Testimonials

My name is Jana Trifunović and I am a graduate of Erasmus University Rotterdam (Erasmus School of Law), class of 2016. I am currently 28 years old and working in Maastricht as a second-year PhD researcher at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Law, Department of Public Law. I am, moreover, affiliated with the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht. In the context of today's data-driven information societies, my doctoral research is aimed at exploring the legal and social implications of a practice called independent judicial research. Questions that I address include whether judges confronted with non-routine or factually complex legal disputes may google any supplementary information regarding the dispute’s factual background. 

I obtained my bachelor in Dutch Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam (Erasmus School of Law) and graduated cum laude from the LL.M. programme International and European Union Law. I started working for Maastricht University in September 2016 in the capacity of lecturer in law, primarily teaching courses belonging to the LL.B. European Law School (ELS). I currently teach a course on European Human Rights to third-year ELS bachelor students and exchange students from all over the world. Prior to joining Maastricht University, I assisted in the defence of General Ratko Mladić before the former International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

I am certain that I would not have ended up where I am today had it not been for the LL.M. programme International and European Union Law at the Erasmus School of Law. Specialising in international and European law was something that I had been drawn to at a rather early stage during my university studies. Whilst I deliberated enrolling in an LL.M. programme abroad, I eventually settled on staying in Rotterdam. Looking back, I would not have had it any other way. The LL.M. programme International and European Union Law enabled me to excel academically and to develop certain practical skills that proved valuable all throughout my professional career. I felt positively challenged by the contemporary and engaging curriculum, and would express nothing but praise as to the guidance, expertise and intellectually stimulating environment offered by the university’s professors and teaching staff. Moreover, the programme’s small-scale and highly international learning environment made the experience all the more enjoyable. It allowed me to work together closely with colleagues from nearly all continents of the world and facilitated a dynamic educational approach tailored to students’ individual needs. In conclusion, I would highly recommend the LL.M. programme International and European Union Law to anyone, including my own students, given its outstanding academic staff and the exceptional learning experience that it offers.

My name is Nick Rurangwa Nshimiyen and I am a 22-year old Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies student. I am originally from Rwanda, and grew up in Belgium where I did all of my pre-university schooling. For my bachelor’s I attended Tilburg University and completed the LL.B. in Global Law. This programme was heavily focused on training students for a career in law at an international level. With the help of Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies, I was able to further substantiate my interest in an international career in law through a study of its theoretical foundations. My main focus has been on topics within the philosophical track of Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies.

I chose this LL.M. programme because the curriculum offers a great variety of options for those with a non-traditional interest in law. I felt convinced that this would allow me to delve into my various legal interests without having a strict specialisation in a single area of law. In addition to that, I had plans to continue my legal studies after the LL.M. programme, which made it easier to choose one that is as theoretically-concentrated as Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies.

I have greatly enjoyed the LL.M. programme. Before starting the LL.M. programme, I never thought I would become as interested in legal philosophy as I am today. At first, the LL.M. programme felt like a big challenge due to the amount of readings and intensive classes, but this all took a positive turn once I got acquainted with the teaching style of the professors. The small classes and emphasis on class discussions offer an opportunity for students to not just learn from their lecturers, but from their fellow students as well. This organisation of the LL.M. programme reassured me of my own skills and abilities throughout the year in great new ways. One thing that I do remain critical of is the age of the LL.M. programme. Since the LL.M. programme is still fairly new, I struggled to feel confident about my career possibilities with the degree. However, I was recently informed that a solution is in the works which I am excited about. The faculty is working towards establishing an alumni network for Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies graduates where experiences can be shared directly between alumni of Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies and students participating in this programme. I think it is essential that prospective Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies students have someone to talk to when insecure about the job perspective with a degree as theoretical and broad as Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies.

The only significant tip that I have for prospective students is to make sure that you organise your time carefully. Although you will learn a great deal, you must remember that the LL.M. programme is demanding in terms of mandatory literature that needs to be read in preparation for each class. To ensure that you still have sufficient free time next to your studies while living in the great city of Rotterdam, you have to use your time carefully and remain organised throughout the year!

