Testimonials

My name is Stepan Korostelev, and I recently completed an amazing 1-year LLM program in Commercial and Company Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Prior to pursuing this program, I obtained my law degree and gained professional experience in various legal fields. Motivated by my interest in intellectual property law and the positive feedback I received from Erasmus University alumni, I decided to embark on this academic journey to enhance my legal expertise and broaden my career prospects.

The primary reason I chose this specific master's program was the well-rounded curriculum it offered, with a particular possibility to study Intellectual Property (IP) Law and Capita Selecta Trademark Law course. Erasmus University has a stellar reputation for its law faculty, and their professors specialized in commercial law sphere, which was a perfect fit for my career aspirations.

My experience with the LLM program in Commercial and Company Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam has been nothing short of remarkable. The curriculum was thoughtfully designed, encompassing a diverse range of interactive assignments and activities. Two standout components that truly enriched my learning experience were the internal Moot court on CISG matters and the Oxford Debates in EU Bankruptcy law. These interactive sessions not only allowed me to apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios but also honed my critical thinking, oral advocacy, and legal research skills.

For prospective master students considering the LLM program in Commercial and Company Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam, I would like to offer a few tips based on my experience:

• Embrace the interactive assignments: Make the most of the interactive assignments. These activities provide an excellent platform to apply theoretical knowledge, develop advocacy skills, and engage with peers in intellectual discussions.
• Time management: As the program progresses, the workload can become demanding, particularly during the fourth block when working on the Master thesis alongside studies. I would recommend to the University to interchange the positions of the third and fourth blocks. This change would allow for a more balanced allocation of time and resources, enabling students to effectively manage both their thesis and coursework.
• Engage in social activities: Take advantage of the opportunities to widen your network associated with Erasmus University. Actively participate in networking events, social drinks and legal conferences to connect with professionals in the field of Commercial and Company Law. It is fun and very useful for your perspective career.

In conclusion, my experience with the LLM program in Commercial and Company Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam has been highly rewarding. The curriculum's assignments, coupled with the faculty's expertise and guidance, have enhanced my legal skills and deepened my understanding of law in general and EU law in particular. While I suggest a slight adjustment in the sequencing of the program's blocks, I wholeheartedly recommend this master's program to aspiring students seeking a comprehensive and dynamic education in Commercial and Company Law.

My name is Mauricio Gómez-Rodríguez. I am a 27-year-old lawyer, born and raised in Bogota, Colombia. Before coming to Rotterdam, I was doing an internship at my country's embassy in Rome. After that, I went to live in Madrid for two years to do a postgraduate degree in Air and Space Law.

Which master programme did you pursue?

Maritime & Transport Law at Erasmus School of Law.

Why did you decide to choose this programme?

When the time to choose a master's degree had finally arrived for me, it was not an easy decision to make, mainly because I was sure my choice would define the course of my career. My main doubt was in deciding whether it was worth doing a master's in a country other than my own. There is always the idea that you cannot study law in a foreign country because laws and societies are different. That was why I knew the Master of Laws (LL.M.) I would choose must have a solid international focus and a link with commercial law, which I like. And that's how I found the LL.M. in Maritime & Transport Law at Erasmus School of Law.

What do you remember most about the programme?

Despite being passionate about air law, discovering maritime law's world was fascinating. The best thing about the master programme is that behind every business, there is a whole legal framework that is one of a kind. Insurance, contracts, casualties, multiple jurisdictions, and different forms of transportation are some topics that each of the classes in this programme addresses.

However, I must say that it is not an easy master. There are certainly times when you have to focus on studying seriously, plus having a background in law is essential. Some of my classmates had to work hard because they lacked the experience. The classes could be intellectually challenging, as the academic demand is high. That is a reason why this master's is so internationally recognized. However, I must also say that it is worth the effort, and there are many other fun moments. During the academic year we visited companies and law firms. We had debates and working groups, making all the students relate to each other quickly since most of us were foreigners. Besides, Rotterdam is a charming city, full of young people and with a unique vibe.

What would you say to Erasmus School of Law students who are now choosing their master programme?

