Favorites ()
Apply
International flags

Areas of Study

Global and comparative law

Global and Comparative Law

The globalization of our world has led to a greater need for attorneys who understand foreign legal systems, governments, cultures and economies. Focusing your studies on international and comparative law at St. Thomas can set you up for a legal career in business, diplomacy, technology, finance, trade, intellectual property, immigration, human rights—and the list goes on.

St. Thomas Law offers a broad, yet distinctive curriculum that combines practical skills, theoretical knowledge and comprehensive mentoring to prepare you to achieve your professional ambitions.

Experiential learning opportunities will help you build your advocacy skills and apply what you are learning in the classroom.

Our world-class faculty, culture of scholarship and commitment to convening thought leadership will enhance your understanding of global issues and practice in the public sector, in a corporation or at a private firm.

Contact

Admissions Office

Phone Number
(651) 962-4895

Featured Faculty

Mariana H.C. Gonstead headshot

Mariana H.C. Gonstead

Professor Gonstead is the founder and director of the St. Thomas International Dispute Resolution Research Network. Her research explores how Dispute Systems Design can create more participatory models that lead to broader inclusion in the process.

More About Mariana H.C. Gonstead
Virgil Wiebe headshot

Virgil Wiebe

Professor Wiebe has attended U.N. conferences on landmines and conventional weapons to address diplomats on international humanitarian law matters. Wiebe has also advised non-profit organizations on establishing immigration programs for low-income communities.
More About Virgil Wiebe
Thomas Berg headshot

Thomas Berg

Professor Berg is a co-author of the book "Patents on Life: Religious, Moral, and Social Justice Aspects of Biotechnology and Intellectual Property" and he has been a leader in writing on the relationship between global intellectual property and religious thought.

More About Thomas Berg
Robert Kahn headshot

Robert Kahn

Professor Kahn is the author of "Holocaust Denial and the Law: A Comparative Study." His subsequent research has focused on hate speech directed at Muslims (including the Danish Cartoons), defamation of religions, cross-burning and memory laws.

More About Robert Kahn

Course List

Below are examples of some of the courses offered at St. Thomas Law for students interested in pursuing a career in international law.
  • Administrative Law
  • Comparative Constitutional Law
  • Conflict of Laws
  • Immigration Law
  • Intellectual Property (IP)
  • International and Comparative IP
  • International Anti-Corruption Law
  • International Business Transactions
  • International Human Rights
  • International Law
  • Topics: Global Taxation Trends Impact on U.S. Companies
  • Topics: EU Employment Law
  • War, National Security and the Constitution

Experiential Learning

Legal Externships & Clinics

Accelerate your professional development and substantive understanding of the law in a legal externship or clinic.
Alumna Kbao Jennrich portrait

Business Externship

Gain pragmatic, real-world experience through both observation and hands-on work projects at a multinational corporation.

Business Externship
Immigration Clinic Student Ted Tiffany

Immigration Law Practice Group

Represent immigrants seeking asylum as a result of persecution or a fear of persecution in their home countries.

Immigration Law Practice Group

Our Alumni

Amanda Mortwedt Oh headshot

Amanda Mortwedt Oh ‘12 J.D.

Human Rights Attorney for the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK) in Washington, D.C.
Laura Gisler headshot

Laura Gisler '14 J.D.

Director of Intellectual Property at Bang & Olufsen in Copenhagen
Krista Viksnins headshot

Krista Viksnins ‘20 J.D.

Transatlantic Defense and Security, Center for European Policy Analysis, Washington, D.C.
Law Student in Discussion with Mentor

Mentor Externship Program

We Pair Each Student With a Mentor

Each law student is matched with a mentor, who complements their interests and professional goals. Our mentors allow students to engage in legal work, professional networking and meaningful reflection.

LLM in US Law Grads Group Photo at 2022 Commencement Ceremony

LL.M. in U.S. Law Students

Learn Alongside Foreign-Trained Attorneys

St. Thomas Law’s one-year LL.M. in U.S. Law program brings attorneys from across the globe to campus to learn the U.S. legal system. The J.D. student experience is enhanced by the international legal knowledge these students bring to class and the cultural perspectives they bring to the law school community.

Students in Budapest

See the World

Study Abroad

Immerse yourself in a new culture, learn another legal system and enhance your global perspective by studying abroad during law school. St. Thomas Law students have studied a wide range of topics related to international law across the globe.