I am Lieske, 23 years old and in the year 2019-2020 I participated in the master  Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies. After finishing my bachelor’s degree in Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam, I wanted to get a master degree in law as well. However, in my opinion the bachelor mainly taught me how to think like a judge, and honestly, that wasn’t really my thing. I wanted to think outside of the law, approach the law from other disciplinary perspectives. As I have followed a double bachelor at the Faculty of Philosophy, I was looking for a master in which I could combine the insights from both my legal and philosophical background. Well, I found it!

The master Legal Theory & Socio-Legal Studies gave me a lot of freedom to develop my own interests and to discover what my talents are as a law student. The many essays I had to write enabled me to dive into topics that spur my interest, to engage with political debates and to write on topical issues. There is a lot of focus on developing skills like reading, writing and presenting. The teachers are involved with the students, and the lectures are very interactive. The small group of students made it easy for me to socialise and we had drinks together on a weekly basis.

I must admit that the master programme can be quite challenging. There is hardly any week without deadlines and the work load can be stressful. However, a lot of assignments also creates the opportunity to get a lot of feedback. Moreover, I consider myself a deadline junkie, so for me the time pressure worked really well to keep on track.

Organization: Tashko Pustina Attorneys (Albanian Law firm)
Profession: Associate Lawyer. I am currently working on a Consortium project in Pristina, Kosovo, which deals with the Liquidation of Portfolio of Socially Owned Enterprises in the Republic of Kosovo.

"My responsibilities are drafting the assigned legal documents, do a critical second reading of the documents and translations thereof, I go to hearings and I maintain correspondence with the Registry and Judges. During the LL.M. programme I learned to manage and delegate others, take responsibility and to communicate professionally in an international working environment. I still use these skills on a daily basis.

My study year at the Erasmus University Rotterdam was one of the best in my life. I learned a lot from the legal European framework related to transport and commercial law. I enjoyed the international environment and I have created a very interesting network. I loved living in a beautiful city like Rotterdam!"

My name is Juan Fernando Galofre and currently I’m working as a corporate legal adviser for Grupo Energia Bogota. As a legal adviser for the mother company of a multinational, we have to keep up with all the external and internal regulations that allows the companies to operate and comply with all the corporate governance regulations in the countries we operate (Colombia, Perú, Guatemala and Brazil). Also we try to keep up with the latest best practices on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects to include them on our own DNA.

The knowledge I have gained through the LL.M. programme is reflected in my workday through getting to know how to work with people from all walks of life, and understanding how corporate governance regulations work not only in my own country but several others. 

The LL.M. programme Commercial and Company Law allows you to see in practice what you are learning in a classroom, being Rotterdam such an important port you are able to see on a daily basis what you have just learned.

This LL.M. has broadened my horizons since it was full of new challenges you have to deal with all the time. What I liked the most was the practical aspect of this study. I was involved in many workshops and case studies in companies and law firms which gave me the opportunity to see how legal processes have been applied in practice. Along with studying I met amazing people with whom I spent the best days (and nights) in my life and I definitely recommend this experience to you!

From the first days of orientation to my final farewells with friends and faculty, my experience at the EUR was nothing short of spectacular. The university, which sits within the wonderful city, provides ample access to academic and social development.

The students naturally become a close-knit group, both with themselves and with the university professors. The quality of teaching, and student support both surpassed my expectations. For those in search of a rigorous, and ultimately rewarding, experience – I would recommend Erasmus. From a rich choice of on-campus activities, to academic opportunities, to social gatherings, there is hardly a dull moment. Outside of the university, I enjoyed the dynamic Dutch culture, as well as opportunities to travel within and outside of the country.

After finishing high school in the Netherlands, I went on to Boston (MA, US) to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Philosophy. During those four years, I specifically enjoyed the combination of economics, philosophy, and law. After serving as a research assistant in this field, I started to explore opportunities at universities in the Netherlands, where I could build upon this knowledge while still being part of an international environment. This led me to enroll in the European Master in Law & Economics (EMLE) programme.

Consisting of three trimesters, EMLE is a one-year master’s programme that enables you to spend each trimester in a new city (such as Hamburg, Ghent, and many others). Rotterdam, being one of those cities, offers an abundance of culture, bars, great food, friendly people, and a university that provides an awesome atmosphere for its students. Furthermore, the EMLE programme offers courses both in law and economics, which leads to an understanding of the overlap between the two subjects, and that is helpful in almost every line of work. Moreover, your classmates will be from all over the world, and every student has unique insights.

