Många elever som jag pratat med under min tid som studentambassadör har varit intresserade av en internationell karriär efter sina universitetsstudier och ännu fler frågar hur det går ihop med att plugga juridik. Blir man inte bunden till Sverige efter som man pluggar svenska lagar? För att slå hål på den här myten har jag intervjuat min professor i IT-rätt på Suffolk University Law School, Michael Rustad. I intervjun berättar han bl. a. om varför han tycker att lundastudenter är exceptionella, varför de är konkurrenskraftiga på den internationella marknaden och varför juristprogrammet i Lund är mer internationellt än andra Skandinaviska universitet. Det här blev ett lite längre inlägg men definitivt värt att läsa om du är intresserad av Lunds universitet och en internationell karriär men även för de lundastudenter som vill känna sig lite extra nöjda över sitt val eller för gamla alumner.
Please describe your position at Suffolk University Law School.
I am the Thomas F. Lambert Jr. Professor of Law, which was the first endowed chair at 
Suffolk University Law School. I founded the Intellectual Property Concentration in 1995 and was appointed the First Director. Currently, I am the Co-Director of Suffolk’s Intellectual Property Law Concentration and was the 2011 chair of the American Association of Law Schools Torts & Compensation Systems Section.
What is your personal experience with Lund University?
I taught Lund students in the Lund/Suffolk summer program in international law six times between 2000 and 2010. I loved Lund University from the moment that I arrived in 2000. During the first year, my daughter Erica, who was then sixteen, accompanied me. Erica did a survey of the students that participated in the Lund Program and learned that overwhelmingly the Swedish and U.S. students had a very high opinion of the quality of the program.
I had the privilege of coteaching with Patrick Lindskoug and Ulf Maunsbach. During the first summer, Ulf taugh about the interrelationship between trademark law and domain names. Patrik helped U.S. and Swedish students learn about private international law. I was a great beneficiary of the program learning from Swedish colleagues and hopefully also having a positive impact on Swedish professors and students. Our classes had lots of student interaction and were always lively. I really enjoy teaching with Swedish colleagues and now do a scholarship that compares U.S. and EU law.
I am currently co-authoring an article with Sanna Kulveska, a recent Lund graduate. Out piece was accepted by ten different top law reviews and we settled on the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology. Sanna had a great experience while she was a visiting student working with the Berkman Center and the law firm of Duane Morris, which is a top entertainment law firm. After graduating, she worked as a counsel for Adidas and now has a position at Google in Dublin.
I have many fond memories from Lund. I loved learning about Swedish and EU law. I love everything Swedish and the magical university town. I grew up in N.W. Minnesota near the township of Skane so I felt right at home with Swedish customs.
What is your experience with Lund exchange students at Suffolk?
I have worked closely with Lund Exchange students and find that they are exceptional. I co-authored another major piece with Sandra Paulsson on the differences between EU and U.S. law on e-mail and Internet mailing, which was published in a University of Pennsylvania article. I have found that in the first few weeks Swedish students are less likely to be active participants but become acculturated very quickly. My experience is that Lund University students are well prepared and make a significant contribution to the class. I do think that they become comparativists because of the necessity of learning how U.S. law compares and contrasts to U.S. law. I do feel badly this winter in Boston because we have had 100 inches of snow. I hope that they will have the same favorable impressions of Boston and Suffolk University Law School that prior students have. Visiting students are amazed by the diversity and richness of courses we offer at Suffolk. Many students who visit from Sweden have difficulties in making choices because there are so many courses of interest.
Would you recommend a law student to participate in an exchange program?
Exchange programs really make global lawyers and that’s the future of law. The experience is life-changing. My daughter Erica’s study confirmed that students participating in exchange programs find it an enriching experience. I know that has been the case for me. My life has been enriched because of my work with Lund students and faculty. Professor Hans-Henrik Lidgard and Bernard Ortwein were two of the architects of our Swedish programs and enriched the lives of all participants. I have never met a U.S. or Swedish student who was disappointed by the exchange program. That’s quite a record of achievement.
Why should you choose Lund University?
Lund University is an ideal choice for a Swedish law school because it combines classical legal education and a top reputation with a faculty who are modern in their outlook. A number of Lund faculty have collaborated with U.S. law faculty in my experience and the result is that legal education provided at Lund is much more internationalized than in other Scandinavian law schools. Several Lund professors and Lund students have published major articles in U.S. journals and I think it is because they have a cosmopolitan outlook and understand that today’s law school must have a global reach. Lund University is a dynamic law school with so many professors who have an interest in working with other legal cultures. During my time at Lund, I met visiting scholars from all over the world including North Vietnam where Lund has had a long-term relationship. I also think that the Raoul Wallenberg Center and its partnership with Lund reflects the school’s commitment to international human rights. Lund is a perfect university town. It is clean, green, and serene with a vibrant student life. In addition, Lund has a number of very fine restaurants and increasingly a wider range of cuisines.
Do you have any other recommendations in general for potential Lund University students?
Be open to the possibility of studying in Boston. Boston is a great city for the student of law and Suffolk is a great place for an exchange. Don’t let the 100 inches of snow deter you from applying? It is a 400 year record and will not happen again.
Trevlig helg allihopa!
Linda