I can confidently say that the Maritime & Transport Law master programme opened the world's doors to me. It is a complete master's full of exciting topics in an industry with many opportunities to grow. My advice is not to be overwhelmed by how difficult it can be to find a house in Rotterdam or how long the rainy days can be. Most of your classmates will be experiencing the same things you are, and Rotterdam is a city where there is always something new to do or learn.

After my degree in international relations and human rights law, I was looking for a master’s program to specialize in security issues and to further enhance my research skills. I opted for the IMARC program at Erasmus university, and I am so glad I did! This program was instrumental in expanding my criminological expertise, enhancing my qualitative research skills in policy-related areas (both on the national and European level), and - most importantly - in my growth as an individual.

After spending 2 semesters at Erasmus University in a small and very close group of students, I was able to immerse myself in the practical field of criminology through an internship at the EU for my third semester. At the European Crime Prevention Network in Brussels, I evaluated the stance and attitudes of European policymakers towards AI-governance (think: predictive policing and fraud detection during the toeslagenaffaire) using qualitative methods. This internship provided me with the necessary research and network skills for my future career, but also taught me how to deal with political sensitivity in policy-related research. Doing an internship at the EU had always been a dream of mine – and IMARC moved me forward to fulfill this dream. It almost goes without saying that I enjoyed every minute of it!

After dipping my toes in the world of Brussels, I was confident that I wanted to grow further in the path of EU policymaking. With this motivation, I directly started a traineeship at the European Agency for Fundamental Rights after graduating, the official and only human rights institution of the EU that publishes influential work on how to protect and promote fundamental rights across the EU. I work in the Justice & Security Section, which, for me, has proven to be the perfect blend between human rights and security-related questions situated in a dynamic political field. Going forward, I am looking forward to continue with intriguing academic research within difficult policy settings. It has shown to be not only intellectually stimulating, but as well personally valuable and impactful.

When I started at university with my bachelor’s in criminology, the whole concept of research and science was completely new to me. During my bachelor’s, my interests in research started to emerge, and I learned how fun and challenging doing research can be. I followed several courses on methodology, but I had not yet gone through the entire research process of devising, setting up, conducting, and reporting. This is the main reason why I chose for IMARC, because here you have a full year for your research! It allowed me to explore whether a career in research would be something for me.

Besides further exploring your interests for doing research, I think IMARC offers several more important advantages. First of all, because you have a full year for you research (in the second year of IMARC), you can pick a subject that you like and completely delve into that. With the different tracks, IMARC allows you to pick courses at a university you find interesting. When you have a specific job in mind, this can be helpful as well. Moreover, you can combine your research with an internship, which I did at a municipality. There are several partners of IMARC but approaching others on your own initiative might be possible as well. This did not only offer me research experience, but also more work experience and networking opportunities. Finally, another important note is that the programme is completely English taught. Although this can be challenging at first if you are not a native speaker like me, it absolutely helped me to improve my professional English skills, which stills helps me today. Communicating with your student-peers (and maybe even future friends!) from many different countries offers important cultural learning experiences as well.

Taken everything together, IMARC is a challenging, but one-of-its-kind criminological research master programme. It has been of great value for my current research, but even if you seek another kind of job after your master’s, I think the skills you will acquire can be of great value!

My name is Ingrid-Ioana Murariu and I am a 23-year-old Romanian. After living in Bucharest, Romania for 16 years and 3 more in Stavanger, Norway, I decided that I wanted to live and study somewhere that would remind me of both. So, after visiting Rotterdam for a few days, I had no doubt that this city will be my next home. Once I finished my Bachelor studies in Psychology and International Law at Erasmus University College, not only was I not ready to leave this beautiful city, but I was certain that pursuing an LL.M. degree is the best next step towards my foreseen legal career.

Given that there are so many opportunities when it comes to an LL.M. programme, one may wonder why choose International and European Union Law. Well, as an international residing in a European Member State, I wanted to study both (actually, I did not know which one of the two to choose). So, when I saw that Erasmus University Rotterdam can give me both, I did not even look further. The way the courses were organized and the fact that you have two months delving into the realm of both International and European Union Law, to then decide which of the two shall be your specialization seemed like a perfect fit for me.

