I. Des États-Unis à la Suisse
Avant de commencer mes études de droit…
Before diving into the details of my internship, it is important to provide some context surrounding my interest in IBJ. The mission of IBJ is to guarantee all citizens the right to competent legal representation, the right to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment, and the right to a fair trial. IBJ's mission aligns with my desire to go to law school - to pursue social justice. Social justice can come in many forms, including the mission statement of IBJ. When I received the email invitation to apply for William and Mary's international internship program and I saw IBJ's mission, my interest was piqued. My only concern was not wanting to perpetuate any form of western superiority/ colonialist mindset when helping people in what are often paternalistically referred to as "developing countries." To my satisfaction, IBJ does not do that. Their lawyers on the ground are usually native to the country and understand their respective criminal justice procedures, which is key to helping promote competent legal representation to people who need help. IBJ helps to create and edit documents that educate and explain legal concepts to attorneys, but they are always guided and proofread by local attorneys. This is how IBJ creates their international network of lawyers.
Avant mon départ
I was ecstatic when I received word from Professor Warren that I would be traveling to Geneva, Switzerland as an intern for International Bridges to Justice for my 1L summer. I also quickly befriended Abi Grand who was also hired as an intern at the same NGO. IBJ seeks to provide assistance to people around the world that may not ordinarily have access to legal representation. Whether it is through trainings, pamphlets, eLearning modules, or other means of training lawyers, IBJ helps to fund projects around the world, often in countries where inmates are held illegally and many have endured state sanctioned torture. As an abolitionist, helping people to escape from inhumane prison systems around the world is not merely a means for me to travel to Europe for the summer, but is something that I am passionate about.
Chez moi
While in Geneva, Abi and I are staying in dormitory housing called Cité Universitaire de Genève located in Champel, a residential neighborhood in Geneva. Each floor has a shared kitchen, refrigerator, and showers. My room is a studio equipped with a sink, closet, desk, bed, and large windows. Notably one of the best perks of Cité is the free public transit. Every two weeks, we are given a transit card to access Geneva’s buses, tram cars, and even Les Mouettes, which are boat lines that cross Le Lac Léman and are included as part of the city’s public transportation. Public transit operates on an honor system. Instead of scanning a card or paying the driver each time you board, you simply board the bus and you are expected to have a transit card on you. If you do not, occasionally the buses are audited by the municipal police and you will be charged around 100 CHF if you are missing your transit card. Luckily for Abi and I, the bus number 3 has a stop right outside our building and drops us off very close to work.
Politiques locales à Genève
Before going to Switzerland, I did some digging on current political situations here. I found two that are noteworthy. In December of 2020, the Swiss Parliament voted to legalize gay marriage. With enough signatures, a Swiss citizen is allowed to call for a referendum to have the nation vote on the issue. As you might have guessed, that occurred here by conservative activists. Instead of gay marriage passing in 2020, a referendum took place in 2021, and passed with 64.1% of voters supporting gay marriage. I am excited to be here during Switzerland’s legalization of gay marriage which will take effect on July 1, 2022! Though, I am surprised they set the date for July 1, considering June is LGBTQ Pride month… but, I digress.
The other issue more directly impacted me. When I arrived in Geneva, I was exhausted from traveling for nearly 24 hours straight. Naturally, I tried to order an Uber. To my surprise, the Uber App told me no cars were available. After taking a 50 CHF (roughly $50) cab ride that only lasted 20 minutes, I learned the reason for Uber not operating here. The Swiss Federal Supreme Court decided that Uber was liable for paying its employees salaries and were required to contribute to social security. Much to my disdain — and to the disdain of locals — Uber decided to cease operations in Geneva altogether.
Exactly one week after I wrote this blog post, Uber reached a deal with the city and returned to Geneva.