LL.M. for Foreign-Trained Lawyers

I graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Law in 2003. I have been an attorney in a law firm that has been engaged in international projects for more than 12 years, specializing in banking and finance. Because I have always wanted to excel as a consultant in my career, the Master of Laws (LL.M.) program at Temple University in the USA was a significant experience that contributed to many aspects of my profession and broadened my horizons.

What impressed me most about the Temple is that it is among the best law schools in the country. I was able to choose among various courses that focused in areas in which I currently provide consulting services. I believe that being enrolled in foreign academic institutions has numerous benefits, primarily to develop analytical thinking. The distinguished faculty in Temple, their interactive lectures and practical studies, assignments, and presentations I prepared were very beneficial in developing these skills, especially in a foreign language.

Making friends with students from different countries really helped me to get to know their culture. I had unforgettable experiences and made many friends. In my current professional life, I think that my communication with our foreign clients is based on what I learned from this program. Today, when I look back, I see that the year I spent in Temple was one of the most instructive and enjoyable educational experiences I’ve had. I sincerely recommend this program to all my colleagues who want to specialize in international law.

I developed close friendships with law students from many different backgrounds – both American and international. Practical applications of American and international law were a daily discussion in most of my classes but even more interesting and surprising were the passing chats in the hallway with friends, the debates over lunch with professors, and the late evening study sessions with fellow classmates, in which we shared knowledge about our respective country’s practices. Temple University has an international focus that extends far beyond the classroom and a practical ideal that provides a unique advantage. Comparing legal procedures with my fellow students brought an exciting new aspect to my studies that had been lacking in my other schooling. I graduated from Temple ready to practice international law.

The LL.M. program at Temple University not only gave me the tools to advance my career, but also opened many different doors. In my case, I took many international law courses and am now the senior vice president and director of multicultural banking at Customers Bank in Pennsylvania. Moreover, I’m the Honorary Consul of Peru in Philadelphia. I’m certain that without the help of the LL.M program, I would not be where I am today.

Studying at Temple diversified my professional portfolio and broadened my resources for teaching. Just as my Temple Law professors taught me, I want my students to graduate from law school not as students, but as lawyers. “My Temple professors taught me how to put theory into practice. They taught me established legal principles, and moreover, as researchers, they also created new concepts and encouraged me to pursue my own ideas. As a professor, I have tried to emulate the Temple Law faculty and their approachable and practical teaching style.

This degree changed my life. I took the required credits and courses for the Bar Exam and am now a licensed lawyer. I have my own law firm and am the president of the non-profit organization, Casa Argentina in Philadelphia. Do not hesitate on this decision–join Temple University!