W. A. Franke Global Law Program

W. A. Franke Global Law Program

We live in an increasingly global world. Every day, more goods, services, ideas and people cross legal borders, creating new challenges for businesses and governments.

All 21st century lawyers are likely to face transnational legal issues, and must be prepared to engage with people, legal systems, businesses, governments and multilateral institutions from around the globe.

  • One in three goods crosses national borders, and more than one-third of financial investments are international transactions. 1
  • International data flows and trade are exploding and are projected to grow by another nine times in the next five years. 2
  • The US represents only 4% of the global population and about 15% of global GDP.
  • Problems like climate change and refugee crises require increasing multilateral cooperation between governments, businesses, and local communities.

We have taken the lead in preparing students for this reality with the W. A. Franke Global Law Program. Our innovative model for training tomorrow’s law and business leaders is comprised of three elements:

  1. The Global Quarter: an intensive, 10-week immersion in international law and finance.
  2. Courses that combine rigorous classroom training with Intensive Overseas Field Study Trips.
  3. Greater integration of comparative law and international issues into existing core courses.

Stanford Law’s signature international initiatives, including a robust program in international and comparative law, provide additional resources and experiences for cultivating global perspectives.

1. Global Flows in A Digital Age, McKinsey, 2014.
2. Digital Globalization: The New Era of Global Flows, McKinsey, 2016.

World map vector illustration

The Global Quarter

The Franke Global Business Law Fellowship and The Global Quarter, a one-of-a-kind opportunity available only at SLS, provides an immersive experience in the world of international business, law and policy. This is a unique opportunity for anyone interested in global business, transactional or international work, or a general counsel position. The fellowship will help students develop the skills, conceptual tools and international experiences to prepare them for a globalizing world and for careers in business, law and policy.

Learn More : The Global Quarter
Law school taught me to think like a lawyer, but Global Quarter taught me to think like a legal professional. From brilliant scholars and now life-long friends, I learned what it takes to build an international career and tackle international legal and business problems.

Michael Doman, JD '22, Judicial Law Clerk, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit

Intensive Overseas Field Study Trips

SLS offers overseas study opportunities beyond those available through our quarter-long foreign exchange program. SLS overseas field study excursions are optional trips typically offered as part of our innovative S-Term or as a component of Winter quarter classes. Whether you are spending a week at The Hague witnessing the international criminal justice system in action or learning about the role of law and lawyers in South Africa’s transition to democracy, these courses immerse you in the law of another nation and allow you to witness firsthand international and foreign legal systems at work.

One to two weeks abroad: Overseas field study classes are either standalone courses offered before the start of the school year in September, during S-Term, typically for about two weeks, or regular Winter Quarter courses that add a travel component, with the trip taking place during spring break. Both types ordinarily involve a period of study on the Stanford campus before the class departs for overseas travel. Students return to campus in time for the start of the following academic quarter.

Credit towards the SLS degree: Overseas field study courses allow students to cultivate global awareness while earning academic credit toward a JD or joint degree.

Small classes: Reflecting Stanford Law’s collaborative culture, overseas field study trips take a small group (typically 10-15 students) into an international setting, where students work closely with each other, with faculty mentors, and with leaders in the local law, NGO, and business communities.

Past Field Study Trips

view all past field study trips

Core Courses Integrate Transnational Law

Global Initiative 3

At Stanford Law, we are shaping the future of legal education by ensuring that every student has the opportunity for global perspective. Over time, more courses in the SLS curriculum — from antitrust to corporations to contracts — will incorporate the transnational perspectives. We host short-term visiting lecturers who partner with faculty-in-residence to teach core courses. For example, Horst Eidenmüller, chair of private law, German, European and international company law at University of Munich and University of Oxford, has participated in Professor George Triantis’ contract design course and Professor Rob Daines’ corporations course. Mariana Pargendler, professor at FGV Law School in São Paulo, has taught a Latin American deals course and an overseas short course in Brazil.