About Me
Name
José Silvero Duarte
Prior Education
Universidad Católica “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” (título de abogado, 2016); Universidad Austral (maestría en propiedad intelectual, 2024).
Before Ann Arbor
I lived in Asunción, Paraguay.
Before My LLM Year
I worked in freelance as IP and privacy and technology counsel, mostly for SMEs and corporate clients.
My Time at Michigan Law
Why I Chose Michigan Law
I was looking for a program strong in technology, IP, and international law and a flexible curriculum to be able to follow issues across traditional and new disciplines. I wanted to be at a university where my mind would be challenged and each reading would spark new research ideas. The goal was to have an academically demanding year and be somewhere I could live well and grow inside and out of the classroom.
What Makes Michigan Law Special
Michigan Law stands at the center of the most complex legal challenges, from constitutional law debates to international human rights clerkships to emerging technologies and policy. Here, students become confident legal scholars with clinics, research, and above all, a community where we belong.
We have friends and mentors who care deeply and push us forward. Everyone (classmates and professors) is accomplishing great things, and everyone is rooting for each other and celebrating their successes.
My Favorite Classes
Copyright Law with Professor Jessica Litman was just as I imagined US law school, and European Union Law with Professor Daniel Halberstam was a comparative law experience that changed the way I think about the law.
What Surprised Me Most About Michigan Law
I was expecting a top law school experience, but it was amazing to see Michigan Law leading on so many fronts. Professors are publishing award-winning scholarship, arguing landmark cases, and leading law institutes, while being so invested in their students. There are constant events with scholars flying in from all over the world. People are doing some of the most impressive public interest work right from the Law School. Being surrounded by that kind of positive impact instills the ambition to build a career that makes a difference.
What the “Michigan Difference” Means to Me
Showing up for each other. Classmates, staff, and faculty are invested in helping you out. Small or big, each of these kind gestures leave a deep impression on you.
My Favorite Memory from My LLM Year
It is hard to pick just one, but I enjoyed the welcome barbecue at Dean Eric Christiansen’s house, where new graduate law students and research scholars got to know each other in a relaxed setting. A big backyard, food grilled with love, and nice conversations with incredible new friends!
The packed streets in Ann Arbor after the university’s men’s basketball team won the national championship were also unforgettable. Go Blue!
Biggest Hesitation About the LLM Year
Between work and launching a boutique law firm, leaving my country for extended periods felt impossible. I had nearly let go of the lifelong dream of studying in the United States until a good friend reached out and said, “You should do it.” Her advice was a clear reminder of why I became a lawyer in the first place: a strong conviction that laws exist to serve people, not the other way around.
I hesitated whether it was the right time and step in my career. I had successfully completed a master’s degree in Argentina and felt like it was also valid to stay and grow my IP practice. Ultimately, the LLM year showed me that my true vocation can be in academia or policymaking.
Favorite Study Spot
The “club rooms” in the Lawyers Club.
The Best Things About Ann Arbor
The Arboretum, my place to disconnect and recharge. The corner of Vertex Coffee on a sunny day. Bill Beer Garden’s with friends. The Reading Room on a quiet night. The Big House.
If I Could Time Travel, I Would Give Myself This Advice at the Start of My LLM Year
Plan a bit for every detail; even just a general layout will help you thrive. The second semester is extra short! Account for that in your plans.
Extracurricular Activities
I was so lucky to be in the Law School Student Senate as part of the Academic Committee, seeing first hand some of the greatest work being done by students. I also participated in the Michigan Journal of International Law, the International Law Society, and the Intellectual Property Student Association.
Fun Stuff
When I’m Not Studying
I’m out in the sun with a cup of coffee, enjoying some tunes.
My Favorite Way to De-stress
Running with headphones on.
Favorite Book
The Innocent Man by John Grisham.
Favorite Movie
Pirates of the Caribbean 2.
Favorite TV Show
Stranger Things.
Favorite Musical Artist
Glass Animals.
Favorite Beverage
Coke with lemon.
Favorite Food From Home
Mbeju, a flatbread made primarily of manioc starch, and the perfect coffee companion.
Favorite Food in the United States
Philly cheesesteak.
Favorite Item at the Kirkland & Ellis Cafe
Breakfast sandwich with meat.