The Cambridge University Law Society has been successfully running an international law exchange between Cambridge and other European universities for several years, including Milan, Leiden and Paris.

This year (2019/2020) the long-running partnership between Cambridge and Madrid will be continued, and the CULS is also hoping to expand the exchange to include the Universities of Poitiers and Malta. We will be visiting the universities in December at the end of Michaelmas term; and will be welcoming the students from the respective foreign universities in March.

These partnerships offer a unique insight into the way law is taught in foreign universities. For example, last year, the students participating in the visit to Madrid had the opportunity to visit the Supreme Court of Madrid and the Law department at the University, which included an interesting seminar regarding the legal impact of Brexit on the Gibraltar. The legal side of the exchange also extends to law firms, as in 2018 the students visited Spanish law firms such as Uría Menéndez and Cuatrecasas; and this was reciprocated in March by a morning at DLA Piper in London.

Alongside this legal focus, the exchange is also about having the chance to make friends and explore the culture of other countries. We encourage the chance to make friends through primarily providing accommodation through home stays, as well as organising fun activities, such as a visiting museums and art galleries, eating out in restaurants, or ending the night out in a club!

Participation in the exchange is open to students from all degree years, and while a keen interest in law is required, it is not limited to students studying the law degree! We encourage applications from any students who want to get to know international law and their peers at Cambridge better, and it an especially good opportunity to sample student life for those considering participating in the Erasmus Scheme.