I would highly recommend Rotterdam, and the EMLE programme, to prospective students. The renowned academic excellence of the EMLE programme as well as its international character are aspects that drew me to it. A year later, as I finish my studies, I look back on a year in which I made lifelong friends, had priceless cultural experiences, and am more than ready to embark on my future academic endeavours.

I am 32 years old, and my wife and I are from Israel. The decision to study in this programme was not an easy one, as we had also been admitted to similarly prestigious institutions in London. After taking a number of parameters into account, however, we decided that we would benefit most from the EMLE programme.
We are both practising lawyers in the field of commercial litigation, with more than four years’ experience, but we wanted to take a break from work in order to further our knowledge and to broaden our horizons.

The EMLE programme offered the perfect means to achieve our goals. The combination of Law and Economics is fascinating, and has led to us enhancing our academic and professional way of thinking. In addition, because the EMLE caters to many students from all over the world, it has enabled us to get to know other cultures and societies. And because most of us had left our own countries in order to participate in this programme, and we did not have our own family and friends with us, we were able to develop a new community − the EMLE family (we call it FEMLE) − and we gained friends for life. Living in Europe in general and in Rotterdam specifically was extremely pleasing, and the student experience in this city was amazing.

After completing this programme, I can say that we have gained not only friends but also a solid professional network that will help us to grasp new opportunities on an international level.

I am 24 years old and although a Russian according to my passport, I am a global citizen by character. With this testimonial, I would like to share my unforgettable experience as an LL.M. student.

I first discovered the challenging world of international law during my Bachelor`s programme in Moscow. Subsequently, I was given a unique opportunity to apply this knowledge to practice during an internship at the United Nations Office in Vienna, where I was part of the legal team that keeps a record of material damage in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Needless to say, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, during which I gained practical work experience, made friends from all over the world, and, most importantly, discovered my true passion for international law. How do you hold a state accountable for breach of international norms? What do multinational corporations have to do with international human rights law? I wanted to explore all these things, and much more, in depth, and that is why I decided to pursue an LL.M. degree. And what  better place to study international law than in the home country of its founder Hugo Grotius?

Receiving the letter of acceptance from Erasmus University was one the most exciting days of my life. Without any doubt, this master raised my perception and knowledge of law to a whole new level. Every lecture or written assignment was an opportunity to be creative and to think outside the box. I remember how anxious I was at the beginning: meeting fellow students for the first time, listening to the first lecture entirely in English, and submitting the first written assignment. But the common denominator for all these things were the exceptional professors who taught us during the year: they were always there to encourage, to answer any question, and to point us in the right research direction. The teaching approach is different from the one in Russian universities; in The Netherlands, you are given much more independence and freedom of choice, but this also means taking full responsibility for your actions and for any missed deadlines. Our faculty has done an amazing job at keeping our course interactive and enjoyable: this included study visits to such prominent places as the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court; arranged guest lectures with legal practitioners; and of course I cannot forget the fun part, which we certainly enjoyed at the Christmas dinner party.

Of course, one should not forget the vibrant and welcoming Rotterdam atmosphere, which cannot be compared to anything else. Moscow is diverse and energizing, Vienna is dignified and artistic, but Rotterdam is all these things and much more. The best plan for a weekend is to get on your bike and explore the hidden Rotterdam gems. But living here is not just about discovering the city and getting your degree; it is also about getting to know the locals. Dutch people are very open and easy-going, and they made me feel very welcome; I found some of my closest friends here. We have had so much fun together that I have not even had time to feel homesick.

Following graduation, I feel that there is an ocean of possibilities out there, and I cannot wait to explore it. I would love to continue the Dutch journey, and to fulfill myself professionally here as well. Erasmus taught me to be courageous and ambitious, and not afraid to stand out in a crowd. This master year gave me so many opportunities and life lessons, and I wish all the newcomers the same possibility. I strongly encourage all future LL.M. participants to go for every opportunity that comes your way, and to make the most of what Erasmus has to offer; you will not regret it.

I would like to leave you with this thought: Dare to be free, dare to go as far as your thought leads, and dare to carry that out in your life.