -- not limited to legal occupation, in government and politics, business, education, charity and art -- the contributions they made, and exert profound influence on the world culture and human progress.

   Brother school is not only the modern law school USA first created, one of the town is well known in the world of legal education. Brother school most students training plan is a doctor of law (Juris Doctor, referred to as JD), training plan for a period of three years, the law of Dr read about1200 (including three grade). Usually in every year at the end of 8, about 380 people as the first grade students enrolled in law school and brother, about 45 people as a transfer student in the second grade. At the same time, is also provided with a master of laws in general (LLM) training plan. In addition, there are a variety of different specific training focus direction, about 20A variety of programs, such as senior legal education program, Columbia - Leiden - Amsterdam (University), the Minister of justice summer program states plan, law and national security planning etc.. These kinds of training multiple choice road plan can provide for their own interest and the actual situation of students, notably, the impact may be the cultural tradition and the legal applicability of understanding, and students more preference has a strong practical projects, and less about the pure theory of knowledge learning project.

 

Brother Jerome Green building on the west side of the law school

 

   Brother law school student source shows obvious internationalization and diversification characteristics and trends. For example, in my choice of constitutional law classes, aboutThere are more than 20 students, most of the first grade students, according to the first class of individual self introduction, these students are from America, Germany, Holland, Korea, Japan, India, Chinese and some Africa state, in addition to Africa national student slightly less than other countries and regions, the proportion of students almost. Of course, brother law school students are more than 8000 each year fromTo undergo a rigorous screening out applicants, although without disposable test is similar to that of China's college entrance examination, but by virtue of its surpassing others education experience and achievements, their good needless to say.

   Brother school reputation is not only the outstanding student, but also its excellent team of teachers. Brother school teacher has always been committed to the research activities of serious, their research has always been at the forefront of theory development, especially in the constitution, corporate and securities law, critical race theory, gender studies, human rights and public interest law, intellectual property law, international and comparison method, jurisprudence and law, science and technology etc.. For example, brother President Lee Bollinger(Lee Bollinger) on freedom of speech and the first amendment question Professor dedicated to USA in the constitution; Cardoso professor of jurisprudence of George Fletcher (George P. Fletcher) is USA tort and criminal law (especially compared with the International Criminal Law) areas of well-known scholars; Li Ben (Benjamin L. Liebman) Chinese law research center director Professor, research committed to China law and tort law; Joseph Latz (Joseph Raz) ProfessorDedicated to the study of moral and political philosophy, philosophy, is the outstanding representative of contemporary Anglo American new analytical jurisprudence.

   At the same time, it is also based on these outstanding legal scholars and research results, brother school also set up a formal academic research institutions covering different types and areas of expertise, about20So, for example, China Law Research Center, gender and Law Center, research center, Center for the study of law and economics, law and culture, legal research center of Europe global legal transformation center, showing a feature of their respectively in the host and organize relevant law professors and scholars, but also for the law school students provides a variety of legal learning platform.

 

Three

 

   Throughout the semester, in addition to node after entering the examination period, law school almost every day to hold various forms of speech or lecture, mainly concentrated in the lunch time(12:00~13:10). These speeches or lectures are basically by the law school students of organization or association is responsible for organizing the preparation. I remember one of the students organization called "Federalist" (Federalist), apparently on the18The Federalist Hamilton and Jay's Memorial, may also reveal the young law students on the legal culture famous brother out of pride. Of course, these activities also have various research center, College of law and is a professor of personal organization. The relatively large speech or lecture activities are often arranged in about seven or eight law building a layer of large ladder classrooms, each classroom aboutContaining about 200. Generally speaking, the host introduced the basic personal information of the speaker, followed by the speaker gave a keynote speech (about 30 minutes), followed by the discussant comments or questions from the audience, the speaker to respond, the whole activity remained in an hour. In addition to the relatively large academic lectures or seminars, brother school also hold many smaller seminars or report, flexible form, a wide range of themes, almost all participants have questions, speech or the opportunity to exchange.

 

Brother school lunch (speech given by the Brazil Supreme Court Chief Justice)

 

   These academic activities in the legal problems concerning the subject not to stick to one pattern, at the same time, it is not confined to the field of law, almost all fields involved in the current world and the real social problems. Alone I listen to or participated in academic activities, topics covered include: under the background of globalization, interdependence of governance issues, the U.S. - China economic relationship problems, the Obama era America war, freedom of speech and religious tolerance, the situation in the Middle East and the war constitution, government decision problem on international public welfare protection, the progressive era Jews and law and identity issues, law and legal persons and legal education in resolving the conflict between Palestine and Israel, the role of national security issues and prevention of cruelty to animal, pet problem, climate change policy issues, cultural heritage and the legal problems of low income taxpayers, legal issues, etc.. These themes are broad academic activities not only provides knowledge and wide academic vision for law school students, more important is, put forward many social problems for reflection and debate to the students, guide students in thinking and discussion at the same time, influence character by environment to foster the students ability to analyze and solve problems the ability of classroom teaching, it is unable to obtain the normal cultivation. In our current legal departments, can really provide knowledge and academic platform so diverse as their students seem to be little.

