"Everyone who taught at the School of Law and studied with me was absolutely fascinating."
Year of graduation: 2022Name of programme: International Dispute Resolution LLM Country: Russia
There are two main reasons why I chose Queen Mary to pursue my LLM. First and foremost, after completing my LLB and LLM in Russia, I desired to concentrate solely on commercial and investment arbitration. The LLM programme in Comparative and International Dispute Resolution is specifically focused on it, so it was an ideal fit for me.
Second, Queen Mary is a Russell Group university, which means it has been proven to be among the best in the UK. It is also well-known for having one of the world’s best LLM programmes in international arbitration, with a faculty comprised of both arbitration practitioners and renowned academics. Now that I work in international dispute resolution, I can see how beneficial all of the LLM modules were.
Finally, as a Chevening scholar, I chose Queen Mary because it is a university partner, and I was confident in both its academic excellence and international outlook.
Every class I attended was a high-level discussion with both professors and classmates, and all the professors and SGT tutors always welcomed questions and exchanges of opinions. Because our batch included students from various jurisdictions, it was invaluable to learn their perspectives on the specific legal issues. A comparative analysis of the law in various jurisdictions, in my opinion, is the best way to find the most reasonable solution.
I also had a great time writing my dissertation on the effect of armed conflict on international investment law. Ms. Norah Gallagher, my supervisor, was extremely helpful and welcomed all my questions. I believe that it is easier to focus on such important work as the dissertation in a supportive environment.
My advice to future students is to prioritise their studies while also making time to connect with their classmates and faculty. Everyone who taught at the School of Law and studied with me was absolutely fascinating. I would also recommend participating in all extracurricular activities. At CCLS, there are many lectures and workshops given by the best practitioners and academics from leading universities and law firms. There are also other exciting activities such as moot courts, conferences, etc., which help one to improve not only their legal knowledge but also their soft skills.