Today’s interview is with Carson Lloyd, an intern working in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress under the supervision of Louis Myers, a foreign, comparative, and international legal reference librarian.
Describe your Background.
I am originally from Stratford Upon Avon, a small town in the United Kingdom which is famous for being the birthplace of the great British playwright and poet William Shakespeare. I am also a national of both the United Kingdom as well as the United States of America.
What is your academic/ professional history?
I am currently in my final year at Birmingham City University studying for a LL.B with modules in American legal studies. I elected to take modules in American legal studies alongside English and EU law, as I have dual U.K./U.S. citizenship and an interest in both jurisdictions.
Aside from my studies, I have participated in compiling international research regarding Benin’s legal and governmental actions towards child, early, and forced marriage, which was submitted to the United Nations for Benin’s 4th Universal Periodic Review cycle. I also spend my time as student editor for the British Journal of American Legal Studies, ensuring journal articles are in accordance with the Bluebook system of citation.
I will be continuing my journey at Birmingham City University this fall to study for my master of laws (LL.M) and undertake the legal practice course.
How would you describe your job to other people?
I am interning with the Global Legal Research Directorate and assisting my supervisor Louis Myers in a wide variety of areas. This includes requests from the United States Congress, federal agencies, and the general public. Moreover, as a result of my expertise in the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom and the United States of America, my research focuses on comparative law between these nations when writing comparative law reports. I also write articles for the Global Legal Monitor and the Law Library’s blog, In Custodia Legis.
I enjoy how diverse my work is as every day is different!
Why did you want to work at the Library of Congress?
The Library of Congress is not only the biggest library in the world but houses some of the best researchers in the legal profession. As someone who has developed a passion for legal research within a global context, the opportunity to conduct comparative research between the U.K./U.S. at the Library of Congress is a dream come true. As I often deliver pro-bono public legal education, I also resonate with the Library’s commitment to make information accessible to all Americans, for instance through its website and blogs.
What is the most interesting fact you’ve learned about the Law Library of Congress?
One of the most interesting facts I have learned about the Law Library of Congress is that it is one of only ten depositories for printed U.S. Supreme Court records and briefs.
What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?
I love animals! I have two pugs called Bellatrix and Ming, as well as an English bulldog named Vinnie.
Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.