About Me
Name
Augusto Colín
Prior Education
Facultad Libre de Derecho de Monterrey (licenciado en derecho, 2016); Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (maestría en derechos humanos y democracia, 2021)
Before Ann Arbor
I was born and raised in the state of Coahuila, Mexico. I moved to Monterrey for my law degree, started my career there, and later continued it in Mexico City. I also spent a semester in San José, Costa Rica, in 2013, interning at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Before My LLM Year
I was a judicial clerk at Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice and at the Superior Chamber of Mexico’s Federal Electoral Tribunal.
What Makes Me Different From My Classmates
My background as a judicial clerk specializing in human rights, with more than ten years of legal practice and prior graduate degrees. Clerking at my country’s two highest courts and at an international tribunal gave me a broader comparative lens that has helped me make the most of my LLM. More than anything, that experience taught me that it is better to be remembered for your kindness than for being the smartest or most disciplined person in the room.
My Time at Michigan Law
Why I Chose Michigan Law
For its sense of community. From the moment I received my admission letter, Michigan Law showed a genuine interest in making me part of its community. I could sense how important international students are here, how fully they are integrated, and how the small size of each LLM cohort is a deliberate choice to provide a deeply personalized experience.
And for its academic excellence. Michigan Law would let me continue working on constitutional issues from a comparative perspective, and the courses, events, and faculty of the Environmental and Energy Law Program were an invaluable opportunity to pursue my goal of specializing in environmental and climate justice. The chance to learn directly from top scholars I had been following for years, such as Professor Leah Litman, was also decisive.
What Makes Michigan Law Special
The combination of brilliance and kindness, among students, professors, and the administrative staff who keep the school running every day. JD students are remarkably welcoming to international students, and it is striking how much everyone helps each other. People want to excel, but not at anyone else’s expense.
My Favorite Classes
Judicial Decision-Making Seminar with Professor Daniel Deacon, Environmental Law with Professor Rachel Rothschild, and Environmental Justice Seminar with Professor Oday Salim
What Surprised Me Most About Michigan Law
How accessible the faculty is, and how many ways there are to connect with them. Office hours let you dig deeper into the course material, but many professors are also curious about your background and interests. Even professors whose classes I did not take agreed to meet with me when I asked for guidance.
Another singular Michigan feature is the mini-seminars: very small groups of students meeting at a professor’s home or in another informal setting to explore topics that don’t quite fit the regular curriculum.
What the “Michigan Difference” Means to Me
A community of brilliant people who don’t take themselves too seriously. There is a real balance between hard work and fun, between long hours in the library and nights out with classmates, and that balance is what makes the year sustainable and meaningful.
My Favorite Memory from My LLM Year
Halloween weekend. It started on Thursday, with a Law School party at Necto.
On Friday, Professor Halberstam hosted the LLM class for a light dinner. It was an opportunity for us to trick-or-treat around his neighborhood, which was my first time doing it. The night continued with an LLSA (Latinx Law Students Association) party. I dressed as Chapulín Colorado, a classic Mexican TV character. Friends showed up in wonderfully creative costumes: one was a Law Quad squirrel and another was one of the Louvre robbers.
The weekend closed with a Michigan football win on Saturday and a night of haunted houses with friends. A college-town Halloween done right.
The Most Difficult Thing About the LLM Year
Being far from my people at home. I really missed my family, my friends, and Patrick, my dog.
Biggest Hesitation About the LLM Year
Whether I could adapt quickly to Michigan’s weather, to working every day in another language (a technical legal one, at that), and to a different culture alongside classmates with a noticeable age gap from mine. By the end of the first semester, none of these felt like obstacles anymore.
Favorite Study Spot
Besides the Law School’s Reading Room, I like the 8th floor of Munger Graduate Residences, with amazing views of the Law School, the Big House, and the Arboretum.
The Best Things About Ann Arbor
The university spirit on football Saturdays, the green spaces and how close you can be to nature (the Arboretum, the Huron River), and an unusually rich cultural scene for a city this size. There are great museums, wonderful venues like the Michigan Theater and Hill Auditorium, and memorable bars (Ravens Club, The Last Word, Rabbit Hole) and restaurants (Frita Batidos, Mani, Pacific Rim, Aventura).
If I Could Time Travel, I Would Give Myself This Advice at the Start of My LLM Year
Not everything is reading and studying. Go to as many lectures, panels, and events as you can, academic and social. Attend office hours whenever possible. They are a unique chance not only to go deeper into the course material, but also to build real relationships with your professors.
Extracurricular Activities
I volunteered for the Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse, which helped me meet the pro bono requirement for the New York bar and gave me a firsthand look at dockets and decisions from different federal courts.
I was also selected as a Salzburg Cutler Fellow, an extraordinary academic experience in which I presented a paper proposal and received feedback from leading scholars and students from top US law schools, and which turned out to be a wonderful opportunity for networking and making new friends.
In the winter semester, I served as an executive editor of the Michigan Journal of International Law. I engaged the most with the Latinx Law Students Association (LLSA), whose warmth made me feel closer to home, and I also joined events with Futuros Abogados, the Environmental Law Society, and the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Fun Stuff
When I’m Not Studying
I am reading a book; working out; hanging out with friends; or going to a concert, play, or sports match.
Favorite Book
The Time of the Hero by Mario Vargas Llosa and Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez.
Favorite Movie
Closer and Sinners.
Favorite TV Show
Game of Thrones, This Is Us, and The Haunting of Hill House.
Favorite Musical Artist
Juan Gabriel and Grupo Frontera.
Favorite Beverage
Coffee in all its forms, including cocktails like carajillo and espresso martini.
Favorite Food From Home
Huauzontles (a native Mexican green, similar in texture to broccoli, usually battered and served in tomato sauce) and chiles en nogada (poblano peppers stuffed with picadillo, topped with walnut cream and pomegranate seeds, the colors of the Mexican flag).
Favorite Food in the United States
New York-style pizza.
Favorite Item at the Kirkland & Ellis Cafe
An Americano with room for a splash of milk.