What were you doing before the MCL?
I joined the MCL having just completed my Bachelor of Law (Honours) and Commerce (majoring in Finance) Degrees at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Undertaking a Commerce Degree alongside my legal studies enabled me to develop a strong interest in corporate law, especially at an international level. This interest was deepened through my participation in the 27th Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, and writing my undergraduate minor theses on the intersection between climate change and international dispute resolution. Such experiences also fostered an interest in a career in corporate and commercial disputes.
Outside of my legal studies I undertook a Diploma of Languages in Italian and was incredibly fortunate to pursue my language studies in Italy. I was an enthusiastic participant in Model United Nations Debating, having competed in the Harvard World MUN Championships in Panama City in 2018. I also worked a variety of part-time jobs, including in the health and fitness sector, as a legal research assistant, as an intern at an investment bank and as a paralegal.
What were your impressions of the MCL?
The practice-oriented nature of the MCL provided me with the formative educational training necessary to prepare me for a career in the corporate legal sector. The Deals Course in particular offered me the unique opportunity to study a variety of corporate transactions to which I had not previously been exposed in my undergraduate studies. This experience equipped me with the ability to critically analyse the risks arising in different transactions both before and after signing, and enhanced my understanding of how deal structures can be used to optimise all parties’ outcomes in the transaction. Additionally, routinely hearing from the practitioners involved in the deals provided me with an invaluable insight into the negotiation process which resulted in the deal documents studied.
Aside from the Deals Course, the breadth of papers offered on the MCL provided me with the freedom to both develop my prior interests and deepen my understanding of other corporate topics. I particularly enjoyed the Shareholder Litigation module, which exposed me to the variety of dispute resolution avenues available to shareholders within UK companies. My LLM paper, International Financial Law, also enabled me to approach my undergraduate studies in Finance from a legal perspective to build on my understanding of key transactional elements at an international level. Conversely, modules such as Corporate Taxation and Shareholder Activism enabled me to explore multijurisdictional perspectives of other corporate topics which will inevitably arise in my career ahead.
The MCL was an incredibly rewarding experience, both professionally and personally. The opportunity to study and investigate intellectually rigorous corporate topics was invaluable, but I am also incredibly grateful for the strong friendships formed with my peers throughout the year.
What are your post-MCL plans and have they changed due to taking the MCL?
After the MCL I will return home to Melbourne, Australia, to qualify as a solicitor. The knowledge I have gained from the MCL has equipped me well to pursue my career in corporate and commercial disputes.
