IE Law School hosts LawWithoutWalls Sprint 2024

IE Law School recently had the distinct pleasure of hosting the annual LawWithoutWalls (LWOW) Sprint. For this edition, the Sprint came back bigger than ever with 150 participants from 17 institutions located around the world. They brought new energy to the capital over the three-day event.

A platform with purpose

LawWithoutWalls is an experiential learning initiative that aims to build bridges between law and business. Through this platform, established and aspiring professionals from both sectors come together in a space that encourages collaboration, innovation and transformation.  

Participants accomplish this through the LWOW Sprint, an inclusive, team-based experience that revolves around solving real-world problems. It mimics the modern legal landscape, where multidisciplinary teams often need to work swiftly and collaboratively to resolve complex cases.

This year, real law firms tasked 15 participating teams to tackle various challenges in the realms of social responsibility or business of law. Iona Steger, a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) student who attended the event, described it as a "fast-paced" environment for creation and connection.

"How has LawWithoutWalls impacted me? I’d say it has changed my professional career."
Maurus Schreyvogel, EY Law

Immersed in LWOW 2024

LWOW Sprint 2024 attracted an eclectic mix of student participants, legal practitioners and corporate partners. It was the perfect opportunity for students to network with professionals from notable firms like Simmons & Simmons, UBS and EY Law, among others. 

More than that, it offered a chance to reap the benefits of diversity. "My expectations were to be challenged culturally," says Nestor Camacho, a visiting student from a participating university in the US. "But I also wanted to understand different viewpoints from people who are more experienced than me and have different backgrounds."

For the legal firms in attendance, LWOW Sprint 2024 allowed them to both challenge and motivate budding practitioners. "Why LawWithoutWalls?" asks Maurus Schreyvogel, partner and legal operations lead at EY Law. "Because it's a methodology and community that provides a fun way to drive change within the legal profession."

Winning tips for the future

From all accounts, LWOW Sprint 2024 was a rousing success. Apart from fostering creative problem-solving, the event allowed participants to hone their team-building, leadership and entrepreneurial skills guided by the experts.  

The Global Head of IP, Innovation & Design for UBS, Stacey Quaye, encourages future participants to trust the process. "It'll be uncomfortable at times, but if you follow the method and embrace everything you do, you'll come out with a great project." 

Similarly, Firoza Dodhi—who is an associate at Simmons & Simmons—emphasizes the importance of making the most of this opportunity. "Be present in the moment," she urges. "The weekend goes by incredibly quickly."