The Game Changers is a series of short interviews wherein we ask LL.M. graduates to identify one individual who has had a substantial impact on the individual’s LL.M. experience.
There are two purposes of this series: one, to highlight the fact that each LL.M. experience is unique, and two, to recognise individuals who have made an impact on someone’s life.
In this post, Sanket Palshikar discusses the Game Changer in his time as an LL.M. student at the Victoria University of Wellington.
The Game Changer: Tyrone Barugh, Senior Solicitor, Land Information NZ
Why is he the Game Changer?
Tyrone (my then classmate and now a dear friend) has made a big impact on me during my studies at VUW. Tyrone and I met during our employment laws paper – my first course for the year and he was at the time juggling between LLM and a full-time job with the government.
Incidentally, I secured a part-time job in the same organisation where Tyrone was working and since then we became mates. He has been friendly, kind, always approachable and eased my transition into learning law in a foreign land. He has provided his ‘solicitor’ expertise in providing feedback on my research papers.
Through him, I got insights into the legal landscape of NZ as well as learnt the art of balancing student/work life. I even picked up some of the Kiwi slangs from him. 😛 When things went south, his words of encouragement always uplifted my spirits.
He is one of the very few persons who still encourages me to take up further studies and be enrolled as a solicitor and barrister in NZ. Last but not the least, he was the only person cheering for me on the day of graduation!
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First Person Accounts (FPA’s) are meant to provide a first-hand account of Indian graduates who have pursued, or are pursuing, a post-graduate course (LL.M. or otherwise) from different universities across the world.
Harkiran Sehgal is a 2020 law graduate of Banasthali Vidyapith, and also a 2021 graduate from Tilburg University where she completed an LL.M. in International Law and Global Governance. In this FPA, she discusses the reasons for choosing Tilburg, the LL.M. experience itself, and a whole lot more.
Harkiran Sehgal
Tilburg is an interesting choice of university – what were some of the other schools, if any, that you considered? And what made you narrow down on Tilburg?
By the time I reached my final year in the law school, I was so sure to pursue a specialization in Human Rights Law. I was acting as a Legal Aid Coordinator at my university and was also an active National Social Service(NSS) volunteer. Because of my interest in the concepts like human rights law, international law, humanitarian law, international criminal law, and others I was confident that an LLM degree in these areas is something that can equip me with proper knowledge and is worth going for.
I almost got accepted to all the law schools in abroad. I applied to the law schools in UK, Netherlands and Switzerland. I got accepted at Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, Queen Mary University London, University of Essex, University of York, SOAS London, Tilburg University and Lieden University.
Although all the universities in which I got accepted are known for their excellent LLM in human rights, however my focus was always on the modules that the university offers. The curriculum of the Tilburg’s LLM program in International Law and Global Governance provides expertise across the three core areas of international law: International Law and International Relations, Human Rights and Human Security; Global Sustainability and Environmental Law. So, going for this LLM program at Tilburg University, Netherlands was naturally the best choice for me as it offered me the opportunity to specialize in three areas which no other university did.
Any advice on how to go about the LL.M. applications in general, and the statement of purpose in particular?
Applying for an LLM can be a very time consuming process. One should always focus on the eligibility criteria of the LLM programme and should start working towards collecting all the required documents that are needed.
Speaking from my personal point of view, it is best to start researching about the universities and check their entrance requirements at least a year before so that you have enough time to collect all the documents in a timely manner and meet the eligibility criteria. Some universities have their special requirements for the LLM program, so one should always keep in mind what is actually needed.
Statement of purpose is very important criteria on which universities take their final decision. I would say it is the only document that makes your application unique and stand out over other candidates. This should always be framed in a personalized manner and should reflect the real intention of the candidate and the motivation to study a specific course. SOP may seem like an easy task at the first go, it is definitely not a piece of cake. One must keep enough time to write an SOP. A good SOP can take 3-4 months.
What were some of the expectations you had from the LL.M., and looking back, were these expectations met?
The program has an interdisciplinary approach and law-in-context focus. Not only I focused on relevant treaties and landmark cases, but also about how political institutions, economic actors, and civil society shape the way in which laws are produced and applied at the international level.
All teachers are highly qualified and enthusiastic academics with additional expertise emanating from their connections to international legal practice. The latest research is continuously fed into learning, so we were confronted with topics and ideas of the real world.
