Prof. Nojin Kwak, UB’s Vice Provost for International Education; Prof. Meredith Kolsky Lewis; and UB President Satish K. Tripathi.
Bringing the world to UB Law
Prof. Meredith Kolsky Lewis honored for her contributions to international education
Nowhere is UB School of Law’s engagement with the wider world more apparent than in the work of Professor Meredith Kolsky Lewis. In her scholarship, in the ways she has expanded the law school’s support systems and academic offerings for international students, and in her promotion and creation of international and cross-border courses and opportunities for all students, Lewis brings the world to Buffalo and prepares UB students for the world.
As a scholar, Lewis focuses on international economic law, a discipline in which she is particularly known for her work on free trade agreements and the political implications of international trade in the Asia-Pacific region. She has co-edited or co-authored four books, published over 50 solo-authored articles, chapters and other pieces, and given over 100 presentations around the world on international economic law subjects. She is a founding member of the Society of International Economic Law (SIEL) and has served in various SIEL leadership positions, including as co-executive vice president from 2010-2016. She has held numerous other leadership roles in international societies and currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of International Economic Law and the Journal of World Trade & Investment, amongst others.
At the law school, where she serves as vice dean for international and graduate programs, Lewis has been instrumental in broadening horizons for both U.S. and international students. She reviews all admissions applications from international students; manages the law school’s study-abroad programs, is faculty advisor to the International Law Society student group; and directs the school’s Two-Year JD program, an accelerated degree for internationally trained lawyers. She also created, and currently directs, the master of laws program in cross-border legal studies, as well as the school’s JD concentration in that area.
Now UB’s Council on International Studies and Programs has recognized Lewis’ body of work with its 2024 Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Education. “I admire her immensely active international engagement, outstanding longstanding scholarly contributions, and sensitivity toward the cultural dimensions that international work requires,” Dean S. Todd Brown wrote in his recommendation letter for the award—one of several submitted by colleagues on her behalf.
UB Law Links asked Lewis to reflect on this honor and the wide-ranging work behind it.
Congratulations on this award, which recognizes your contributions to international education across your career. On reflection, what are you most proud of?
Thank you! One of the things I am most pleased about is conceptualizing and launching our Cross-Border Legal Studies LLM program and JD concentration, and in particular the capstone class that is a requirement of both initiatives. The capstone provides a bridge between the classroom and legal practice through off-campus meetings and assignments that introduce students to types of cross-border work lawyers are practicing within law firms, companies and the university. Students experience the billable and non-billable realities of legal practice, including completing assignments akin to those junior lawyers are assigned; submitting time sheets; preparing law firm-style marketing blog posts; and working with classmates on a multifaceted legal project for a fictitious client. I couldn’t run this complex experiential course without the help of wonderful members of our local legal community, many of whom are our alumni, who generously give their time and expertise to support our students.
What do you think attracts students from abroad to come to UB, and what do they come to appreciate while they are here?
We have international students across all our programs—three-year JD, two-year JD, LLM and JSD—and students in each of these programs will have different motivations and interests, but there are some commonalities. Many view us as a good value proposition, with an excellent education paired with favorable public-school tuition and a relatively low cost of living. Applicants also often intend to take the New York bar examination and thus want to base themselves in the state for school. What may not be an initial driver, but that I hope and believe most come to value, is the degree to which they receive personalized attention and are in all ways welcomed and incorporated into our community. The caliber of our applicants for our LLM and two-year JD programs has improved over time, and I believe this is due in part to our past and current students sharing their positive experiences, including individualized advising; full and easy access to the Career Services Office, academic support and other services; and a friendly and supportive environment.
One significant initiative you developed is a successful pre-orientation program, Jump Start, that acclimates international students to the U.S. legal education system and the law school. What are the toughest hurdles these students face, and how well can they be addressed in a brief, intensive program?
Our internationally educated students always have strong credentials and are very intelligent. But acclimating to a new country, learning a different legal system and studying in a non-native language would be difficult for even the most capable student. There are two main goals of Jump Start. One is to prepare the students to begin the rigors of U.S. law school and learn how to seek help, and the other is to help them integrate into the law school community.
Regarding the former, we are fortunate to have Professor Bill MacDonald, who teaches our bar preparation classes and provides individualized academic support to students, to introduce the students to the basics of the United States’ common law legal system, how to read and brief legal cases, and what to expect in class and on assessments. By having these meetings before school starts, Professor MacDonald develops a rapport with the students and is able to identify students who may need additional support as early as possible.
For the latter, the students have a chance to meet each other and some professors and staff members who will be resources for them, and to learn how to navigate the law school and the larger campus. We have found Jump Start makes a meaningful difference in students’ ability to adapt to learning in English and in forming initial social and institutional connections.
The award also cites your research, which focuses on international trade law, an area in which you once practiced. With many countries riding a wave of nationalist sentiment, do you think we’re in an era of lessening international trade?
I don’t. The global economy remains highly interconnected. According to the World Trade Organization global trade has increased from around $20 trillion U.S. in 2015 to around $30 trillion in 2023. Even for the United States, which has imposed unprecedented new tariffs on imports in recent years, the percentage of GDP that trade comprises has not declined.
There have, however, been some shifts in the degree to which certain countries are trading with each other. For example, the United States’ “nearshoring” policies, coupled with the imposition of high tariffs on various Chinese products, has led to a recent drop in U.S. imports from and exports to China, with Mexico eclipsing China as the top source for U.S. imports in 2023. At the same time, the tariffs the United States and other countries have imposed on Chinese products have led many manufacturers worldwide to replace Chinese inputs in their supply chains with products made in Vietnam, thus increasing Vietnam’s exports.