LLM student Julie Chu is only in the second term of her degree in International Economic Law (IEL) here at Warwick, yet she has already secured a job in London for after graduation. She will be joining the Financial Services team of EY Audit and Assurance this autumn as an associate. We caught up with Julie to find out more.

Congratulations on the new position, what will you be doing?

I will be applying the skills and knowledge I gained through Warwick’s IEL programme in my work with financial institutions to assess their financial position, risk management, and compliance process.

How did you hear about the job?

Since my undergraduate study, EY has always been known to me as a respected employer offering good training opportunities for graduates. However, Warwick’s numerous career fairs and workshops held by employers in term one really helped me to decide which opportunity to pursue. I spoke with recruiters and current graduates from professional services, law, banking, and consultancy to better understand the working environment of different firms. I also received some good tips on how to prepare for my assessment.

Did the Law School offer any support with the application/preparing for the interview?

I did not enlist the help of the Law School’s careers service with my application and interviews, but I did seek help from the Director of PG Studies (Prof Ann Stewart), the IEL LLM Director (Dr Kathryn McMahon), and my dissertation supervisor/IEL module convenor (Mr Markus Wagner) to work out a few administrative issues after I accepted the offer.

What were you doing before you started your LLM at Warwick?

I graduated from King’s College London with a First Class (Honours) in BSc (Hons) Business Management in 2016. Upon graduation, I joined a boutique corporate finance firm in London as a financial analyst. I supported the finance director and worked in the deal team.

Do you think the LLM has helped you gain experience for your new role?

In addition to the legal knowledge provided, Warwick’s IEL programme has undoubtedly helped with my personal development. Coming from a non-legal background, I appreciate the academic opportunity and intellectual challenge the programme presents. I learn to work and think more flexibly and critically; present my ideas more coherently and convincingly; and make counter-arguments more tactfully and confidently.

 How do you feel about getting the job?

I am excited about the opportunity to join a big and reputable professional services firm and learn from my colleagues. I am keen to apply what I have learned academically and personally as an LLM IEL student at Warwick to my job and help my clients navigate the opportunities and challenges presented by current economic and political conditions.

What have you loved about being at Warwick?

Warwick Law School’s academic and administrative staff are very accommodating to students. They respond very quickly to students’ queries and seek to solve students’ problems as soon as they arise. I have been very impressed by the level of responsiveness and communication between the staff and students in the school. When my colleague and I organised a pub quiz event for the LLM class for example, the staff were instrumental in the organisation, logistics, and promotion of the event. I also find the fact that academics are always welcoming and warm to students dropping in to ask questions a pleasant surprise.

Being on a campus university like Warwick (unlike many London universities where their campus is spread across the city), you experience a huge sense of community and a distinctively different experience outside the classroom. For instance, I was actively involved in Warwick Vietnight 2018, an annual variety show hosted by Warwick’s Vietnamese Society, and made many friends along the way.

Good luck in the new job Julie. We are super proud of you!