The diversity of courses as well as the different nationalities within this program allowed me to really ‘learn through diversity’. This provides interesting discussions within the classroom, but also is the first stepping stone towards any career in a globalized world. Overall, I had a wonderful experience during my LLM and it was a lot more than what I expected out of it.
Looking back, what have been some of the most rewarding aspects of the LL.M. experience?
The LLM at Tilburg tends to attract students who are interested in going beyond the nuts and bolts of black letter law, so they can spend time thinking about larger policy debates and comparative perspectives and reading legal literature that they never have time to consider.
Practically speaking, I ask lots of questions. The Professors at the university were so welcoming and ask the students to break into small groups and discuss about any question we had in the class. One of the key aspects of a good program is what you learn from your peers!
I have been amazed at how well the students and Professors work together in the spirit of cooperation and mutual learning given the diversity of backgrounds.
In addition to that, the LLM provided me the opportunity to intern at GICJ (Geneva International Centre for Justice), Switzerland that helped me develop an informed perspective on human rights issues. This internship has helped me to develop an understanding of how civil society contributes to and interacts with the UN.
During my LLM, I have learned more about the application of international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international law in general and it has contributed towards developing an informed perspective related to issues that revolves around these fields.
Given that you now work in an Indian law school, are there any best practices from Tilburg that more Indian law schools could emulate?
In India, only a few dynamic and outstanding law schools remain islands of excellence amid a sea of institutionalised mediocrity. In India, we follow a completely taught system, there are few reference books at best and maybe some class room discussion. Majorly, India has a text-book study kind of model of education.
In Tilburg, we had many assignments for different modules. However, the way in which the classes were organized, allowed me to participate and reflect on my opinions that I had for specific legal issues. Going beyond the classroom, law schools in India should foster an ecosystem that promotes exploration, self-learning and real world experiences. I think this can help the law students to gain legal skills that are required in today’s world.
Lastly, any advice for the Indian law graduate who is considering a master’s abroad?
I think the most important piece of advice I would have for a prospective applicant is to consider how an LLM in abroad could enhance their current career trajectory and what their hopes and expectations are for their future career. If you’re really going to enjoy the program and get the most out of it, then consider your professional aspirations.
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The Game Changers is a series of short interviews wherein we ask LL.M. graduates to identify one individual who has had a substantial impact on the individual’s LL.M. experience.
There are two purposes of this series: one, to highlight the fact that each LL.M. experience is unique, and two, to recognise individuals who have made an impact on someone’s life.
In this post, Shiv Sidharth discusses the Game Changer in his time as an LL.M. student at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University. You can read about this LL.M. experience here.
The Game Changer: Lucia Folkes, Former Associate Program Director, LLM in International Law.
Why: If I have to name one person who has made the bigger contribution to my Fletcher journey, it was Lucia Folkes, the Former Associate Program Director, LLM in International Law at The Fletcher School and currently working at the law firm Mintz Levin to help run their student recruiting and internship program.
Throughout my LLM program, I saw her maintaining a positive and helpful attitude towards the concerns of the students. On the personal level, she not only helped me in giving the basic orientation of LLM program, choosing my credits/modules, making me acquainted with working style of professors, but she gave more valuable student-life lessons and provided new opportunities to get maximum of my LLM program.
She remained more of a friend. When the COVID lockdown forced closure of the campus, Lucia helped tirelessly to ship my luggage and personal belongings back to me in India. She also ensured that I get all my refunds and other costs incurred for re-location.
Even after graduating from Fletcher, she is helping me out with her advice, recommendation and other career opportunities.
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First Person Accounts (FPA’s) are meant to provide a first-hand account of Indian graduates who have pursued, or are pursuing, a post-graduate course (LL.M. or otherwise) from different universities across the world.
In this FPA, we get Namit Jain to talk about his Juris Doctor (JD) experience at the University of Illinois College of Law. A 2014 graduate of National Law University Delhi, Namit worked for a year before enrolling for the JD. Working as a legal professional in the US for nearly four years, Namit shares his thoughts on the JD versus LL.M. debate, prepping for the Illinois Bar, recruitment opportunities in the US, and a whole lot more.
Namit Jain,’18 University of Illinois College of Law
Alright, let’s start with the more obvious one – why a JD as opposed to the more popular LL.M.? Was this something that you always had in mind as an undergrad law student, or was it a decision that you made after graduation?
