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Testimonials

My experience as a research assistant for the UNCLC has been a great addition to my studies. Coming from a non-law background was not a hindrance and I was able to engage with various areas of the law. These included insolvency law, data protection and the international sale of goods. In addition to the research, I attended several of the Centre’s events on topics such as free speech in copyright law, and produced blogs on these events, with the help of Dr Sanam Saidova.

The research work was with Professor Irit  Mevorach, Dr Reza Beheshti and Dr Oliver Butler, who were all extremely helpful and encouraging. The tasks were very varied, including editing papers and collecting data. I have enjoyed the amount of responsibility I was given and the ability to engage with current updates to the law. The work has helped me discover new interests and learn more about legal research. I have also continued to assist Dr Butler with his research on data protection within public bodies following the end of the experience with the UNCLC. It has been very rewarding to contribute to such interesting projects.

Alice Milton, UNCLC Research Assistant, 2022

I had the fantastic privilege of working with the University of Nottingham Commercial Law Centre as a research assistant in the final year of my undergraduate law degree. This experience was invaluable as it allowed me to acquire research skills beyond those required for my course. I was able to use these skills to assist with research on a range of commercial law topics, including dispute resolution clauses in international treaties, parent company liability and cross-border insolvency. In particular, I worked with Professor Irit Mevorach and Dr Klara Polackova Van der Ploeg. All of the staff I interacted with at the UNCLC were very approachable and keen to help me with any issues I encountered. This made it the perfect environment to develop my interest in legal research and commercial law.

I also had the chance to present a talk on a topic I was researching for my final year dissertation. I am very grateful for all of the opportunities available to me from working in this role. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to any student interested in commercial law.

Jakub Mikulski, UNCLC Research Assistant, 2022

The UNCLC’s contribution to the University of Nottingham’s School of Law is worthy of commendation. Pursuing the Master of Laws in International Commercial Law at the University of Nottingham during the 2020-2021 academic year was a different experience than I initially anticipated. There were fewer opportunities for in person engagement and I feared that my experience at UoN would be less rich than that of other students in previous years. UNCLC however kept us engaged by organizing a host of virtual activities which facilitated our intellectual development, providing cutting edge perspectives on original issues, offered industry insight and broadened our horizons. I was most intrigued by the Nottingham Arbitration Talk where we heard from Professor Roy Goode Q.C and panelists Angeline Welsh, Timothy Foden and Dr Martins Paparinskis each of whom are exceptional in their field.

I offer sincere thanks to Professor Irit Mevorach, Professor Paul Torremans, Kobie Neita and all other members of UNCLC who used their networks and influence to provide students with these opportunities and to my colleagues who contributed behind the scenes to the UNCLC’s splendid work.

Pauline Mullings, LLM 2021

I chose to pursue an LLM in International Commercial Law abroad and more specifically at the University of Nottingham which is renowned for the quality of education and its facilities.

 Little did I know that the whole experience would turn out to be far more rewarding than anticipated.

On an academic perspective, it was a real pleasure to study for each and every class thanks to the quality of the working material provided. Moreover, professors’ enthusiasm, passion for their field of expertise, and their commitment to help students reach their full potential encouraged me to be proactive during classes and to challenge myself. Professors are open and available to offer guidance and to advise students regarding career prospects in accordance with their centre of interests. In fact, I had several individual meetings both with my tutor and other professors.

I was part of a multicultural promotion which turned out to be very enriching for my personal growth. Interacting with fellow students during seminars enabled me to view problems from different perspectives and to familiarize myself with different legal cultures. I definitely became more open-minded as a result. Moreover, these interactions gave me a glimpse as to what I can expect in the future since I aim to work at international level.

As regards student life, Nottingham has a lot to offer, and the postgraduate officers of the University of Nottingham make sure to frequently organise social events so that the postgraduate community can reunite. Thanks to these events, I have met incredible people and developed true friendships worldwide.

Finally, I benefited from the University of Nottingham Commercial Law Centre unique placement opportunity with the World Bank Group. Joining the Insolvency and Debt Resolution Team of the World Bank Group for a 3-month internship has given me hands-on experience and enabled me to use the skills I developed as an LLM student in International Commercial Law at the University of Nottingham. I also had the honour to be able to write a dissertation linked to my work at the World Bank.

 It is safe to say that the School of Law of Nottingham University outweighed my expectations and has helped me engage my legal career immensely.

Margaux Seeuws (French), LLM in International Commercial Law, 2019/20

In February 2021, I took up a role as an Intern and Research Assistant at the University of Nottingham Commercial Law Centre.

Throughout my role, I conducted research into issues relating to various areas of commercial law including company law, intellectual property, private international and cross-border insolvency law. I learnt how to use a variety of legal research platforms to conduct efficient and reliable research, and to summarise my findings in a succinct format. This was a fascinating experience, as I discovered a lot about areas of law which I have not had the opportunity to study during my degree.

In addition to conducting legal research, my role also involved assisting with promoting the UNCLC's activities via social media. I assisted with this by creating a LinkedIn page for the UNCLC, which is now active and regularly promotes the centre's latest news and events.

Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and have learnt a lot about an interesting variety of legal areas. The skills I have gained from the UNCLC role will greatly assist me both with the remainder of my degree and with future employment, and I recommend it highly to any student thinking of taking part.

