Visiting Law Professor at UA Returns to England with Fond Memories and New Insights

Akron, Ohio, June 10, 2002 — Americans and the British speak a common language — more or less. According to Peter Handley, a visiting professor from the School of Legal Studies in Wolverhampton, a slight language barrier provided some fun and humorous moments between him and the students in his University of Akron School of Law classes. Students soon learned that an articulated lorry was a semi trailer, and that Handley marked, not graded, their papers.

According to Handley, some different word meanings can provide colorful moments as well. “You can use a word in England that is entirely reasonable but in America makes people blush,” laughs Handley, — “and the other way around.”

Handley is returning home the end of June after a 30-day trip out West. While at UA, he taught English Legal Systems and a UK Criminal Process Seminar during the Fall 2001 Semester and Criminal Law in Spring 2002. He may have had to acclimate himself to an American way of life, but he needed far less adjustment in preparing for the classroom. Criminal law in both countries embodies the same underlying principles of criminal liability and there has been no substantial division over the years.

Handley says the same applies to laws of contract and tortuous liability. “It would be possible to deliver virtually identical introductory lectures in these subjects in the United States and in England,” he says.

However, there is a difference in the delivery. According to Handley, English law classes tend to be less interactive. The students have longer reading lists supplemented by lectures and occasional seminars. In contrast, he enjoyed the “Socratic” teaching method used in The University of Akron School of Law, that employs more question and answer sessions leading to reflective discussions and deeper understanding.

Handley suggests that one of the reasons the Socratic method works so well is because American law students are postgraduate and usually in their mid-20s and older. In contrast, law is an undergraduate program in England with students primarily in their late teens and early 20s.

“The students I have met here are far more responsive and participative, but that may be simply because they are older and more mature,” he says.

Although American and British law are closely connected in underlying principles, Handley enjoyed observing the differences in the two legal systems' procedures and practices.

“American judges seem to be far more interventionist and have far more to do with the case management than those in England,” Handley says. “As a magistrate, I have no prior knowledge of the case. The court administration deals with matters such as representation and charges. Also, the role of juries has been reduced in England and Wales.

“Unlike England, Ohio has formally abandoned common law and adopted a criminal code. The courts appear to impose longish custodial sentences for offences that in England might not warrant imprisonment,” he adds. “I still have to reconcile some of the problems arising from having states with different laws all interacting with overarching federal laws.”

Handley and his wife Jane enjoyed their sojourn in Akron but look forward to returning to their home and family. “The exchange has been both professionally and personally rewarding,” Handley says. “The people are truly kind and the faculty is excellent. The exchange has given me an opportunity to discover the different approaches to teaching and the law and to share views with colleagues here.”

The first exchange between The University of Akron School of Law and the School of Legal Studies in Wolverhampton took place in the 1987/88 school year. Since then, six long exchanges and several brief — one week — exchanges have occurred.

According to Elizabeth Reilly, UA associate dean in the School of Law, the program has been very beneficial for both faculty and students.

“The participants invariably bring us perspectives on the teaching and practice of the law that broaden our own perspectives and permit us to make better decisions in educating our students for excellence,” Reilly says.

The University of Akron School of Law is committed to excellence in teaching and scholarship, and offers joint degrees in business, taxation, public administration and human resource management. It also offers certificate programs in litigation and intellectual property. The School of Law has a strong program for the concentrated study of intellectual property and technology, devoting more full-time faculty to the area and offering more courses than any law school in a six-state region.

From its beginnings in 1921, The University of Akron School of Law has provided access to legal education through evening programs, access to legal services for traditionally underrepresented populations, and service to the bench, the bar and the broader community through volunteer leadership and consultation.

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