Leisinger Travels to Republic of Georgia

Shawn Leisinger, associate dean for centers and external programs, recently traveled to the Republic of Georgia to meet with University of Georgia faculty and share information about Washburn Law’s programs.

Washburn Law has been in a partnership with the University of Georgia for eight years through a grant from the United States Agency for International Development. Through this partnership, Washburn Law assists the University of Georgia with the development of their legal training system. 

“Washburn Law is showing what we do in our externship program as a model of the legal educational system for another country to follow,” Leisinger said. “I was impressed by how well-respected and appreciated Washburn is in the Republic of Georgia. It was nice to see how we are regarded on the other side of the globe.”

The partnership also gives Washburn Law students the opportunity to help with the development of the Republic of Georgia’s legal system. Washburn Law students are currently working on constitutional briefs for the Republic of Georgia’s courts and helping a develop a training program and manual for externship programs at all of Georgia’s law schools.

Leisinger oversees both the Washburn Law Centers for Excellence and the school’s externship program, while also coordinating extracurricular programming and events. He also assisted in the development of the school’s Third Year Anywhereä enrollment option, in which he acts as a curricular supervisor. He said he believes that Washburn Law’s externship program is part of what sets it apart from other schools internationally.

“We have a reputation for producing practice-ready lawyers,” Leisinger said. “Our externships get students out to see law practice head on – the good, the bad, and the ugly – but they get the opportunity to see what it means to be a lawyer.”

In the future, Leisinger hopes to continue to develop partnerships with universities around the world, and to continue to grow the externship program.