By taking his Deakin studies to London, James Royce discovers fresh inspiration and world of opportunities.
After a recent study intensive in London, Deakin student James Royce has returned more inspired and confident after studying alongside Cambridge graduates, practising solicitors and international law students.
As part of his combined Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws degree, James studied at the London School of Economics (LSE) and says his experience at the prestigious school provided fresh inspiration and valuable insight.
‘The change of location and teaching style has encouraged me to go deeper into the content of my course now I’m home. The independence I gained from from studying abroad also boosted my confidence and organisational skills so that was an added, unexpected benefit.’
A student at the Geelong Waterfront Campus, James studied International Financial Law at LSE – a unit which explores the creation, mitigation and transfer of risk in major financial transactions.
‘It provided a cross-jurisdictional insight into how the financial law works, through an EU lens, but focused primarily on a functional approach which encouraged us to adapt the learning to own jurisdiction-specific financial systems,’ he explains.
Reflecting on the three-week intensive, James says the LSE’s skilled academics, the diversity of students and content of the course were among the highlights of his UK experience.
‘The unit achieved a brilliant balance of being engaging and accessible for our diverse cohort of students. It made for an academically-enjoyable course while also providing outstanding practical insight,’ he says.
The only challenge James faced while in London managing the balance of studying in London while taking the opportunity to explore the city’s rich history and iconic landmarks.
‘Fortunately the structure of the course allowed for few hours each day – and almost the entire weekend – to sightsee around London and beyond. I pushed myself to create time, getting up early each morning and travelling the city by foot … I couldn’t afford to waste a single minute!’ he recalls.
James’s motivation to study law at Deakin was a desire to be part of a profession that he says offers new challenges as well as the opportunity to solve problems.
‘Law profession where I believe I can make a measurable difference in the community. Additionally, as a natural competitor, I am also drawn to the adversarial nature of many practice areas in law.’
Alongside his studies, James works for a small commercial law firm in Melbourne where he holds an administrative, clerical and research role that’s providing him with practical insight and real-world experience.
‘Learning how a firm interacts with clients and attends to matters is very valuable. If it wasn’t for Deakin’s flexible course delivery and being able to stay up-to-date with content online, this is an opportunity I could never have pursued,’ he says.
After graduating, James hopes to move into a commercial law career where he plans to use his combined law/commerce learning to build a business-conscious approach.
He says his London-based study intensive has also provided him with the opportunity to consider a broader range of career options.
‘It’s easy to become so focused on local firms and programs that we forget there are international opportunities that offer brilliant exposure. This realisation has broadened the number of career opportunities I now consider and can take advantage of. There are developed avenues to follow and that’s something I plan to pursue throughout my studies and when building my career.’