IE Law School students enjoy career-building immersive experiences in London and Paris

In April 2023, Master of Laws (LL.M.) students took part in the Legal Immersion Experience, a unique opportunity to get out of the classroom and into the real world of the legal profession. Every year, students are offered a different choice of locations: this year, they were able to select either London or Paris—both major financial centers, legal and global business hubs and home to numerous world-leading law firms.

The London trip was organized by Valeria Rosenholtz, associate director of graduate programs at IE Law School; Idoia Septien, the senior marketing manager; and Paula Heras, senior manager for Global Recruitment. As Erika Concetta Pagano explains, “Bringing students here for an immersion experience allows them to experience firsthand not only what we do, but also meet different people with various roles and responsibilities and understand what the future of law actually looks like.”

“As somebody who teaches at IE Law School in Madrid but is based here in London, it's fantastic to be able to merge both worlds and bridge that gap between what we do in the classroom and what informs those experiences in the real world.”
Erika Concetta Pagano

Students pursuing the International Business Law specialization visited Magic Circle law firms, and other prestigious law firms, like Simmons & Simmons for an introduction to legal design and discussions on various topics in law, as well as a tour of the company’s famous art collection. They also gained an introduction to legaltech at Allen & Overy’s tech hub FUSE and gleaned valuable insights into the life of an in-house banking lawyer at top international bank Santander. One student of the Master of Laws (LL.M.) with a specialization in International Business Law, Joao Maria Martins, said, “I was surprised by the diversity and practical focus that every session offered, as well as the emphasis on cross-border jurisdiction matters.” Students also took part in masterclasses at our London office, learning more about building successful client relationships. They later enjoyed various networking events there. “It was a very enriching experience. My colleagues and I got to know the city of London, visited several institutions [...] and got into contact with local alumni. We expanded our network a lot, so I would definitely recommend it,” Joao added.

Students specializing in International Dispute Resolution visited Paris in the capable hands of Cristina Avilés, associate director of graduate programs at IE Law School and Marco de Benito, professor and coordinator of the specialization. They took a deep dive into the world of international arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Further, they also participated in academic arbitration and mediation sessions led by the ICC, took a tour of the Tribunal de Commerce de Paris (Paris Commercial Court)—including its International Chamber—and visited the Palais de Justice de Paris. The trip concluded with attendance at a one-day conference on climate litigation hosted by independent law firm Alerion Avocats. Students were also able to network during a group lunch and cocktail reception afterward.

Overall, participating students saw this as an exciting opportunity to enrich their learnings and build global connections. As Sara Vidan, student of the Master of Laws (LL.M.) with a specialization in International Business Law, said, “I think it's important to participate in this experience because you will grow closer to your colleagues and create good memories. You will also connect with professionals already working in the field.”