• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
William S. Richardson School of Law logo

University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

Updated Law School COVID-19 Response

  • Future Students
  • Students
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Staff
calendar icon
x
  • Academics
        • Academics Overview
        • Degrees

        • JD (Juris Doctor) Program
        • Advanced JD (Juris Doctor) Program
        • Master of Laws (LLM) Program
        • Academic Concentrations
        • Centers & Programs

        • Business Law Clustered Curriculum
        • Environmental Law
        • Family Court Projects
        • Hawai‘i Innocence Project
        • Institute of Asian-Pacific Business Law
        • International and Comparative Law
        • Jon Van Dyke Institute
        • Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law
        • Medical Legal Partnership for Children in Hawai‘i
        • Pacific-Asian Legal Studies
        • Refugee & Immigration Law Clinic
        • Ulu Lehua Scholars Program
        • University of Hawai‘i Elder Law Program
        • Distinguished Programs

        • Bright International Jurist-in-Residence Program
        • U.S. Supreme Court Jurist-In-Residence Program
        • January Term (J-Term) Program
        • Island Leadership Lab Seminar
        • Visiting International Professionals & Scholars
        • Resources

        • Student Handbook
        • Academic Calendar
  • Admissions & Aid
        • Admissions & Aid Overview
        • Get Started

        • How to Apply
        • Tuition
        • Law School Visit Request
        • Aid

        • Financial Aid
        • Grants & Scholarships
        • Resources

        • Residency Requirements
        • Video Resources
        • Admissions FAQ
        • Female student studying at library
  • Faculty & Research
    • Faculty & Research Overview
  • Career Services
    • Career Services Overview
    • For Students
    • For Employers
    • For Alumni
    • Employment Statistics
  • Social Justice
  • Library
  • Giving
    • Ways to Give
    • Make a Gift
  • News
        • News & Events

        • Trending at Richardson
        • News Archive
        • Events Calendar
        • Around Richardson

        • Photo Galleries
        • Media

        • Publications
        • For Meetings & Events

        • Meeting Room Calendar
        • Reserve a Room
Students walking through campus mall
More in JD (Juris Doctor) Program:
  • JD (Juris Doctor) Program Overview
  • Full-Time JD
  • Part-Time JD – Hawaiʻi Online JD Flex
  • Experiential Learning
  • January Term (J-Term) Program
  • Ulu Lehua Scholars Program
  • Hawai‘i Summer Law Program
  • Dual Degree Programs
  • Study Abroad

Study Abroad

OVERVIEW

Students may study law in a foreign country through summer or semester abroad programs to broaden their comparative knowledge of other legal systems and cultures. The University of Hawai’i maintains ties with universities around the world that could serve as possible host institutions for law students. Richardson students have participated in programs or internships at several institutions, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the National University of Singapore, and Monash University in Australia.

Students may also participate in ABA-accredited law school summer abroad programs, which are offered in universities throughout Europe and Asia; review details on the American Bar Association’s website. In general, credits earned via ABA-accredited law school programs will be transferable toward your degree, but you should consult with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs to confirm this and to determine how your desired study abroad program fits in with your overall law school curriculum.

STUDY ABROAD EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

The Law School has adopted the statement required by ABA Foreign Study Criterion I.A.3. that defines the educational objectives the Law School seeks to achieve in allowing students to study abroad for credit toward the J.D. degree:

Because of Richardson Law School’s unique geographic location and long-standing relationships with the international legal community, learning about and working with foreign legal systems is an increasingly important aspect of legal education.

The educational objective of studying law outside of the United States is to provide students with the opportunity to gain familiarity with foreign legal systems. The specific goals of the foreign study include:

  • To permit students to gain in-depth substantive knowledge of other legal systems that goes beyond curriculum offered at Richardson Law School.
  • To provide students with exposure to cultures and ethics outside of the United States, including an appreciation for the role that law plays in other societies.
  • To give students the opportunity to interact with lawyers, faculty, and students from other legal systems in order to better understand legal processes and reasoning.
  • To offer students the opportunity to identify and reflect on their own values and legal training within the context of foreign cultural settings.

OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFER TO THE LLM PROGRAM

Exchange students from our partner universities who have completed one semester of study at the Law School as part of the exchange program may be eligible to complete an LLM degree in one semester of study. Students wishing to participate in this program must have completed their country’s first degree in law, and they must return to the Law School within five years from the end of their exchange semester. All students must apply to and be admitted to the LLM program.

If accepted into this program, students must meet all LLM requirements, including the Introduction to U.S. Law course and the completion of 24 credits of study. Up to 12 credits may be transferred from their exchange program of study at the WSRSL and counted towards the LLM degree. Participating students must spend at least one semester in residence at the Law School and complete a minimum of 12 credits during that semester.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

  • UH Mānoa International (Portal)
  • UH Mānoa International Exchange

Footer

About

  • About Richardson Law
  • Dean’s Message
  • Our Founder
  • Timeline
  • Strategic Plan
  • Statistics
  • Press Kit
  • ABA Required Disclosures
  • Non-Discrimination Policy
  • UH Commitment to Undocumented Students

Information for…

  • Current Students
  • Alumni
  • Employers
  • Media

Community

  • Bright International Jurist-in-Residence Program
  • Student Organizations
  • Moot Court and Client Counseling Teams
  • Living in Hawai‘i

Contact

  • Offices & Services
  • Map & Directions
  • Emergency Information

2515 Dole Street, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822-2350 USA (808) 956-7966
All text copyright © 2023 University of Hawai‘i · Log in

Instagram logo Facebook logo Twitter logo LinkedIn logo