Varsha studied an LLM in International Shipping Law and now is Associate Legal Counsel at Maersk Line.
I chose to study at CCLS because of its international reputation for commercial law studies and research. I was already a practicing lawyer and wanted to shift my focus towards shipping law. CCLS was my first choice because of its curriculum. The curriculum deeply focuses on specific areas of shipping such as Charterparties, Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs, Paperless Trade etc., which are unique to CCLS and have practical application in real life.
One of my fondest memories of being a CCLS student is spending time with my fellow students. CCLS is a diverse institution, which attracts students from all over the world. During the course, I met many interesting people from different countries and got to learn about their culture, background, lifestyle etc. The trip to Cumberland Lodge organised by CCLS is another great memory. Also, CCLS is located in Holborn (Central London) and has amazing hangout spots which I used to explore with my friends post lectures.
The reputation of CCLS speaks for itself. It has faculty members who are renowned in their fields and alumni who are pursuing high profile careers across the globe. This makes me feel proud to be a part of such an eminent institution.
Obtaining a master’s degree from Queen Mary University of London was an important milestone in my career. It helped me take-off my career in the shipping industry. The program is designed in such a way that, apart from the regular maritime subjects, we were introduced to other areas of shipping such as shipbuilding, ship brokering & chartering, ship financing, logistics etc. This aspect helped me get a clear insight of the industry due to which I was able to make informed decisions about my future career goals and secure jobs in well-known shipping companies after my graduation.
I strongly recommend prospective students to pursue an LLM in International Shipping Laws at CCLS because the modules offered here stand out from those offered at other universities. It has distinguished faculty members. I used to enjoy lectures given by Dr. Miriam Goldby and guest lectures by notable maritime lawyers and shipping experts. CCLS has top-class libraries and provides access to a wide variety of online learning resources. At CCLS, education is not restricted only to classroom teaching. The faculty encourages students to participate in various co-curricular activities such as mooting, organising educational trips & networking events, Q-Legal etc., thereby creating a good balance between academic and co-curricular activities.
Would you like your story featured? Contact ccls-alumni@qmul.ac.uk.