Sarah Jiwa graduated from the LLB Law programme in 2015. We asked her about her time at Birmingham and how it helped her to get to where she is now.
"I am currently drafting and negotiating contracts for cancer research at University Health Network, a medical research organisation that is the largest of its kind in North America. As a Research Agreements Specialist I advise on key contractual issues such as intellectual property, liability, indemnity and confidentiality. I undertake risk assessments and propose actions and contractual terms to mitigate risk. Attending Law School at the University of Birmingham helped provide me with a key understanding of basic legal issues and first sparked my interest in Contract Law. I started negotiating research contracts at the University of Birmingham after completing my degree and later negotiated agreements at the University of Cambridge.
"I selected the University of Birmingham as it had a great reputation for law with support for Canadian students, offering modules such as Canadian Constitutional Law. Upon visiting the campus on an open day I fell in love with the green campus and was impressed by how connected it was to the city with its own train station. Everyone was very friendly and the campus was diverse and dynamic. I felt like it was the right fit for me.
"My favourite memory was meeting the amazing people who I still keep in touch with today. We had a lot of fun pranking each other while living in Jarratt Hall, going to the Law Ball and supporting each other through exams. They made it feel like home!
"My number one tip would be to immerse yourself in the British culture and make the most of living in the UK. It may be tempting to go back home frequently during the breaks, but instead travel and try to gain work experience. These experiences are valuable and it’s a great opportunity living in such a vibrant city."