Warwick Law Careers Blog

by Rawan Ali Mohammed Osman Yassin

I always understood that to be a legal practitioner, you must love the law, study the law, and most importantly understand it. Something that cannot be achieved without interest. I developed an avid interest in the legal field from my early youth through observing my father’s career as a lawyer and legal adviser.

I subsequently chose to study law and graduated at the top of my class with ‘honours’ and a distinction. I knew I needed something more challenging and decided to take my legal career to the next level by pursuing an LLM.

I applied to several highly reputable universities among them Warwick Law School and LSE and received offers from all of them. I chose Warwick University because it offered the opportunity to specialise in ‘International Commercial Law’ which was the area I wanted to focus on and advance my knowledge in. Warwick provides an extensive and in-depth course in International Commercial Law which was taught by high level intellectuals and professors.

Furthermore, the optional subjects provided within the course played an important role in my decision.  I understood the importance of deciding which modules to take for my chosen area of interest. I felt it was important to pick my modules in accordance with my interests and where I saw myself in my future career. Something I would always advise any student to do.

I am currently undertaking an internship with a Law firm in Cairo, Egypt. During my internship I was assigned a case that contained similar facts to some case studies we studied in the ‘International Commercial Litigation’ module. This demonstrated for me the importance of aligning my modules with my career interests and what I see myself doing in the future. This is something I would encourage prospective LLM students to do as it helps you to explore the relationship between your studies and practice and may help to position you for entry to your chosen career.

I have developed employability skills like problem-solving, great communication and strong leadership through the LLM course. This is partly due to the position I took on of ‘course representative’ for my international commercial law cohort. As a course rep, I spoke to my peers on a regular basis and ensured they were performing well during their LLM both academically and mentally. Also, if they were facing any issues, big or small, I raised it directly with the law school.

This position has prepared me for a challenging work environment. I learned to manage my time efficiently, balancing my academic and course rep commitments. I worked well under pressure and communicated with my peers effectively to help resolve any problems they were facing.

My advice to LLM students thinking about their next career step is to attend any webinars or career fairs presented to them by the University. Warwick has provided us with great opportunities to meet potential employers. Participation in events like these enables you to gain insights into different companies and roles and decide if a firm’s values align with yours. This helps you make informed choices about what opportunities to apply for and the information and insights gained can enable you to stand out in the recruitment process.

Best of Luck!