East-West Time Zones No Issue for Elder Law Professors
(PRWEB) July 11, 2013 -- Expertise in Elder Law is being shared as part of a cooperative agreement between The John Marshall Law School in Chicago and East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai as two professors teamed up to teach a class.
Two worlds and 13 hours difference didn’t hinder American and Chinese professors who co-taught the “Comparative Sino-American Approaches to Elder Law” class for students at East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, China, during the spring 2013 semester.
Professor Sun Ying of East China teamed with Professor Barry Kozak, director of the Elder Law Program at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, for the 14-week class. Sun was the professor for delivery at 8 p.m. in Shanghai, and Kozak was available at 7 a.m. Chicago time for five sessions delivered by video feed. He delivered his last lecture in person.
John Marshall Law School and East China University of Political Science and Law initiated the joint Sino-American Research Center for an Aging Population in 2012. This was the first collaborative class under the agreement. “Overall, I would say the technology worked well, despite the 13-hour time difference,” Kozak said. “John Marshall, in partnership with East China University, may expand our educational efforts in the future.”
Classes Kozak delivered by video feed focused on:
• The American legal system
• The legal definition of mental capacity and the role of attorneys in determining the capacity of their clients
• Advanced planning opportunities when working with capable adults
• Adult guardianship actions for adults no longer able to make decisions because of declining mental health
• Elder abuse and how U.S. law attempts to eliminate abuse, or at least punish the perpetrators
Kozak’s final lecture on financing retirement and health care was delivered in person to the 23 students in the class, and an additional 25 persons who were interested in the topic. During his two-hour presentation, Kozak opened with an overview of America’s aging population and the legal and social issues they face, and then examined the U.S. Social Security and Medicare Programs.
John Marshall will welcome Sun as a visiting scholar during the 2013-2014 academic year. She hopes to expand her knowledge of elder law issues being addressed by American society.
About The John Marshall Law School
The John Marshall Law School, founded in 1899, is an independent law school located in the heart of Chicago’s legal, financial and commercial districts. Through classes, clinics and special programs, students develop the strategic, analytical and transactional lawyering skills that are so valuable to employers. Its excellent curriculum, coupled with outstanding skills and experiential learning, help make John Marshall graduates practice-ready from day one. For practicing attorneys, John Marshall offers nine LLM degrees, more than any other law school in the Midwest. John Marshall is also a leader in providing distance education options in intellectual property, estate planning and employee benefits at the advanced graduate degree level. John Marshall offers six clinical experiences, including the nationally recognized Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic and the Fair Housing Legal Clinic. U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Graduate Schools 2014 edition ranks John Marshall’s Lawyering Skills Program second and its Intellectual Property Law program 12th in the nation.
Marilyn Thomas, The John Marshall Law School, 312-427-2737 661, [email protected]
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