MACON – In a unique intercultural and educational judicial program, 19 federal judges from Brazil will participate in a 10-day experiential learning visit at Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law to better understand the United States legal system.
During their visit, Nov. 1-10, the judges will attend law classes and panel discussions with Mercer Law School faculty and students, as well as area judges and lawyers. Among other events, the Brazilian judges will attend panel discussions on comparative law, legal culture, legal education and legal discourse in the U.S. The judges also plan to visit the Macon federal court, Georgia state courts and the Georgia Supreme Court in Atlanta.
In exchange, the Brazilian jurists will hold panel discussions on the Brazilian legal system and will meet with Mercer Law School’s pre-law society, International Law Society and students in Professor Baldwin’s Race, Racism and American Law class. The group plans to visit the Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimmy Carter centers, as well as meeting with the staff of the Brazilian Consulate in Atlanta. The program is supported in part by Brazil’s federal judges’ association and the federal judicial college.
“This intercultural exchange between Brazilian jurists and legal scholars, students, judges and practitioners in the United States creates a mutually beneficial learning experience for all who are involved,” said David Ritchie, Mercer Law School associate professor and coordinator of the program. “Brazil is rapidly becoming an international economic powerhouse, and the chance to further develop cultural, economic, legal, and social ties between the U.S. and Brazil is a unique opportunity for all involved in programs like this one.”
About Mercer Law School
Founded in 1873, the Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law is one of the oldest law schools in the United States and the first one in the state of Georgia accredited by the American Bar Association. Mercer Law School’s educational philosophy is based on a broadly shared commitment to prepare students for the high-quality, general practice of law in a day-to-day learning environment that is both strongly supportive and consistently professional. Its innovative Woodruff Curriculum – which focuses on ethics and practical skills amid small class sizes – earned the Gambrell Professionalism Award from the ABA for its “depth of excellence.” With an enrollment of about 420 students, taught by some of the sharpest legal minds in the country, Mercer Law School has been listed among the nation’s top law schools and is nationally recognized for its exceptional programs in legal writing, moot court, public interest, and professionalism and ethics. For more information about Mercer Law School, visit www.law.mercer.edu or call 478.301.5000.
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