Bienvenue à NIU!

In an effort to further their legal knowledge, 21 French law students and two professors from the University Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV are attending NIU for three weeks.

Enrolled in the program, “Introduction to the American Legal System,” the students are part of an exchange program directed by law professors Dan Reynolds and David Gaebler.

“We have been wanting to do this for a long time,” Reynolds said. “This year, everything fell into place.”

Reynolds noted this is the first year the French have visited NIU. For the past 11 years, NIU students have attended the French law university in the summer.

“The idea is, give an introduction to the American legal system,” Gaebler said.

Although both are Western democracies, America and France have different legal systems. The American legal system is common law, as are most countries with British origins, while the French system is a civil law system, with roots in Roman laws and the Napoleonic Code.

“In a civil law system, they try to write out everything in code, while in a common law, the judges refer to precedents set by other judges,” graduate law student Jason Kunowski said. Kunowski attended the French university this past summer with other NIU students.

Another difference lies in the bar exams. Because of its high standards, many students will pass the French bar exam but not be allowed to continue their education. French law professor Jacques Meladeck said that out of 1,500 undergraduates, only 300 will proceed to law school.

“It’s easier to have a career here,” exchange student Camille Chabrout said. “In France, it’s very difficult. You have to pass too many exams.”

During their stay, the French students have attended lectures on capital punishment and Guantanamo Bay and have visited the Illinois Supreme Court, state and federal courts in Chicago and the state’s attorney’s office in Rockford.

French law professor Jean-Pierre Hilaire said the trip has been a positive experience for the students.

“We are not used to having attorneys, judges, and clerks at our disposal. They are very friendly and approachable,” Hilaire said. “That’s not the case in France, unfortunately.”

The French law students and their professors arrived in the United States on Aug. 31. They will leave for New York on Thursday and return to France on Sunday.