Cameron first knew he wanted to be a commercial lawyer as a child when he used to watch TV shows about lawyers cross-examining parties in their clients’ best interest, inspired by the skills they displayed.
By Elena Carruthers. Published 01 September 2022. Last updated 11 January 2023.
I am originally from Hong Kong and have just graduated from the iGDL programme at ULaw. Prior to studying the iGDL, I studied an Economics and Finance degree in the UK and a Juris Doctor degree in Hong Kong. I have always enjoyed tertiary education as it challenges us to understand and consolidate difficult materials and content, developing strong, life-long career skills.
Law students are trained to be practical thinkers who truly understand the workings and intentions behind legislators, judges, and the public – this is something I observed during my undergraduate studies. I find such skills crucial and upon receiving the opportunity to study the iGDL online, it was the obvious choice for me.
ULaw’s online tutors want to see us succeed in our studies and provide us with plenty of advice on how to prepare for exams and review study manuals. During virtual tutor sessions, we are encouraged to ask questions regarding the course content which we then receive immediate feedback for. Moreover, course content is intriguing and well-delivered. This mode of learning helped to boost my confidence in assessments and exams, as I can now quickly identify working objectives and underlying issues, all of which are important skills in a professional career.
I aim to work as a commercial lawyer in the financial sector as I am interested in business markets and project development. Business and finance have always appealed to me as a field that is visionary, creative, and competitive. I hope my participation in this field enables me to contribute to the promotion and support of a healthy economic system that we all can benefit from.
I first knew I wanted to be a commercial lawyer as a child. I used to watch TV shows, featuring lawyers negotiating and cross-examining parties in court for their clients’ best interests. It was amusing and exciting and I always wished that I could someday become one of them helping clients to navigate through the complex legal system.
ULaw online students are tech-savvy and we regularly share our thoughts and update on each other’s progress via WhatsApp. We encourage and motivate each other to make revision plans and reach study goals and we remind each other on important dates during the year. These groups are great platforms to safely and swiftly connected with new friends worldwide who all have a common goal.
Tutors often post feedback online and comment on our answers in the “Engage” section on the portal where we can review our work anytime. Live tutor sessions are also a great opportunity to meet with tutors in real-time and ask questions about the course.
The best way to stay focused and engaged is to adopt and study according to ULaw’s PEC learning model – 1. Prepare 2. Engage 3. Consolidate. ULaw also provides us with scheduled weekly content under the teaching calendar, and I customised my own personal study planner accordingly.
In addition, I regularly seek career opportunities during free time to remind myself of my career goals and practice aptitude tests. At first, these processes are quite intimidating, but practice makes perfect.
The ULaw experience has been a well-balanced journey in terms of academic challenges, students’ wellbeing and career employability. The course materials are intriguing and complex at times, which trained my resilience and boosted my creativity in inventing ways of overcoming these academic challenges. Beyond academics, there are also many different clubs and societies at ULaw, and I participated in the ‘Beyond Human Rights Society’ where I had the opportunity to discuss the latest pressing human rights issues with other members.
ULaw’s career services are amazing too and at the beginning of the school year, I took up Student and Unibuddy Ambassador roles which provided me with some work experience to showcase to future employers. There are also other careers events hosted regularly for students such as assessment centre advice and other interview workshops.
One top tip for students who plan to study at ULaw is to immerse into the course content and engage in university life. Tutors and students are very helpful and will always be up for a chat if you reach out. During our busy days, we might experience burnouts but we can always improve our situation by asking for peer and tutor guidance. Most of us share the same goal; we wish to see each other excel and succeed in life, creating lifelong friendships along the way.
Learn more about studying online and building professional skills at The University of Law’s Online Campus.
