Five University of Virginia School of Law students recently attended the fourth annual Salzburg Cutler Law Fellows Program, a national fellowship program that gives students the opportunity to establish connections and expand their interest in international law.

Patrick Dorsey '16, Louis Evans LL.M. '16, Kristin Marshall '17, Muhammad Syafruddin LL.M. '16, and Yiqing Wang '16 were among a group of 55 students from 11 U.S. law schools that attended the two-day seminar in Washington, D.C., on Friday and Saturday.

Started in 2012, the Salzburg Cutler Law Fellows Program explores cutting-edge issues in international law with faculty and practitioners, workshops student ideas and interests, and advises students on career goals and trajectories, as well as how to expand their professional networks. The program is sponsored by the Salzburg Global Seminar in partnership with 11 leading law schools, including UVA Law.

“The fellowship aims to assist students in developing a paper on a relevant topic in international law,” said Marshall, who is interested in pursuing regulatory law, particularly international trade and antitrust. “I gained helpful, substantive feedback to improve my paper so I can submit it for publication,” she added.

UVA Law professor and Cutler Fellow mentor Ashley Deeks, who also participates in the feedback in the program, said fellows have found this aspect of the program particularly valuable.

“Hopefully our fellows this year both established new contacts in the field of international law and came away with a wider perspective on possible career options in the field of international law,” Deeks said.

Evans, who is an active-duty Marine Corps judge advocate and an LL.M. student, said that through the program he hoped to make contacts that will last the rest of his career.

“When you’re considering new developments in the law, there is nothing better than reaching out to someone you’ve met through a fellowship like this to get their thoughts and help you expand your thinking,” Evans said.

Following graduation, Evans will be assigned as an operational law instructor, teaching the law of war to new Navy and Marine judge advocates at the Naval Justice School in Rhode Island.

The Cutler program allowed him to explore the same kinds of issues he will be teaching.

“This collection of students and professors probably has some of the most exciting new ideas and insights in international law right now. Getting their feedback on my paper and hearing what they are working on was by far the best part of the conference,” he added.

 

Founded in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the nation. Consistently ranked among the top law schools, Virginia is a world-renowned training ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants, instilling in them a commitment to leadership, integrity and community service.

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