When classes first started, it was quite overwhelming due to the COVID-19 health crisis and the measures imposed that led to the entire programme to be followed online. Not being able to attend live lectures and meet your professors and classmates was challenging and frustrating. However, the professors have done their utmost best so that we get to work together, have class discussions and overall, not feel like we have lost something by not being able to attend in-person. Every class was something new and interesting and we had many opportunities to get to know our future professors and theses supervisors both during guest lectures and organized meeting sessions. Having graduated from the programme, I can confidently say that I have learned more than I would have ever expected to. From case-studies, assignments, mind-maps, moot-court simulations to presentations, exams, blogposts and theses, there is not one area or way of accumulating knowledge and skills that we have not explored during this programme. Nonetheless, commitment and ability to follow deadlines are crucial assets to succeed, which became obvious as soon as we started our first week.

Ultimately, I am grateful for this experience, our professors and my classmates for making this LL.M. programme as exciting and educative as it was. If one does not know which track (and corresponding branches) is the best fit for them, this programme is the perfect place to find that out. Furthermore, if there is one piece of advice that I could give it is: “Unity is strength!”. Finding my people in this programme and pushing, supporting and helping each other was the best decision I have made (and honestly, I could not have done it without them).

If someone would have told me two years ago that I would write a testimonial for Erasmus School of Law, I would have laughed. Why would I? I was an engineering student at Delft University of Technology, not a law student.

However, after my exchange at Berlin University of Technology, I wanted to pursue my ‘newly discovered’ interest in international and European Union law in Rotterdam. It was especially that combination of international and European law that attracted me: these two legal orders are inherently interlinked and for a better understanding of global governance you need knowledge of both of them. Corresponding to Erasmus University’s identity, a wide range of electives on economic integration, human rights, and democracy is offered. This all makes the programme very interdisciplinary and gives you a great deal of freedom to shape the LL.M. to your own interest.

In the first block, you will follow the Research & Writing Skills course. For me, as a non-law student, this was quite an intense module as it is basically a crash course in international and European law. Meanwhile, much attention is paid to developing your legal skills. Some students, like me, had doubts about this programme after taking this module: would this master’s remain so intense? I can only say, do not be put off by this block. This block might be challenging but assures you that you have the basis needed to successfully complete the rest of the programme. And for the first block itself? If you just complete the assignments, participate in classes, and read the literature, you definitely will make it through!

For the remainder of the master’s, you can specialise in either EU or international law. Choosing does however not mean you will stop learn about the other track. Firstly, you will experience in the interactive joint courses in blocks 3 and 5 that the interaction between the two legal orders is never far away. Secondly, it is still possible to participate in courses from the other track. I myself, for instance, took two modules on European competition law and the EU’s economic and monetary union to learn more about international economic law as a whole.

The best thing about this master’s is the people defining it. We often worked in small, multicultural, and interdisciplinary groups. Not only did I learn much from other students having various backgrounds, but we also became very close. Nothing is more important than being able to enjoy Rotterdam together after having studies together all day. The teachers are very open to discussion and have a strong connection with the legal practice, making the lectures interactive and applicable to current cases. Their personal guidance really motivated me to go for the extra mile.

This master’s will give you a wealth of both theoretical and practical knowledge of international and EU law. After graduation, you are not only utmost prepared for the labour market, but you certainly have made new friendships for life as well.

My name is Leon Goh, and I am from Singapore. After spending the first three years of my bachelors at the National University of Singapore, I was given the opportunity to pursue a masters in Maritime and Transport Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam  as part of the Exchange plus programme between the two universities. The choice of maritime law was an easy one as the international nature of shipping has always appealed to me.   

One noteworthy advantage of the exchange plus programme is the fact that the two institutions are in two different legal systems. This affords students the opportunity to consider any given area of law from two different perspectives. In my case, I was able to immerse myself in shipping law and experience it from both the common law and civil law perspective. In addition, as a bonus, both Singapore and Rotterdam are important port cities. Furthermore, owing to the international nature of the classroom which is made up of people hailing from a multitude of jurisdictions, every student brings something new to the discussion.     

