After completing her second year of law school at the University of Alberta this past spring, Helen Werbicki was curious about how a civil law system worked, compared to the common law system practised everywhere in Canada outside of Quebec.
"However, my French is appalling," said Werbicki. So that ruled out seeking an internship in Quebec.
But having been an exchange student in Germany for 10 months after high school, she spoke some German so she was excited to see the posting for a law internship at the University of Bielefeld in northwestern Germany.
Last summer, between mid-June and the end of August, Werbicki interned at its Faculty of Law, a sizable entity that houses 4,000 students and 29 full time professors.
With a primary interest in business and contracts, she interned with a professor whose department covers Civil Law, European Private Law, Commercial and Business Law and Comparative Law.
She had two research projects assigned to her, one involving Canadian Contract Law and digital services, which she presented to a small group of students.
Her second assignment was to research whether or not a German legal concept called Kopplungsverbot (interlinking prohibition), which resulted from an interpretation of the General Data Privacy Regulation, was found in other European Union member states. If so, was it made invalid by new legislation passed in May of 2019?
"I learned a lot I didn't know about consent, privacy and regulatory attempts," said Werbicki. "It was incredibly interesting."
In addition to a deeper understanding of the German civil law system, of new databases and legal search engines, Werbicki benefited from the many new contacts she made. The department held two professors, and several research assistants and graduate students, all at different stages in their law careers, including articling students and scholars who are already respected authorities in their field.
Living in a culturally fascinating region of Germany bestowed a different kind of learning, says Werbicki, from partaking in the region's many festivals, museums, markets and restaurants, to day trips to charming nearby villages and historic sites.
"A summer international internship is a fantastic way to experience another country,." said Courtney Wagner, UAlberta Law's student recruiter and financial advisor. "It exposes you to another level of culture and experience beyond that of visiting as a tourist, without the commitment required from an exchange program."
Requirements to apply for a law internship at the University of Bielefeld include basic German language skills, at least one year of study left at your home law school, and an interest in getting insight into the German legal system.
The deadline for 2020 applications is right around the corner - December 18, 2019.
"If you have an opportunity to come here, do," said Werbicki. "You won't regret it. The research is current and applicable. The memories you'll make are golden. And the relationships, you'll want to keep for a lifetime."