I had always planned to add on to my legal education in India with a post grad degree in the US with the goal of practicing here, and after a lot of research (including speaking with practicing attorneys in the US), I opted for a JD as I felt it was better suited to my goal.
And once you had decided that it was going to be the JD, how did you go about selecting just where to apply? Also, how did you go about the application itself, more specifically, the LSAT?
In deciding where to apply, I looked at three primary factors: academic reputation, employment outcomes for graduates, and scholarship opportunities.
I perused websites like toplawschools.com and abovethelaw.com (akin to Legally India) which gave me a detailed insight into the application process, tips for maximizing scholarship outcomes, and the reputation that a particular law school enjoyed within the legal community.
For anyone considering a JD, I’d absolutely recommend abovethelaw.com’s ranking of JD programs as it’s a very good predictor of the placement potential of law schools.
I took the LSAT for the first time in my final year of undergrad without much preparation and didn’t do that well. For my subsequent attempt, I prepared over a four month period while working a full time law firm job in India and used an online prep course to aid my preparation. I definitely benefited from the prep course and doing official practice LSAT tests as I scored in the 90th percentile which was the score I needed for my target schools.
I’d say that the LSAT is definitely the most important aspect of the application process. For the JD program, Law Schools also require a personal statement and letters of recommendation.
For the personal statement, I ensured that it was specifically tailored to the school I was applying to while stressing on how there was a mutual fit between my professional goals and their program. I got my letters of recommendation from undergrad professors I had taken multiple courses with so that they could credibly speak to my abilities as a student.
What were some of the schools you shortlisted, and what made you narrow down on the University of Illinois?
I applied to a wide range of schools and my final shortlist included University of Illinois, Northwestern, and Washington University in St. Louis. All these schools have an excellent reputation and it finally came down to finances, and I decided to go with University of Illinois as they gave me a full tuition scholarship.
How was the JD experience itself? Am particularly interested to know how the JD learning experience was compared to your time as an undergrad law student?
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the JD program. Being at a large University gave me the added advantage of enrolling for interdisciplinary courses at other schools within the University and I took a few courses at the Business School, which was an amazing experience!
US law schools heavily rely on the “Socratic method” which is in stark contrast to the more lecture based teaching at Indian law schools. Students are assigned daily readings and are expected to be prepared, as professors rely on them to facilitate learning by asking open-ended questions or “cold calling”.
The exams are also different in that most professors go for an open book format and test students on application of legal concepts rather than their ability to memorize case law or statuary provisions.
Any best practices at US law schools that you think should be introduced in India?
I definitely enjoyed my academic experience in the US more than I did in India, which is largely due to the fact that most courses focus on understanding the conceptual framework and encourage student participation.
This creates a dynamic learning environment. A course that I really enjoyed was Constitutional Law, where we critically analyzed SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) decisions and our professor challenged us to point out flaws/inconsistencies in the court’s reasoning in some of the landmark cases, which was a completely new experience for me as my experience at an Indian law school largely revolved around listening to lectures.
Another best practice that I think would really help students in Indian law schools is giving them more autonomy over course selection. In the US, after the mandatory first year courses, students are free to choose any course as part of meeting the minimum number of credits needed towards the degree.
This lets students focus on their areas of interest and is a much better use of their time as they don’t have to worry about learning subjects they won’t really use in their practice.
So, one of the advantages of the JD is that it opens up Bar eligibility – how did you go about preparing for the Bar, and how easy or difficult is the Illinois Bar?
Before moving to the US, I had taken and cleared the All India Bar examination and I must say that the state specific bar exams in the US are an altogether different beast.
The Illinois Bar exam has two components, much like most other US Bar exams, the MBE (multiple choice section), and the MEE (the essay section). I prepared for the Bar over a three month period following graduation, and I think what helped me the most was practicing with real MBE questions (questions that had appeared in previous administrations of the exam).
A lot of Bar prep companies throw a lot of material at students so it’s really important to optimize your prep and really focus on studying smart. I knew that if I did well enough on the MBE, I’d clear the exam and therefore focused on the multiple choice section as I was very comfortable with the essay portion (thanks to years of taking law school exams!).