Another reason why I decided to pursue not only a masters at Erasmus University Rotterdam, but a maritime law masters, is undoubtably its location. As the largest port in Europe, there is an entire maritime ecosystem here. The curriculum at Erasmus University Rotterdam leverages this major boon and this adds a practical dimension to our studies. As students, we get to experience a wide range of activities from company visits to interactions with real-life practitioners from companies like Van Traa and Boskalis.  

However, the life of a master student is more than just the classroom. Aside from academics, life in Rotterdam certainly did not disappoint. Rotterdam is such an eclectic and international city, there truly is something for everyone. Whether it is experiencing new cultures, meeting other people from around the globe or taking in the new sights and sounds, life in Rotterdam is rarely a dull moment.

My name is Alicia Zwanikken and I am a graduate of Erasmus University Rotterdam (Erasmus School of Law), class of 2014. I am currently 34 years old and working in Rotterdam as a lawyer for Van Traa Lawyers. Moreover, I am an editor for the legal review “Tijdschrift Vervoer en Recht” and a co-editor for a book on liabilities for carriers during international road transport that will soon be published. My department within the law firm focuses on nearly all legal issues surrounding the (inter)national transport of goods. As this is a complex field including many parties such as carriers, cargo-interested parties and insurers from around the world, the legal issues involved are diverse. My work usually focuses on the issues where public law requirements and civil law obligations clash. As the regulatory and contractual environment is a fast-changing world in which lawyers can truly make a difference for transport-oriented companies, to me my work is challenging and deeply satisfying.

I am certain that I would not have ended up where I am today had it not been for the LL.M. Commercial Law programme at the Erasmus School of Law. The programme was intellectually challenging, all the more so as the input from fellow students from all around the world taught me to always challenge the status quo. I thoroughly enjoyed the in-depth academic discussions with the accomplished professors, highly professional teaching staff and my fellow students. Without even fully realising it at the time, I walked away with an improved skill set for analysing and arguing certain points of law from which I still reap the benefits in my day to day work. The entire year provided me with an invaluable experience that I have always cherished and which is not easily encountered elsewhere. I would highly recommend this programme to anyone interested in the international aspects of commercial transport of goods.

Different hats
“I have always had different positions within Erasmus School of Law. Currently, I am the programme director of the double degree Toga aan de Maas, I am preparing for the defence of my doctoral thesis on Penal Tax Law, I am working on the completion of the courses of Procedural Tax Law in the bachelor and master and the course Legal Academic Skills for tax law students. In addition, I contribute to research into a law aiming to prevent money laundering and the funding of terrorism, and I also contribute to a criminal evaluation of the advisory committee for those serving a death sentence. I also have an on-call contract with an office that offers tax opinions. Every week is different for me, which is nice.”

Not made for the tax consulting practice
“After finishing my two masters in Maastricht, I briefly worked at a big four company, but that did not suit me. After signing a contract at a law firm, I bumped into a vacancy for a teaching job at Erasmus School of Law, so eventually I never started at that firm. At Maastricht University, master students with good grades can tutor focus groups within Problem-Based Learning (PBL), so I already had some experience with the teaching form. In Maastricht, I discovered my passion for working at a university and teaching. I also always had the ambition to obtain a doctorate. Therefore, I decided to apply at Erasmus School of Law, and I started working here in 2014 as a tutor, despite the fact that I was about to start at a law firm. I have always had the impression that by working in education you can make a difference for the younger generation. You can help them, which energises me. It energises me more than writing documents for the clients of a tax consultants’ office.

Currently, I am the programme director of the master Toga aan de Maas, so I work closely with the master coordinator Eva Roosendaal. She mainly focuses on student affairs, and I am involved with the content of the programme. For example, I review the curriculum and the admission requirements, but I also maintain relationships with our associate law firms. They offer us masterclasses and provide internships to our students. I evaluate our programme with the associates, and I assess whether they want to stay associated with our education. I also think about the content of the different courses in our master.”

Summoned by the boss
“When Toga aan de Maas was rebooted in 2015, I was asked to apply for the position of coordinator of this programme. I had only worked as a tutor for a year, and because of my involvement with Toga aan de Maas, I met Joost Nan and Paul Mevis, who, together with Maarten Verbrugh and Ruben Houweling, led the way in the reboot of the master. That is how I eventually ended up in the Criminal Law department.