UNCLC Internship 2021 - Lauren Fisher

I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the University of Nottingham Commercial Law Centre (UNCLC). I was exposed to three areas of the law: International Law of the Sea, Private International Law of Intellectual Property and Corporate and Insolvency Law.

I worked alongside Professor Estelle Derclaye, Dr. Sanam Saidova and Professor Irit Mevorach. From February to April, I attended various events to write blogs for the UNCLC website. This included both guest lecturers and our own professors. In particular, I wrote blogs on maritime delimitation, a unique internship opportunity offered by the World Bank, insolvency debt resolution in the time of Covid-19 and the effect of the energy transition and petroleum industry during Covid-19. Alongside this, I translated recent judgements regarding intellectual property law from languages such as Dutch, Slovak and Italian to English.

This internship was an invaluable experience as I was able to be creative and analytical in writing blogs on current legal developments. This aided my commercial awareness and taught me how to bring my opinion into discussions. Alongside this, I was able to interact with different members of staff in the department. I would strongly encourage those interested to apply! 

UNCLC Internship 2021 – Junelle Ayettey 

The quality and outstanding reputation of the School of Law at Nottingham were key factors in first considering the University of Nottingham for my LLM study.

The breadth and depth of the course structure enables students to choose modules specifically around their interests and career goals which in itself is invaluable and enabled me to focus on my areas of specific interest with a flexibility not possible at other universities; this also greatly influenced my choice. I wasn't disappointed.

Lectures and seminars are delivered by enthusiastic and engaging leaders in their fields and the support provided by the school, both in developing legal skills and also in targeted support for specific legal areas, is second to none. The ethos of quality runs through every interaction and there is also an impressive guest lecture programme which added to the richness of the experience, as did the opportunity to study alongside like minded professionals.

The campus is beautiful and onsite facilities are impressive of course, but I would add that, in their response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the University pulled out all the stops with a seamless and decisive move to online study which was engaging, flexible, well organised, and well resourced and kept every student focussed, supported, and on track to meet their goals and which, in itself was a rich and positive experience. However the course is delivered in the future, choosing the University of Nottingham to progress your legal career is, in my opinion, an excellent decision.

Fiona Hughes

Returning to the University of Nottingham to pursue the LLM was never a difficult decision due to wonderful experience I previously had with the LLB here. Although I selected the general LLM for its flexibility, the majority of my modules were within the international commercial law speciality to complement my previous academic and professional experiences. Under the LLM programme, not only was I able to enhance my understanding of familiar subjects such as corporate and insolvency law, I also enjoyed learning about new areas of law such as international trade finance and the international law of the sea.

In addition to its excellent standard of teaching, the School of Law offers a wide range of extracurricular workshops and guest seminars which allow students to explore our legal interests even further. Furthermore, I am grateful for the dedication and support provided by the professors, tutors and administrative team of the School of Law throughout my time here.

Being part of the “Covid-19 Cohort”, I understand the confusion and difficulties that many are still facing due to the challenges of the crisis, especially with regard to the disruption to our studies. Nevertheless, I was genuinely impressed with the swift and comprehensive response by the School of Law in developing alternative arrangements for teaching and assessments. Every question raised by students was duly resolved, and our personal tutors were always ready to offer further support. While the pandemic has created a cloud of uncertainty for many of us, I am confident that my experiences in Nottingham will have a positive impact on both of my personal and professional life in the future.

Vu Phuong Chi Pham, Master of Laws LLM, 2019/20

After many recommendations to study at the University of Nottingham, I can say that I made the right choice. The University offers a variety of modules in my field, that enhanced my knowledge and will be helpful in my future career. The professors assist their students in any kind of situation and they encourage us to succeed. In addition, the city of Nottingham is perfect for students, since it has everything that we need. I strongly recommend the University of Nottingham for any student.

Mikaella Constantinou (Cypriot), LLM International Commercial Law, 2018/19

My experience as an LLM student in International Commercial Law was both academically and socially rewarding and overall invaluable. Studying abroad, meeting countless, inspiring people and getting to know them, making new memories everyday was just a part of this life changing experience.

Academically, my expectations were exceeded. The School of Law offers a variety of modules, all taught by world-class experts. I had the opportunity to design a curriculum in accordance to my interests and career prospects from a wide range of commercial law modules such as International Sale of Goods, International Aspects of Corporate Law and Insolvency, International Trade Law and more. The modules were challenging yet satisfying at the same time. Resource materials were rich and comprehensive.

The approachable and motivational attitude of the convenors gave me the confidence to participate in seminar discussions and the quality of discussions were further enhanced by the diverse backgrounds of my fellow students. The blend of multi-cultural students allowed me to appreciate different point of views and get acquainted with different cultures and legal notions. The fact that most of my modules included international comparison also contributed to getting to know other legal systems.

As a lawyer from a civil law background, I had concerns about studying in a common law jurisdiction, yet, they were proven to be unjustified as I was able to receive all kinds of assistance and support in order to get accustomed to the system in the UK. I was offered the opportunity to participate in additional seminars, workshops and individual meetings with our tutors. I also had the chance to work as a research assistant for a short while during my study which further enriched my experience.

Overall, past year has contributed to my personal growth extensively, in many ways and helped shape my future career plans.

Simge Aslan (Turkish), LLM International Commercial Law, 2017/18