The Practice of Law in a Global Setting!
Syracuse University College of Law proudly offers one of the nation’s longest-running summer externship programs in London. During a seven-week international summer experience, students gain exposure to clients, partner with professionals for personalized mentoring, and enjoy boundless cultural opportunities – in one of the world’s most dynamic cities. For over 45 years, the College of Law has offered our students a comprehensive introduction to London’s rich legal world, immersing ourselves in international law and living it through a range of internships in this unique summer program.
An application fee of $50 is collected by Syracuse Abroad for processing.
The application deadline is February 15, 2025.
Eligibility
Any full-time or part-time student from an ABA-approved law school who is in good standing (i.e. preferred GPA of 2.5 or higher) at his or her current institution is encouraged to apply. Program administration retains the discretion to reach admissions decisions based on a variety of factors, including academic performance, space availability, and the ability to identify a compatible placement. The program is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and is offered as part of the fully accredited curriculum of Syracuse University College of Law. The summer 2024 program enrolled 9 students, including five from schools other than Syracuse Law. We hope you join us.
Program Dates, Costs, and Application
Program Dates: May 19 – July 4, 2025 (ant.)
Program Costs:
- Tuition: $11,700 (5 credits at $2,234 per credit)*
- Program Fee: $2,000 (ant.)
- Housing in Central London*: $4,700**
*Partial need-based tuition grants are available. Please contact Assistant Dean of International Programs Andrew Horsfall (ashorsfa@syr.edu) regarding the tuition grant deadline and application.
**Housing for Summer 2025 is still being confirmed and arranged by Syracuse University London Centre staff. Students who opt to arrange their own housing in London will not be charged this housing fee.
Students should also plan and budget for additional expenses not covered in the Program Fee, estimated below:
- Student Visa Processing Fees: ~$600
- Round Trip Air Travel: ~$1,300
- Personal Expenses: ~$1,500
- Meals: ~$1,750
- Local Transportation: ~$250
The London Experience
Rigorous coursework and hands-on learning experiences cultivate a student’s ability to pursue a career in international law. Our placements have included the AIRE Centre, Withers Worldwide LLP, Crown Court judges, and the offices of various distinguished Barristers and Solicitors in London.
Your transcript will reflect that you have enrolled in Law 910 (5 credits): LondonEx – Clinical Internships. Students are graded on a pass/fail basis for the 5-credit externship and on the Alternative Grading Scale (High Honors, Honors, High Pass, Pass, Fail) for the 1-credit seminar, unless their home school requires an assigned letter grade. A syllabus from the latest summer program can be found online here.
Through a series of lectures and discussions from our London summer faculty and lecturers students receive intensive exposure to fundamental tenets of English law during a 5-day orientation program that emphasizes English and international legal institutions, the legal profession, court structure, and procedure in both civil and criminal cases, as well as selected areas of substantive law. Classes are supplemented by visits to one of the Inns of Court, a guided tour of “legal London”, and other site visits. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm with their home school/college that the course(s) taken as part of this program will satisfy their degree requirements.
Applications received before February 15 are given preferred consideration and reviewed on a rolling basis.
For more information, please contact:
- Faculty Director and Professor, Margaret Harding at mharding@syr.edu
- Assistant Dean of International Programs, Andrew S. Horsfall at ashorsfa@syr.edu
“As a visiting student, LondonEx was everything I dreamed of and more! As a student with aspirations to practice in London, LondonEx provided me with an opportunity to live and practice law in London! LondonEx had the perfect balance of networking, excursions, and hands-on practice with placements. I am primarily interested in transactional law, specifically banking. LondonEx was able to place me with an internationally (but American based!) bank where I worked for their corporate counsel daily on internationally relevant matters.” – Jonathan Daido, University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law.
Financial Aid, Health, and Travel Notices
Syracuse University College of Law Students who participate in the summer program may apply for Federal Direct Loans to help cover the cost of tuition, fees, living expenses, and transportation to London. The SU College of Law Summer Financial Aid application will be sent to students in March. Additionally, students must have a current academic year FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on file. Contact the College of Law’s Financial Aid Officeif you have questions.
Students with disabilities are encouraged to read information from Syracuse University’s Disability Accommodations Abroad website and to consult directly with the College of Law’s Senior Access Coordinator, Annette Jenner-Matthews (arjenner@syr.edu). The host country/ies is/are subject to the Equality Act of 2010, which ensures functional accessibility requirements for persons with disabilities in the U.K.
COVID-19: All students enrolled in the London program will be required to follow University and local (London) health and safety precautionary measures. This may include, but is not limited to, the wearing of masks, social distancing, remote learning/working, mandatory testing, and isolation/quarantine. The program may be canceled if the risk of COVID-19 warrants.
