Lana Rukavina’s experience on the International Commercial Law LLM 

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Posted on: 3 October 2017
By: raymonm
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Filed under: Alumni - LLM in International and Commercial Law, Uncategorized

Lana Rukavina, graduated from the International Commercial Law LLM 

I chose Westminster as the place to study for my Masters because I liked the curriculum and the broad range of modules to choose from, which allowed me to completely tailor the course to my specific interests. Furthermore, it’s great that Westminster Law School is in central London, and the various student halls in the area provide the opportunity to live in one of the greatest cities in the world. There are also extensive funding opportunities, and the scholarship I received held an important place in my overall student experience.

The University and the course definitely lived up to my expectations. The way that lectures and seminars were delivered, the interactive classes, the wealth of social and educational activities, the support for international students, classmates from all over the world, teachers who were very enthusiastic about what they did and brought that enthusiasm into the classroom – all these experiences made my University days exciting, both in terms of the knowledge I gained and the people I met.

I could not praise the lecturers and tutors more. They were very supportive, not only with our coursework and exams, but they were also at hand to discuss any future law career predicaments. Their friendliness often made me feel like they were my peers, rather than superiors I ought to be afraid of. I still keep in touch and even meet up for coffee with some of them, as I still live in London.

One of the best things about the course was the executive weekend full of interesting lectures and networking opportunities in a beautiful English countryside hotel. Moreover, I loved the fact that in order to complete their tasks, students were often required to undertake a lot of research and engage their minds creatively, rather than being given large amounts of dry information to remember.

The social life at Westminster was great. The Welcome Week organised at the beginning of the course enabled international students to learn everything that they needed to know about their new country, while allowing them to socialise in a relaxed setting (spending a day in Brighton, experiencing a Thames boat cruise and, in my case, embarrassing myself singing karaoke). There were numerous events organised by the students for the students throughout the year; I attended both a pub crawl along the Thames and an interesting tax avoidance lecture by prominent speakers, so there was something for everyone.

The best thing about being a Masters student in London is the fact that you are living in a great cosmopolitan city full of endless possibilities. There is always something going on and so much to choose from – West End theatres, art cinemas, free museums, year-round festivals, career and sporting events… it is a cultural melting pot in which you will thrive, meet people from all over the world and, whatever quirky interests you might have, you can be sure to find a place for yourself.

Since I graduated I have been working in a City law firm in the white collar crime area. The course made me think more clearly about what I like and want to do in my future career. It has given me an insight into areas of law I knew nothing about previously, and made my CV much more attractive to prospective employers. The Careers Office at the University was also tremendously helpful in making decisions about my future career plans, writing CVs and cover letters, and even helping me out with mock interviews when I found myself lost preparing for the real ones. The support I received from them was simply amazing.

Nothing I can say would prepare other international students for the immense possibilities that will open up in front of them while doing an LLM at the University of Westminster. What I can say is this: do not think twice about the LLM offer you are made, go open minded, make a good use of all the University support that is on offer, and enjoy your time at Westminster. I wish I could relive it again.