Today’s interview is with Esra Eroğlu, 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 Karlsruhe, Germany, which is located in southern Germany. Karlsruhe is a significant city for the legal field, because both the German Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht, BVerfG) and the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof, BGH), the highest court for civil and criminal cases, are located there. My parents immigrated to Germany from Turkey, so my siblings and I grew up bilingual and with two cultures. This might be the reason all three of us are drawn to international studies and working environments to this day. On the other hand, I have always been actively involved in my local communities. For instance, I volunteered at the Baden State Museum in Karlsruhe, where I guided museum tours. I moved away from my hometown for my studies when I was 17 years old.
- What is your academic/professional history?
I studied at EBS Universität for Business and Law in Wiesbaden, where I obtained a German law degree as well as a master’s degree in business. During my studies at EBS, I spent a semester abroad at Lund University in Sweden. I specialized in the law of digitalization, and I worked at a legal tech startup for three years during my studies. After successfully passing the First Legal State Examination in Germany, I earned a Master of Laws degree at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, Illinois. In 2024, I successfully passed the New York bar exam. After that, I worked for a major U.S. law firm in Frankfurt am Main.
Currently, I am completing my legal traineeship at the District Court of Frankfurt am Main. As part of this traineeship, I have worked at a civil chamber of the court, at the local public prosecutor’s office, and at the legal department of the Frankfurt am Main Police. Now, my traineeship has brought me to D.C. to work at the Law Library of Congress.
- How would you describe your job to other people?
In my work for the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress, I support Foreign Law Specialist Jenny Gesley in responding to requests from members of Congress, executive agencies, courts, and the general public concerning the jurisdictions of German-speaking countries and the European Union. I find it particularly exciting when a new piece of legislation is introduced in Congress, and the foreign law specialists report on how the respective matter is regulated in their jurisdictions. This allows jurisdictions to benefit from each other. Additionally, I write articles on legal developments for the Law Library’s Global Legal Monitor and our blog, In Custodia Legis.
- Why did you want to work at the Law Library of Congress?
I wanted to work at the Law Library of Congress because the Global Legal Research Directorate is a place where my background in both German and U.S. law truly comes together. The work is deeply comparative, and I was excited about the opportunity to contribute research on German-speaking jurisdictions and the European Union while gaining insight into how U.S. institutions approach legal questions. After studying and working in both countries, I find it fascinating to see how legal systems influence one another.
- What is the most interesting fact you have learned about the Law Library of Congress?
The one fact that never ceases to amaze me is that the Law Library of Congress is the largest law library in the world and part of the largest library in the world. In fiscal 2024, the Library of Congress recorded more than 181.1 million items in its collections. I would encourage anyone visiting D.C. to visit the Library of Congress and see and feel for themselves the tremendous wealth of knowledge and art the Library’s buildings hold.
- What’s something most of your co-workers do not know about you?
Something about me that does not usually come up at work is that I am an enthusiastic traveler. I have visited 38 countries so far, and my goal is to continue exploring as many regions and cultures as possible. I feel like traveling gives me a lot of perspective—both personally and professionally—and it is definitely a big source of inspiration for me.
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