Penn Law Journal - Spring 2002

The University of Pennsylvania Law School’s Public Service Program made an Honor Roll of the nation’s best public interest programs published by The National Jurist magazine (Jan. 2002). Penn Law was among the first schools to make mandatory a public service requirement in order for students to graduate. Since 1989, second- and third-year students complete 70 hours of public service with organizations ranging from the IRS-VITA Project to the NOW Legal Defense Fund, from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to the Clean Air Council. In 2000, the American Bar Association honored the Law School with the Pro Bono Publico Award in recognition of this trailblazing initiative. This was the first time a law school had been honored with this award that historically had been given to law firms.

Legal Reform in China a Post- WTO World

Law Professor Jacques deLisle, a Senior Fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute, took part in a panel discussion entitled “People’s Republic of China: Law Reform, Politics, and Trade in a Post-WTO World” at the Law School in November. Sponsored by the China Law Committee of the American Bar Association Section of International Law and Practice, the panel discussed various legal and political issues with respect to the PRC and specifically in light of China’s accession to the World Trade Organization. Fellow panel participants included Eric Orts, Professor at the Wharton School, Michael E. Burke of Perkins Coie, LLP, John Cobau, Senior Legal Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Chuanshui Zhong, First Secretary, Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy. James M. Zimmerman, a Partner with Coudert Brothers in Beijing and Chair of the ABA China Law Committee moderated the discussion.

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