How to become a professor as an internationally trained lawyer?

Welcome to Master of Laws Interviews Project Season 4: Episode 7:

Giovanna E Gismondi knew that she wanted to become a law professor when she arrived in the U.S. for her LLM at Georgetown Law. She had worked and taught law in Peru for seven years. She received her LLM after 9/11, it became extremely difficult for LLM students to find jobs and sustain their work visa in the U.S. Just before Thanksgiving, she found out about a teaching position at University of Oklahoma . Upon doing research, she learned that the program had historically hired a LLM from Harvard every year. That year the Harvard candidate couldn’t make it. She applied. Not only that, she decided to travel to the University of Oklahoma and meet with the dean in person! It was during Thanksgiving, the dean wasn’t on campus that day. She talked to a professor, who promised to pass along her CV.

Then she didn’t hear back until the summer, right after graduating with her LLM. Later she learned that her determination and commitment convinced the law school that she’s the best person for the job. That position got her foot in the door in academics. Now, she’s been teaching international law for 22 years.  

• How did she break into academics as an internationally trained lawyer?
• Who’s her role model in the law?
• What advice does she have for internationally trained lawyers on how to improve spoken and written English?

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