We spoke to LLB for Graduates scholarship recipient Eungchan Lee about why he chose Birmingham Law School for his studies
"I am South-Korean and a student on the LLB for Graduates degree in Birmingham Law School. In South Korea, I got a Bachelor’s degree for Maritime Transportation so it was natural for me to get into the Navy and merchant marine industry. I had worked as a deck officer on ocean-going vessels for about seven years during which I got my master mariner’s certificate. Spending time at sea allowed me to have physical sea-going experience which has become my greatest asset and made me recognise that the international shipping industry is closely related to UK law. The more I worked in this field the more I wanted to study law in the UK.
Among the number of universities providing LLB for Graduate courses, the University of Birmingham was my first and the best choice. Not only a member of the Russell Group but one of six Redbrick universities, Birmingham Law School’s reputation and traditional heritage preceded itself. I did not even consider other options at all after I received an offer from UoB.
When I first arrived at Birmingham I was sure that my decision was not wrong. UoB is exactly the place I was looking for to study UK law. The passion and in-depth knowledge of the faculty always challenges me and inspires me to take another step forward. They do not just give me an answer but guide me to the right way to find the answer. Most of all, they encourage me to question ‘why’ endlessly which is one of the major requisites in order to become a lawyer.
I have a plan to be qualified as a UK solicitor specialised in shipping. The shipping industry is a niche field and there are very few solicitors who actually have naval or merchant marine backgrounds. With the support of UoB, I am certain that it is not a long way to go to become a dual qualified solicitor and master mariner. If someone asks me about what it is like to study Law in the University of Birmingham, I will definitely say that whatever you expect, it will be much greater than what you expected and there are no other options but Birmingham Law School."