After spending hours in the Law Library at Wake Forest University, Minh Tran heads to the Wellness Centre to loosen up. The Master of Laws (LLM) student from Vietnam joins yoga and Pilates classes to reset her mind and body at the centre, participates in live piano, opera, and string shows at the Brendle Recital Hall, and delights in occasions hosted by the Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA), such as Moon Cake Celebration and Lunar New Year.
“These gatherings celebrate Asian cultures, combine trainees from various backgrounds, and produce space to share food, traditions, and new relationships,” says Tran.
The LLM is a degree programme developed for foreign-trained legal representatives like Tran. As they establish their professional expertise and advance their legal professions through extensive legal research study in the United States, they get to create significant connections with those around them at Wake Forest Law. It’s all part of trainee life here.
Wake Forest Law offers 582 student events and opportunities throughout the year. Source: Wake Forest University Campus is welcoming and inviting. That’s important as it balances the intrinsic competitiveness of law schools and the rigour of the LLM program. Trainees can specialise in organization, criminal, intellectual property, or technology law, or personalize a curriculum utilizing the course catalogue.
Insights gained can be used to 7 legal centers and the Pro Bono Project. “Adding to initiatives such as drafting wills and helping domestic violence survivors with legal documentation has actually been deeply significant, and has actually permitted me to see how the law straight impacts private lives,” she states. It’s a cause that she had less direct exposure to while practising corporate law in Vietnam, and it speaks to Wake Forest Law’s goal: to enact justice by informing trainees to satisfy worldwide requirements with confidence, character, and creativity.
“Overall, it has been a wonderful experience to be part of the Wake Forest community,” she says.
In between 2024 and 2025, student pro bono work totalled 5,857 hours. Source: Wake Forest University
Tran’s positive experience is the result of a dedicated Trainee Affairs group. They support more than 30 student organisations that host professional, cultural, service, and social programs throughout the year. To bring students from other degree programs and class years together, they collaborate school-wide traditions, leadership chances, service efforts, and community-building events.
“At Wake Forest Law, Trainee Affairs is committed to developing a lively and engaged neighborhood beyond the classroom,” says Branden Nicholson, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.
“Our objective is to guarantee every student discovers meaningful ways to link, construct relationships, and feel a strong sense of belonging within the Law School.”
International students are a huge part of all occasions and organisations. The Trainee Affairs group encourages them to participate in the exact same organisations, management roles, and programmes as all other trainees so they can establish expert networks in the United States and engage meaningfully with both the Law School and the Winston-Salem community. “Through involvement on school and involvement in service and social activities, they quickly become active and valued members of our community,” says Dean Nicholson.
Tetiana Bebik, LLM student from Ukraine, is one such member. Through the university, she has traipsed throughout North Carolina and Virginia on treking trips and even takes to the reservoir for kayaking.
“Winston-Salem itself is a very cosy and liveable city, with numerous neighboring tracks and green areas,” she says. “North Carolina is an exceptionally beautiful state also. Weekend trips can take you from mountain overlooks to peaceful lakes and coastal views. One of the things I’ve come to enjoy most is the sky: that clear, bright blue that makes even a regular afternoon feel unique.”
What makes Winston-Salem perfect for expedition is its connection to other cities, making it a terrific location for short getaways after a busy week. “Whether to major cities like New York or Washington, DC, to the oceanside, or performances and events,” says Bebik. “As somebody who delights in rock and country music, I loved having the chance to integrate my research studies with finding brand-new locations and experiences throughout the year.”
Student Bernardo Ziemann Wendt from Brazil is another who likes to get active. He typically trains at the Health and wellbeing Centre, taking advantage of its contemporary lifting set. “I have been to Stone Mountain State Park and it’s an excellent walking, a stunning location. Been to some great performances at the Ramkat too, and hockey video games in Greensboro, both very enjoyable,” he states.
For sport fans, Wake Forest teams complete in the NCAA Department I Atlantic Coast Conference and are called national leaders. That brings many competitions to school, consisting of baseball, golf, tennis, cross-country, field hockey, and soccer. The university is even hosting the German Guy’s National Team, which has actually picked the city as its home for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The German team will reside at The Graylyn Estate and train at Wake Forest’s nationally well-known W. Dennie Spry Soccer Arena.
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