Full Name: Michael Melch ‘20
Summer Internship: International Law Institute
1. What were you up to this past summer?
Last summer I interned at the International Law Institute in Georgetown, DC. I was responsible for the preparation of training seminars for international lawyers. My duties included marketing the seminars, coordinating with the experts who taught the seminar regarding the necessary materials, and interacting with participants to ensure that the meetings ran smoothly. As a result, I was able to attend many of the seminars on topics ranging from legislative drafting to anti-trust and competition.
2. What was your favorite part?
I really enjoyed interacting with the participants of the seminars who came from countries all over the world, such as Italy, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nigeria, and the Philippines, to name a few. The seminars often included site visits, and one of the highlights of my internship was leading a group of Chinese lawyers from the Shanghai Bar Association on a tour of the Supreme Court and US Capitol. Also, the International Law Institute arranged professional development trips designed for the interns to learn about various legal and economic organizations. The visits included law firms, the Federal Trade Commission, and my favorite, the World Bank.
3. What surprised you?
I was surprised by how many different nationalities came to expand their legal knowledge at the International Law Institute to better prepare themselves for their profession in their home countries. The specialized legal education and training may not be available in their home countries so they come to Washington D.C. to advance their legal careers or improve for the career they already have.