Cancellation: The program will be canceled if students would be endangered for political or health reasons or if there is insufficient student interest. In the event of cancellation, all fees which have been paid will be refunded. The Syracuse University Bursar’s Office will process all refunds due to cancellation within 5-10 business days. This course was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Refund: Students who drop the course prior to the College of Law’s financial drop deadline will receive a refund on program tuition pursuant to the Syracuse University Bursar’s Office procedures. Refund of the program fee will be subject to the terms set out by Syracuse University Abroad in its Conditions of Participation. Generally, program fee deposits are non-refundable.
U.S. State Department Travel Information: Syracuse Abroad has regular access to the U.S. Department of State Consular Information Sheets, Travel Advisories, and Worldwide Notices regarding matters that may affect the security of our participants. Resident Directors will be notified immediately of any safety concerns and will communicate those concerns and further instructions to students. They will post the notices for student, faculty and staff information. If England is declared an area of instability, participants will be notified promptly. They will be permitted to withdraw from the program and they will be refunded all fees paid except for room and board payments expended prior to the date that England was declared an area of instability. U.S. State Department Travel Advisories can be found online.
What People Are Saying About LondonEx
From Our Placements:
“I have been involved as a mentor for around 20 years. Each year I get as much out of the program as the externs appear to. A fantastic opportunity for us all.”
—Nathaniel Rudolf KC, Barrister
“I have enjoyed participating in the Syracuse Summer Program for many years, because it gives me the opportunity to meet those training to practice law in the US at an early stage of their careers, and to exchange experiences each of us had or is having in contact with very similar but still different systems of law, legal thinking and legal practice.”
—Peter Susman KC, Barrister
“We are always thrilled to participate in the LondonEx program and to work with such enthusiastic, energetic, and hardworking students. In our small team, students are provided opportunities to develop their legal skills by getting involved with real cases on a wide variety of human rights legal issues. I am always impressed by students’ abilities to take on responsibility, learn on the job, and support others in the team when necessary. We look forward to meeting new colleagues through the LondonEx program for years to come!”
—Ciaran King, the AIRE Centre“I have enjoyed acting as a mentor on the LondonEx programme over many years first as a barrister and more recently as a judge siting in the Crown Court. The students have always been enthusiastic and engaged and it has been a privilege to extend to these law students some insight into the criminal justice system here. I know my court will always extend a warm welcome to LondonEx students and everyone from Syracuse.”
—HHJ Christopher Kinch KC, Woolwich Crown Court
From Our Students:
“I researched ABA accredited study abroad programs and found LondonEx. Participating in the program as a visiting student was the best decision I could have made both professionally and personally. I am interested in practicing corporate law in the US and UK and I was placed in a company law chambers where I interned for a barrister doing real work in addition to learning from various lecturers throughout the seminar portion of the program. I have gained international professional connections and new friends who I still keep in touch with today! I could not recommend it more.”
—Kaitlin McDonnell, Rutgers Law School (2024 LondonEx participant)“Participating in the LondonEx program was genuinely eye-opening for me. Before going to London, I really didn’t know what areas of law I was interested in. Through LondonEx, you get a front-row seat to what it’s like practicing law in an international city, with opportunities to learn from and connect with lawyers from all over the world. The balance of practical experience, engaging coursework, and various chances to explore the city made LondonEx an incredibly unique opportunity I don’t think I would have had otherwise and truly helped spark my interest in international law.”
—Stephanie Mangano, Syracuse University College of Law (2024 LondonEx participant)“As a visiting student, LondonEx was a more transformative experience than I ever thought possible. During my externship experience, I travelled to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg for the hearing of a case at which the NGO I was externing with had intervened. LondonEx offers a veritable smorgasbord of opportunities to dive into the legal culture of the U.K., and engage in a variety of comparative law-based exercises. Highly recommend this program!”
—Eilish Thompson, Western New England Law School (2024 LondonEx participant)“LondonEx changed my law school education in ways no other opportunity could! I networked with expert attorneys and judges from around the world across the breadth of the legal industry. I honed and applied my legal skills in the birthplace of Anglo-American common law.
—Noah Spragle, Mercer University School of Law (2024 LondonEx participant)“Participating in the LondonEx program will always be a highlight of my law school journey. Aside from experiencing the London culture, I had the opportunity to gain practical insights into the reality of the legal field. I was exposed to the application of the law, a diversity of legal cases, and a realistic view of the day-to-day life in the legal profession. I worked directly with a public defense solicitor, and it was a fulfilling experience.”
—Nicole Baodu, Syracuse University College of Law (2024 LondonEx participant)“As a visiting student, LondonEx was everything I dreamed of and more! As a student with aspirations to practice in London, LondonEx provided me with an opportunity to live and practice law in London! LondonEx had the perfect balance of networking, excursions, and hands-on practice with placements. I am primarily interested in transactional law, specifically banking. LondonEx was able to place me with an internationally (but American based!) bank where I worked for their corporate counsel daily on internationally relevant matters.”
—Jonathan Daido, University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law.
