Applications are open for LawWithoutWalls (LWOW), a global experiential learning initiative that brings together legal and business professionals with students from more than 30 international institutions, will take place in Portugal for the first time. From March 13–15, 2026, Nova SBE’s Carcavelos campus will host a special edition organized in partnership with NOVA School of Law.
Created by Professor Michele Destefano (University of Miami School of Law and Harvard Law School) and widely recognized for its innovative approach to legal and business education, LWOW promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across law, management, and technology.
Highlighted by leading international publications, such as the Financial Times, for its ability to rethink legal education and practice in a digital, global, and constantly evolving era, LWOW connects generations, cultures, and professions around a shared purpose: reimagining how law is practiced and applied while developing leadership, communication, innovation, and critical-thinking skills.
The 2026 edition marks the initiative’s 15th anniversary, and its debut in Portugal reinforces a commitment to fostering a global network of learning and innovation among universities worldwide. The event’s centerpiece will be the in-person Sprint—an immersive, three-day intensive in which international teams of students, mentors, and practitioners co-create innovative solutions to real-world challenges in the legal and business sectors, applying design thinking principles and collaborative methodologies.
“LawWithoutWalls was born from the conviction that the future of law depends on collaboration among people from different fields, cultures, and perspectives. Celebrating our 15th anniversary in Portugal, with Nova SBE and NOVA School of Law, represents the continuation of this mission to inspire a new generation of legal and business leaders capable of innovating in a constantly changing world,” says Michele Destefano, founder of LawWithoutWalls.
“It is an honor to host, for the first time in Portugal, an initiative that reflects the values of collaboration and innovation we champion at Nova SBE. By challenging the way we learn and work, we are bringing academia closer to practice and enabling the creation of transformative solutions,” says Pedro Oliveira, Dean of Nova SBE.
“LawWithoutWalls is an inspiring example of how legal education can be reinvented through interdisciplinarity and global collaboration. This partnership reinforces NOVA School of Law’s commitment to preparing jurists and leaders who can respond creatively and ethically to future challenges,” says Margarida Lima Rego, Dean of NOVA School of Law.
Applications are open until November 3.. More information about LawWithoutWalls is available here.