My route to the Tax Law department has been quite remarkable. When I worked as a tutor in Maastricht, I was pretty diligent and made schemes on the blackboard for the students. In Maastricht, this was never an issue, but in Rotterdam, tutors are expected to ask questions instead of giving answers to stimulate the students to study themselves. A couple of my fellow ex-tutors were not too happy about my scheme making, so I was summoned to the supervisor of the tutorpool. Sigrid Hemels, professor of Tax Law at Erasmus School of Law, heard of this, but luckily she did not mind too much and even asked whether I would be interested in obtaining a doctorate within the Tax Law department. So that was a blessing in disguise.”

Surrounded by inspiring and helpful people
 “My promotors Paul Mevis and Guido de Bont inspire me a great deal. They openly talk about their ideas and substantiate those really well and the way they assess my papers; working with them has been a great experience. I mainly write about tax-related issues, but Paul Mevis, Professor of Criminal Law, knows surprisingly much about this subject and asks the right questions to help me in my research. He also revived my enthusiasm for criminal law. Although Guido de Bont is a Professor of Tax Law, he draws my attention to a particular verdict by the Civil department of the Supreme Court from 2006, for example.

Sigrid Hemels inspires me as well. She manages to combine all her different positions and even takes time for the younger colleagues of the Tax Law department. Although she is no longer the head of the department, she is still someone with whom employees like to exchange thoughts about possible career moves or the content of concept papers. She truly takes time for these things. Reinout Kok is another example of such a person. They honestly want to help, no strategies involved. That is admirable.”

Too little hours in a week
“I personally think a lot of PhD candidates find it a challenge to combine research, education and a PhD track, because there is a limited amount of hours in a week. In my own experience, the combination of a full-time teaching job with writing a thesis was doable; writing is, of course a hobby. However, the deadline of my temporary appointment did stress me out. Luckily, I got some extra months to finish my thesis properly. Now I can look forward to my PhD defence on 8 July.”

Wishing for a thousand kids
“Erasmus School of Law is a nice working environment, and I am not all bored with the School just yet. My work has a lot of variety, and I have a wide variety of tasks. I do not have a specific future goal. I judge my ambitions in the moment and I will see where the road takes me. For example, I am currently focussing on my two earlier-mentioned research projects and my PhD defence. After that, I will see what comes my way within the School. As long as I get good opportunities, I am happy here. I do however find it important to keep myself busy with challenging things.

I wholeheartedly hope that I can keep combining my work with my private life in a proper manner. I have a little daughter and would love to have a thousand children, because kids are the greatest thing on earth. At the same time, I really enjoy my job and definitely do not want to say no to great opportunities. I have no clue what the future holds, but combining work and private life, both on an established level, is something I wish to be able to continue to do. Luckily, until now, that is going really well.”

You only live once
“I studied Criminal Law and Tax Law in Maastricht. Eventually I had an amazing study time there, but the first two years were horrible. As a seventeen-year-old I moved from Amersfoort to Maastricht, which was a bit stressful, because I knew no one in Maastricht. I luckily met someone during the introduction who did not like beer either, so we have been friends ever since. In the first two years, I experienced a lot of homesickness. After my classes on Thursday, I went straight home to Amersfoort, and on Monday, I came back as late as possible. I did however get very high grades, because I studied a lot.

After two years, everything changed because of serious medical issues. It made me realise that you only live once and that idea luckily never left me. I am incredibly grateful for everything I have. In my study time, this meant I wanted to do a lot more in addition to studying, so I joined several different associations. My life changed completely; I started going out, seldomly went home and even got some lower grades. During my job interview at the law firm, I was asked about these grades. I told them these grades are the ones I am the proudest of. In the last year of my bachelor and in my masters, I still enjoyed studying and I liked writing my theses.”

Privileged position
“If I could give some advise to students, that would be to remind yourself of the privileged position a student at a university has. On an intellectual and on a financial level, students are very fortunate, which is not the case for everyone. Having fun during your study time is important, but I also enjoyed the lectures. It is important that students realise how inspiring their lecturers can be; that is very special and essentially different from a non-academic institute. I hope – when it is possible again – to see a lot more students on campus and in the lecture halls.”

