Paralegal Student Explores Legal Systems Abroad

HLOs:

This past summer, Paralegal Education student Natalie Douglas had the unique opportunity to study abroad at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in the United Kingdom. Natalie’s experience offers a special perspective on how global learning can enrich professional and personal growth.

Below, Natalie shares her reflections on exploring the UK legal system, the future of cyber security, and the value of learning beyond the classroom.

My Study Abroad Experience in the United Kingdom

By: Natalie Douglas, Paralegal Education student

I applied for a chance to study abroad at Nottingham Trent University (NTU), but I did not know what to expect. I just knew that I wanted to expand on what I have learned so far in the paralegal program on a global scale, and learn more about cybersecurity.

I am glad that I learned about the Canadian legal system before I went abroad to the UK because I was able to make comparisons between Canada and the UK. The very first class I took at Humber was Introduction to Canada’s Legal System, taught by Jason Kohn. In this class, we talked about the legal system in the UK and how the English common law set the foundation for our laws in Canada. We even had an assignment that encouraged us to observe court proceedings.

Naturally, when I went to the UK, I wanted to observe a court proceeding, and I did. To my surprise, I saw lawyers and the judge wearing white wigs on their heads. I also noticed that the layout of the courtroom for the criminal cases I observed was slightly different from the various courtrooms I observed in Canada.

I also visited the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. In the basement, they have a display of artifacts and diagrams explaining the structure of the legal system, which includes England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. I was surprised to learn that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the final appeal for some overseas territories and commonwealth countries such as Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands.

I did not get a chance to observe court proceedings at the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, but they mentioned that you can watch previously recorded court proceedings on their YouTube channel: UK Supreme Court YouTube Channel.

We visited the National Justice Museum as a class, which was very eye-opening. Reading about the historical evolution of the justice system is different from seeing the visual representations of the punishments that people experienced in the past.

Even though I spent much of my solo time learning about the UK legal system, the cybersecurity class shed some insight on areas where the legal profession could be heading globally in the future. Other students in my class from the United States, India, Romania, and Canada talked about how their countries are adapting laws to meet the current realities of cybercrime. I also learned about the difficulties that legal professionals face in pursuing cyber criminals on a global scale.

I am very grateful to Humber for allowing me to study abroad. I have learned so much more than I would have in a classroom, and I will take these experiences with me into the workplace. My study abroad has also sparked my curiosity about the legal system and cultural norms in other countries.

Share this article: