Amicus Partners

First Person Accounts (FPA’s) are meant to provide a first-hand account of law graduates who have pursued, or are pursuing, a post-graduate course (an LLM or otherwise) from different universities across the world.

Manvita Gandhi is a dual-qualified lawyer (Australia and India) who completed the Master of Legal Practice at the University of Western Australia. Armed with the MLP, as well as an LLB from Amity University, Manvita also pursued the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the College of Law in Australia. In this FPA, she shares her reasons for choosing the MLP program, what it is like studying and working in Australia, and much more. 

Could you share a bit about your academic and professional background prior to pursuing the MLP at the University of Western Australia?

Prior to moving to Australia, I completed my Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Political Science from Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi and then studied the post-graduate course of Bachelor of Law at Amity University, Noida (2018).

I practised in India for a little over one year in different areas of law. I took a break from my professional engagements at the beginning of 2020 to focus on having my qualifications assessed in Australia.

You worked at the High court before pursuing the MLP. What motivated you to pursue this course?

In or around 2019, I decided to relocate to Australia. Upon researching my avenues to re-qualify, I came across the MLP course at the University of Western Australia, which is designed particularly for overseas qualified lawyers to meet their assessment requirements.

I was attracted to this course due to its curriculum of teaching core legal subjects while allowing the Master’s qualification upon graduation. Further, UWA is part of the Group of Eight universities in Australia. Therefore, I applied for the MLP course at UWA and was fortunate to receive an offer and scholarship from UWA.

What do you think are the advantages of the MLP over the traditional LLM?

Firstly, the MLP program is designed exclusively for foreign qualified lawyers, which takes into account the assessment of one’s prior qualifications and experiences from the relevant regulatory bodies. It provides an opportunity to complete the core subjects along with the ability to obtain a Master’s degree upon completion.

Further, completing an LLM in WA would not have allowed me to meet the required academic qualifications in accordance with my assessment from the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia.

Was it difficult to make the move to Australia? Any tips for other foreign students considering this move?

Moving abroad is definitely a difficult task. My journey coincided with the COVID19 pandemic, due to which there was a lot of uncertainty. I had to study two semesters online, managing a different time zone and study techniques.

For anyone considering studying abroad, I would advise that they do their own research and choose a course that aligns well with their long-term goals. On the personal front, they should be open to embracing new ways of life and meeting new people.

Did you receive any financial aid or scholarships for the MLP ? If so, could you share how you secured them?

I was fortunate to receive the merit-based UWA Global Excellence Scholarship. It is awarded to high-achieving students applying for selected courses at the university.

Any tips for prospective students on funding their studies?

Education abroad is an expensive affair. Funding is a subjective topic and anyone looking to study abroad must carefully assess their options in line with their personal circumstances. The trade-off between completing a course abroad and its future prospects must be considered.

How did the curriculum and teaching methods compare to your previous academic experiences?

The curriculum at UWA was more practice-based and drew from real life situations and case studies. This enabled me to develop a strong basis to offer evidence-based advice in my professional life. There is a lot more self-study involved, with access to a large range of scholarly resources and texts.

What role did the MLP play in your professional growth? Was the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice a mandatory requirement?

There are no “bar exams” to qualify to practise in Australia. Usually, anyone studying law in Australia is required to complete Practical Legal Training. I completed the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the College of Law as part of the Practical Legal Training component of my re-qualification.

Owing to the holistic approach of the MLP program, I was able to enter the legal world of Western Australia confidently. I was able to utilise my newly gained knowledge of the Australian law to cater to the diverse needs of my clients once I was admitted as a lawyer.

Did the program offer career services or networking opportunities?

As I started studying during COVID19 pandemic, there were reduced opportunities to interact with my cohort and the professors. However once the restrictions were lifted, I was able to partake in some networking events organised by the UWA Law School. I attended coffee events with the leading law firms in the city.

I was also part of the several mentoring programs, both through UWA and otherwise. This assisted me in meeting other people from the legal fraternity and learning about their journeys.

What advice would you give to future students about maximizing their employment prospects during and after the program?

Learn from other people’s journeys but do not try to imitate them. Everyone has their own pace and each experience has its own learning.

Be open to different opportunities that come your way and do not be rigid about what you want to do. Try not to come with pre-conceived notions and avoid comparing two different legal systems and procedures.

(This interview was conducted by LLM student, Muskan Chaudhary)

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