LLM Law by Research

"I would like to shortly share my experience while at Buckingham University. My experience at this University is one of the best in my academic background so far. It has solidified my desire to achieve my goals for the rest of my life. At this University, you are able to build a good learning relationship with your professors, an experience you do not usually have while at other Universities. And besides I have made very inspiring academic friends. My law faculty is amazing. I have learned so much where I want my career to go, while learning most valuables for becoming a professional in law. I love the small tutorial classes too.

Buckingham is such a wounderful academic community where everyone is interested in the smallest details of almost everything.

Iam very greatful for having chosen Buckigham University. I have recommended it and I will recommend it 100% to anyone! Come and let your dreams come true."

As a Bermudian, I heard about Buckingham many years ago. My brother and many other Bermudian lawyers are Buckingham graduates. After working for a number of years in the former Soviet Union (Moscow, Almaty, Tashkent and Baku – primarily for George Soros’ Open Society Institute but also with a US telecommunications company and for USAID), I decided that I wanted to retrain as a lawyer, with a view to changing careers and returning to Bermuda.

Buckingham was a sensible option: I wanted to do an LLB rather than a CPE/GDL, but with a family to support I wanted to obtain my degree as efficiently as possible. The winter and summer breaks were long enough to recover from exams, and I managed to get some legal work experience in Bermuda during my second summer, something which was invaluable in my job search.

A surprising benefit of the university was the town of Buckingham itself. Everything was within easy reach. We lived on Chandos Road, so both campuses were within 5 minutes by bike, and our kids went to Grenville School. We were so comfortable in Buckingham that we stayed for an extra year, while I commuted to London to do my LPC at City University’s Inns of Court School of Law.

Thanks to a great extent to help from law lecturers and Buckingham’s Careers Service, I had training contract offers from three firms in the City: a Magic Circle firm, a mid-market firm and a US firm. I chose the US firm and stayed there for nearly four years after I qualified. When that firm collapsed spectacularly in spring 2012, I was happy and very relieved to accept an offer to join Cleary Gottlieb.

“My experience at the University of Buckingham was fascinating. I learnt some of the best and realest life lessons. I learnt skills that have significantly contributed to my career progress and importantly I was taught the importance of critical thinking. The lecturers connect personally to each student and take the progress of their students very seriously. I will always recommend the University of Buckingham over and above other Universities.”

“I found the staff in both the Law School and Buckingham as a whole to be nothing but supportive and encouraging of my goals. The accelerated degree program gave me an advantage over graduates from other universities and allowed me to complete both an LLB and LLM within 3 years. Buckingham also provided me with many opportunities for work experience with senior practitioners and judges. I was also given the opportunity to provide consumer advice in the Law Clinic. This practical hands on experience is not present in most universities and gave me an edge over other candidates in job interviews.”