   Perhaps it is because of broad and open themes, these speeches or lectures also appears extremely diversified characteristic, although most still is American professors or scholars in universities, but not limited to. I have heard a speech or other academic activities, the speaker or commentators including Brazil chief justice of the Supreme Court, the Hague court judge, New York state Supreme Court judge, America responsible for national security assistant attorney general, America federal government lawyers, assistant director of environmental protection, American America Council on foreign relations, energy security and climate change project person in charge, before USA in Chinese Embassy Commercial Counsellor, trade representative and some non-governmental organizations and officials from the Yale University, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of California at Los Angeles, Georgetown University, New York University, University of Iowa and at the University, with various European University and research institutions of professors and scholars. These judges, government officials, professors and scholars basically involves America (or even the major western countries) official and popular mainstream or non mainstream, but also from the perspective of the achievements and problems from Asia and Africa and other countries and regions, thus students for law school offers a wide range of information and extremely ideological sources. It is not difficult to see, this kind of academic activities of brother school fully embodies the America legal education and the internationalization color.

 

Four

 

   There is a special law library -- the Arthur Dermend library brother law school in Kent, the original building (now the East Asian Library access), now the law school Jerome Green hall, a total of three layer. Compared to the previous imagination, brother in law library seems not rich, at least not originally want from here to read the latest and most comprehensive English law books or documents people feel satisfied. But the library still has a lot of very attractive conditions and facilities, one of which is in every layer are arranged a number of seats, and each seat is equipped with independent lamp and power and the seats quite comfortable, provides reading or studying relatively independent space for visitors. In fact, this is also one of the important reasons I like almost every day bubble in the law library, research conditions are so comfortable and relaxed seems to be very difficult to enjoy legal departments in china.

 

Arthur Dermend brother law school library

 

   In peacetime, the library has many vacancies, seemed Fuzhong students don't know how to treasure, but there will still be studying in the library for some hard student almost every day; and in the examination period, if a little late, it is very difficult to find the empty seat in the library, it seems as long as the existing examination system, regardless of which school, perhaps will have "cramming" phenomenon. Of course, the library and the only place not student learning, and therefore can not generally reflect the brother school students. Also, brother big library usually from early morning until midnight, only in the star Si six is open till eight at night, during this period, students can go to study, do not have to worry about when to read without a place to study, after all, is not a very suitable for the dormitory reading place.

   However, in America in legal education, the most important is the most obvious difference in the domestic legal education is perhaps American law school the whole teaching process. Brother in law school as an example, although the different teaching styles and forms, but generally adopted is the teacher basically revolves around the classic case of different legal fields, careful and detailed interpretation of applicable law in reality, the law appears in the application of the problem and the formation of the legal system in the process of problem solving in the evolution of. In addition, in the form of teaching, teachers in addition to initiative on the outside, but also at any time to ask questions in class, students are required to answer immediately, and the answer is usually as a peacetime achievements embodied in the final course grade. If you can answer the question well or better, the students have to read a lot before the class teacher assigned readings. If every week two classes, each class at least need to read aboutMore than 50 pages (or even hundreds of pages of data). If it is a in the same semester (typically) four elective course students, except eating, sleeping in class every week, and perhaps some entertainment, at least need to read 400 pages to 800 pagesEven more data (for the majority of domestic law students, the amount of reading may not be used or can't afford). Because only do some reading, can answer the teacher in class questions better, also only then has the possibility to obtain good results, and the result quality and is one of the preconditions for the future work.

   Of course, a lot of reading, good thinking, careful design, serious attitude, constitute a wonderful discussion and debate in class. I often see in the classroom students in groups of three and four teacher absence in the intense and serious discussion of issues, some of these students are in the classroom the teacher into discussion groups, others are purely positive thinking and active habit of communication products. Perhaps, only full of discussion and debate in the collision in the students' ability of analysis, to training and problem solving and thinking and expression ability, and the shape of the capability of law and cultivate students, is one of China's current legal education faces always worried and failed to improve. The problem.

 

Five

 

   The status and influence of the law school in America brother in law education, needless to say, only from the brother school students list can be figure one or two. Theodore I (American article26President) hadIn 1880 graduated from the Harvard University law school after entering the brother, but because in 1881 was elected to the New York state house out of law school; Franklin I (thirty-second President of USA) in 1905 to enter the brother school, through the New York state bar examination in 1907 out of law school. Therefore, in the strict sense, the two did not graduate in brother law school students, is affects the process of modern history America figure. In addition, brother law school graduates not only constitutes the mainstay of New York political circles, but also for the American political, legal, economic and social from all walks of life provides a large number of legal talent superb legal skills and literacy. For example, the Supreme Court of American history of the two chief justice Charles Hughes (Charles E. Hughes) and Harlan Stone (Harlan F. Stone) in the late nineteenth Century and graduated from the law school and brother, Eric Holder (Eric H. Holder, Jr.) has a doctor of law from the brother school in 1976 (JD) degree, and in 2009 2Month became the USA history as the first African American federal attorney general. At the same time in the inscription America legal history brother law school, is also influenced and shaped with future American legal education reality.

 

   Access to study time is always short. Quietly flowing the Hudson River, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, melodious bell, Amsterdam corner of fallen leaves and bright sky, under the quiet campus, perhaps, nostalgia and memory every will precipitate a young man, but time will not stop because of lingering, between body and corners, we all have to drift down a "the distance".

 

 

                                                         December 16, 2010

New York Residence Internazionale (International House)