Beverly Danquah L’26 spent this summer as a Global Legal Practice Fellow and Summer Intern at Bowmans in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Beverly Danquah L’26 is a rising 2L from New York City who aims to be a corporate attorney.
This past summer, I worked as an intern at Bowmans in South Africa. Bowmans is a quintessential African law firm committed to the continent’s development while considering the long-term interests of the communities it serves. My role as an intern included corporate legal research, drafting client emails, and sitting in on negotiations. I had the opportunity to participate in pro bono initiatives, assisting our attorneys at a Domestic Violence clinic. Additionally, my firm invited me to speak on a panel at the University of Pretoria’s Law School.
My internship was short because as a student of the Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies, I spent June taking requisite Lauder classes and July traveling as part of the summer immersion requirement. Seeing as I’d like to strengthen my relationship with Africa-based attorneys and gain exposure on cross-border matters, a one-month-long fellowship, albeit short, was a good way for me to learn about transactions on the ground.
This opportunity taught me about South Africa’s corporate landscape, including the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and its Listings Requirements, the Companies Act of 2008, and various regulatory bodies and laws governing mergers and acquisitions transactions in the country.
After living and working in Ghana in 2019 as a Princeton in Africa fellow placed in Accra, Ghana, my interest in sustainable development, economic justice, and international relations piqued, leading me to enroll in the Lauder Institute Master’s of International Studies’ Africa General Program in addition to the Penn Carey Law JD.
The Lauder Edge
In June, I focused on deepening my understanding of Africa through coursework at the Lauder Institute. I enrolled in African Regional History (INTS 7160) and What is Africa? (INTS 5900/5910), which deepened my historical knowledge and cultural competency.
The following month, my Lauder classroom studies were complemented by the immersion program, which took me to Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa. In South Africa, my classmates and I visited various financial institutions and government agencies, providing me with foundational knowledge to work confidently within the region.
Penn Carey Law Coursework
Several Penn Carey Law classes and experiences were helpful in preparing me for my legal work at Bowmans. “International Law” with Professor of Law Bill Burke-White was particularly helpful. I leveraged classroom knowledge to better understand various contract provisions. My Legal Practice Skills course with Senior Lecturer in Law Silvia Diaz L’08 equipped me with essential legal research and writing skills that I frequently applied during my internship.
Pathways to the Profession highlights Penn Carey Law students and post-graduate fellows as they launch impactful legal careers. From summer internships in the private sector to public interest post-graduate fellowships and externships, these firsthand accounts of substantive legal work demonstrate the myriad opportunities available to Penn Carey Law students and graduates.
Read more Penn Carey Law students’ Pathways to the Profession.