To do this, I used a resource called AdaptiBar which gives one access to every MBE question that has been released by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, and has great analytics features that lets one see what they’re doing well and what they could improve on.
How do you view the recruitment opportunities available to foreign trained law graduates in the US? What were the specific advantages of the JD as compared to an LL.M.?
Having been in the US legal industry for almost four years now, I’d say that JDs definitely have an edge because it’s the more popular degree in the US and is what most practicing attorneys are familiar with.
There are certain pre conceived notions regarding the LL.M degree (like the LL.M being an academic program) that do a disservice to LL.M graduates when they look for jobs and as a result they are typically limited to big law firm and some in-house positions whereas JDs have a variety of options ranging from judicial clerkships, attorney positions with government agencies, and public interest roles.
Regardless of the degree you pursue, know that US employers care a lot about culture fit.
Once you have landed an interview, it’s mostly about how well you can present yourself as someone who’d be easy to work with, rather than someone who knows all the finer legal points, and I think that’s very important to know as an Indian law grad trying to find employment in the US.
Getting good at interviewing is a marathon and you learn by having as many conversations with people in the industry as you can. The practice of “informational interviews” is very popular in the US which is more of a networking tool that you can use to talk to people in the industry and learn about what they do.
It’s a great way to improve your interview skills in an environment where you don’t have the pressure to “get the job”, and also helps you build your network.
Lastly, any advice for the Indian law graduate who is considering a master’s abroad?
I think it’s very important to figure out your end goal and ascertain why you want a foreign law degree. That can really help you make the best decision for yourself as you won’t just be following the herd and spending all that time and money on a foreign degree just because everyone else is doing it.
Once you have figured out the why, do your own research to figure out the best way to get to your goal. Not everyone has the same path and it’s very important to keep that in mind. Make sure to have your application materials critiqued and proof read by our colleagues or classmates!
Also, when getting a letter of recommendation, make sure the person who’s recommending you actually knows you. Getting an LoR from a Supreme Court Judge who barely knows you won’t do much good but getting it from a professor you’ve taken multiple courses will be worth much more as they can really speak to your abilities and skills.
We need your help in keeping this blog alive. If you feel that the content on this blog has helped you, please consider making a donation here.
The Game Changers is a series of short interviews wherein we ask LL.M. graduates to identify one individual who has had a substantial impact on the individual’s LL.M. experience.
There are two purposes of this series: one, to highlight the fact that each LL.M. experience is unique, and two, to recognise individuals who have made an impact on someone’s life.
In this note, Pooja Damodaran shares details about who her GC was during her time as an ICAL candidate, and after she graduated as well.
The Game Changer: Ovidijus Speičys (a fellow peer form ICAL)
About: Ovidijus is a Senior lawyer based out of an International Firm in Stockholm and Lithuania (profile)
Why: Mr. Speičys played a vital role in my legal career both when I was a student and as a legal professional. Academics abroad and specifically in a civil law jurisdiction is very different from that of what we are taught in India.
Everything gets more brief, practical and realistic. Anything conveyed is required to be on the point.
While I struggled majorly trying to get a grasp of this and also try out for the Vis moot team of Stockholm University, Mr. Speičys was there throughout, of course he had a few years of experience being a lawyer and that came in handy when he agreed to mentor me. I think having a mentor to overlook your work is truly a blessing.
He monitored me through my coursework as a peer and helped me understand the EU legal market better. Unfortunately, we hailed from the batch that ended with the 1st COVID Wave (2020) towards the end of our course and so my dreams of working in an international law firm crashed and I returned home to India and continued my legal career in Litigation and Arbitration.
However, I never gave up and was in constant touch with my peers, professors (special mention to Dr. Crina Baltag and Dr. Daria Kozlowska Rautiainen) from the ICAL program.
After months and months of COVID-19 uncertainty and delayed visa situation, I finally moved to Vilnius, Lithuania with dual jobs as a Lecturer, International Commercial Arbitration Law (Vilnius University) and Legal Assistant in Dispute Resolution at Glimstedt, law firm based out of Vilnius, Lithuania.
If I look back now, almost three years have passed since the time I enrolled for the ICAL Program and if I have to thank one person who changed the whole dynamic for me with spectacular mentorship, support and of course constructive criticism- I would say none other Mr. Ovidijus Speičys, my dear friend/peer/mentor and now colleague.
Amicus Partners 