An Interview with Friederike Loebbert, Foreign Law Intern

Today’s interview is with Friederike Loebbert, a foreign law intern working with Foreign Law Specialist Jenny Gesley in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress.

Describe your background.

I was born and raised in a city in Northern Germany called Lübeck, which has a magnificent old town and is close to the Baltic Sea. During high school, I developed a great interest in politics, especially in international affairs. I participated in several Model United Nations conferences and an exchange program with the city of Saskatoon in Western Canada.

What is your academic/professional history?

In 2014, I started studying law at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. For my university’s team, I participated in the Willem C. Vis Arbitration moot courts in Hong Kong and Vienna, Austria. As I was keen on going abroad again, I did an LL.M. program focused on public international law at the University of Glasgow in 2017/18. Back in Mainz, I took the first German state exam and started a two-year traineeship program, which is necessary to qualify as a lawyer in Germany.

How would you describe your job to other people?

I assist my supervisor, Jenny Gesley, with delivering high level expertise on the law of German-speaking jurisdictions and the European Union. We get requests from the U.S. Congress, other public agencies, or the general public. In addition, I write updates for the Global Legal Monitor and the Law Library blog In Custodia Legis.

Why did you want to work at the Law Library of Congress?

In the summer of 2014, I travelled to the U.S. with my family. During that trip, I visited the Library of Congress and had always wanted to come back. When I learned about the Global Legal Research Directorate (GLRD), I was curious about their work. I liked the idea that during an internship with GLRD, I could use my knowledge of German law, while still exploring a new country and meeting people from very different legal backgrounds.

What is the most interesting fact you have learned about the Law Library of Congress?

This library still seems full of secrets to me, with endless possibilities to discover. For example, I very much enjoyed getting to see the Law Library’s book stacks in the basement, learning that they cover an area the size of nearly two U.S. football fields. I also enjoyed taking a look at the Gutenberg Bible, as its famous printer came from the city in Germany I live in and also gave its name to my home university.

What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?

My brother and I are huge Harry Potter fans. Besides reading all the books, we have visited the film studios in London and also recently went to see the new play in Hamburg together.

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