Student & Alumni Profiles

Christian Wiese Svanberg

Hometown:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Class Year:

2008

Prior Education:

BA in European Law & West European Studies, University of Wolverhampton, UK
Cand. Jur, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

What I Did Before Law School:

I am on leave of absence from my job as Head of Section in the Danish Ministry of Justice where I have worked with Criminal Law, anti-terrorism, Administrative Law and Privacy Law. I also taught Constitutional Law at the University of Copenhagen Faculty of Law.

Why I Chose Penn Law:

I visited a number of Penn Law’s closest “competitors” prior to choosing where to go. What made the difference was the sense I got that this school has real respect for its students and as a results makes sure that everyone feels welcome and challenged at the same time. I haven’t been disappointed.

My Best Experience at Penn Law:

The ease with which I made friends.

Professor Who Influenced Me Most:

I really liked the way Professor Stephen Morse teaches his Criminal Law class. It may seem like he is being hard on the students, but take my word for it as a lawyer with some experience, you'll get to appreciate what he was doing once you get out in the real world.

My Favorite Course:

The Cybercrime Seminar taught by Mr. Michael L. Levy really is the perfect fusion of law and technology. And it’s taught by someone with real-world experience prosecuting those types of cases.

My Favorite Philadelphia Moment:

Just one? I’ll say grabbing a cheesesteak at Pat’s and then jumping on the subway to go see the Eagles play in front of 68,000 fans. That was a great day.

What I'm Most Proud Of:

Figuring out what I wanted out of my Penn Law experience and then sticking to it regardless of what everyone else was doing.

My Extracurricular Activities at Penn Law:

The Federalist Society, flag football and working as a research assistant at a local think tank.

My Favorite Place or Activity on the University Campus:

The Palestra. That place just oozes basketball history.

Where you live:

Where you live really is crucial to your experience at Penn Law. I would recommend staying in University City. The Left Bank Building where I live was great. Find someone to share a 1 bedroom with, and you’ll cut costs. You’ll be close to Law School and within walking distance of Center City.