A new start in Rotterdam
“I started working at Erasmus School of Law as director of education and student affairs at the beginning of 2021. In this role, I am responsible for educational policy and support, including the scheduling services, examination committee and study advisors. In addition, I advise the vice-deans of bachelor and master education about the faculty’s strategy, and we discuss the most important short and long-term challenges every week. 

A few months ago, I noticed the vacancy for this position on LinkedIn. I have already gained experience with developing strategy in and outside of higher education and improving the success rate of other educational institutions, but I had yet to experience this process at university level. I was also told to be involved with the strategy of Erasmus School of Law, so I did not hesitate to apply.”

Four degrees in eight years
“I have had the possibility to study a lot. In eight years, I completed the studies Dutch and English Language and Literature, as well as Computational Linguistics and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Antwerp. I also studied Corporate Finance and Applied Economics at the Catholic University of Leuven. During my studies I have also been chairman of a fraternity, which gave me an enhanced experience of student life; this position was just as interesting to me as my time in the lecture rooms. The social aspect of studying is just as important to me as obtaining a degree, so I am delighted that I got to experience both. 

That is why I advise all students to enrich their student time with side activities. In addition to gaining work experience, it is essential to also work on your personal development. In my view, personal leadership during your studies is just as important as the grades on your degree.”

Lack of finance in a dream job
“After graduating, I started working as an International Management Trainee at Procter & Gamble (P&G). Half of the supermarket is stocked with P&G products like Gillette, Pringles, Bosch and Head& Shoulders. It is a dream for many economics students to land a position there, but the positions are scarce. P&G only takes on two students every year. I was thrilled that I was able to start my career in such a fun and sought-after position. 

Unfortunately, it turned out that I was not challenged enough at P&G due to my background in finance. That is why I decided to switch to the ING office in Brussels, where I started my job as an International Management Trainee in the financial sector. After working in different departments, I found my place in a management position in a department dealing with investment banking and the development of financial products. I then came into contact with Deloitte Consulting through my work at ING. There I was offered a management position at the Strategy Office, in which I mainly focused on the supervisory guidelines for banks and insurance companies, such as Solvency II and Basel III. I really enjoyed this work, partly because of the international character of this position.”

A big BMW is not everything
“Despite the beautiful BMW I was driving and the generous salary I earned, I still missed something in my job. Little motivated me to go to the office every day. My brothers’ experience could not have been more different. He had been working as a ‘lector’ in higher education for years and enjoyed going to work every single day. At that moment, I decided to switch to working in education, and I have not regretted that decision for a day since. Education intrigues me, and I enjoy working for the future of our younger generations every single day. 

The switch I made to education is by far the most successful career move I could have made. As far as I am concerned, education is the vehicle for social mobility, which is why I particularly enjoy working in the ‘Randstad’ with significant urban challenges. That provides an additional dimension to the position that I already find very intriguing.”

Tripling the study success in The Hague
“After several years as a manager at Fontys Hogescholen, I started working as a director for the Haagse Hogeschool. Here, the study success rate in the first year was only 19 percent, and the students that transferred from ‘mbo’ had virtually no chance of obtaining their degree. We managed to increase the study success rate to 60 percent, in which ‘mbo’ and ‘havo’ students were evenly represented. This is a result that I am very proud of. In the coming years, I also want to make a positive contribution to the study success rates at Erasmus School of Law.

I see improving the study success as one of the most important challenges in my new position. At Erasmus School of Law, the success rate in the first year is currently approximately 50 percent. We want to increase this, so I am working with the education counsellors on a policy strategy to improve our education and study success rates.”

Giving students a voice 
“Our students inspire me every day. You can learn so much from them, and they are the reason we do this work. They can, however, easily be forgotten in the debate, but it is important to listen to them. If we do so, we can improve the services within education and create a climate in which studying is both successful and enjoyable.

I hope to contribute to student satisfaction and study success at Erasmus School of Law in the coming years. In addition, I want to create an atmosphere in which my colleagues enjoy their work. I strive for satisfaction, coupled with results and quality.”