LLM Ambassador Program fosters friendships and cultural enrichment between JDs and LLMs
JDs and LLMs build cross-cultural friendships through a program that enhances the law school experience.
JDs and LLMs enjoying a group dinner
Duke Law's LLM Ambassador Program recently celebrated another semester of bringing JD and LLM students together for mutual social and cultural enrichment.
Modeled on the JD LEAD Fellows program, JD Ambassador Program Fellows make a six-month commitment to help international LLMs acclimate to a new city, a new school and, for many, a different way of life and learning through group activities. This semester, for example, the JD fellows led LLM students on outings including hockey games, ziplining, and a hosted barbecue. See activity photos from the semester on Instagram.
Emiliano Flores Juárez LLM '24 says his group's two "brilliant" JD ambassador fellows helped him and other LLMs get away from their books to know more of North Carolina and its people, including seeing the Hurricanes in Raleigh.
“The program is a flexible space where you can interact with the people that you usually see daily at the Law School, but never get the chance to talk about anything outside law school,” Juárez says. “I think the program also helps making friends way smoother as the activities outline the path for the internationally-based people who make up the group.”
LLM Ambassadors was developed by Leslie Allen, senior program coordinator in the Office of International Studies. JDs and LLMs often share classes but are on different degree timelines. Hearing a desire for more interaction and engagement between the two groups, Allen conceived the LLM Ambassador Program as a way to foster community among the student body. It quickly gained traction, drawing 22 JDs this year.
"I knew that the end result would be greater community cohesion, more JD and LLM friendship, and an opportunity for both JDs and LLMs to forge connections that will last well beyond graduation," Allen says.
Gabriela Nagle Alverio JD/PhD '25 agrees, saying “I have loved being an LLM Ambassador this semester. It gave me an opportunity to meet some of the incredible LLMs and learn about their experiences practicing law all around the world.”