Student Voice

How did you find out about the LLM program, and what attracted you to pursue it?

I visited the Mita Campus at Keio University in Japan four years ago as an exchange student. At that moment, I was deeply attracted by Keio's academic atmosphere and profound history, so I decided to pursue my Master's degree here. After searching the available programs on Keio's website, the LLM program matches my needs very well since it offers business law-related courses and the opportunity to obtain a certificate. On top of that, the graduation schedule at Keio Law School is very flexible since there is no need to push ourselves to get all the required credits within one year. More importantly, the internship opportunity offered by the LLM program enables students to get first-hand experiences in local Japanese law firms and international companies.

 

Please tell us about your most memorable class, along with the reason why.

I have so many unforgettable memories and wonderful experiences from several classes at Keio Law School, which makes me hardly nominate the most memorable one. Almost every class I registered for was so helpful and interesting. But there is one class that I regard as the most challenging but also enjoyable, and that is "Start-up Company and Venture Capital Law". We were educated to handle important know-how on how to help startups structure the initial agreements and be prepared for the future development of their business. This course was conducted by three academically smart and well-experienced US business lawyers, and a lot of legal and financial analysis was involved in the learning process. I still remember that the students were divided into two teams in one class: the founders' lawyers and the investors' lawyers ( I joined the team of the founders' lawyers). As the founders' lawyers, we were free to design the content of the shareholder agreement and accepted questions from the investors' legal team, taking into account the company's business and growth plans. The whole process was like a real business negotiation, and I was rather surprised when one of the professors said to me, "Daisy! You can be a good businessman!". I really enjoyed and appreciated this class from all perspectives.

 

What do you enjoy about life at Keio?

Personally speaking, studying at Keio was one of the best times of my life. Firstly, it is a great honor to attend lectures conducted by excellent business lawyers and legal professionals from all over the world. They are professional but humble, precise but open-minded. Their lectures are never limited to books, but combine their practical experience in law firms or companies to answer our questions from different perspectives. Secondly, the staff working for the student office always help us solve all kinds of problems in our study and life. Without their help, I could not finish my studies successfully. Lastly, I met lots of amazing students with diverse backgrounds and lovely personalities at Keio. I would like to make lifelong friends with some of them.

 

What are your plans after you finish your studies at Keio? What do you think you will take with you from this experience?

I would like to become a business lawyer, supporting clients' normal business operations and helping them deal with legal disputes. I think what I can take from the experiences at Keio is not only know-how but also how to solve problems with a long-term perspective and treat clients. More importantly, credit to Keio Law School, I lost my old low self-esteem and sensitivity, and try to become a level-headed, confident, and cheerful person!

 

Any advice for prospective LLM students? How would you recommend the Keio LLM program to the students?

My advice to those wandering over various LLM programs is that choosing Keio will become one of the best decisions you can make. You can not only feel the rich cultural deposits of this school but also feel the vitality of the people here. Also, if you are interested in business law, please apply for this program, and what you will harvest is definitely beyond your expectations.

 

(This interview is from September 2022.)