Adediran Adesokan, UCL200 Laws MSc Law and Finance Opportunity Scholar

What inspired you to choose the MSc Law and Finance, and what excites you most about this interdisciplinary programme?

The multidisciplinary nature of my legal practice in Nigeria, which placed me at the intersection of law and finance, informed my decision to pursue the MSc in Law and Finance at UCL. Before applying, I was drawn to the sheer breadth, depth, and integrated nature of this pioneering programme, delivered by the Faculty of Laws, the School of Management, and the Department of Economics.

Additionally, the opportunity to undertake a two-month work placement at a legal or financial institution* stood out to me, as I had already seen first-hand how the law comes to life in practice during my approximately 4-year legal career. From my research, no other top law school offers such integrated applied learning opportunities as part of its academic programme, which further solidified my decision to choose UCL.

In a nutshell, studying for the MSc at UCL is a strategic step toward the next phase of my career.

* Please note that placements are subject to competitive selection and eligibility criteria.

What is it like to study at UCL Laws and the UCL School of Management, between Bloomsbury and Canary Wharf?

Quite fun! It is an exhilarating experience that brings to life the programme’s interdisciplinary nature, moving between the famed Bentham House (named after the renowned jurist Jeremy Bentham) and the picturesque high-rise tower at One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, teeming with the hustle and bustle of corporate London.

What does receiving the UCL200 Laws MSc Law and Finance Opportunity Scholarship mean to you personally and/or professionally?

Being awarded this scholarship means a lot to me. Personally, my desire to become a world-class scholar has been transformed from a distant dream into a lived reality, and professionally, I get to study at one of the best educational institutions in the world, fully funded, thus providing a strong launchpad for the next stage of my career.

How did you hear about the Scholarship, and how was the process of applying for it?

I learned about the scholarship from the UCL Laws website. The programme administrator also signposted the opportunity to me in response to my enquiry email. Interestingly, a good friend of mine, who is currently on the LLM at Harvard Law, also forwarded the scholarship link to me yet again, which was my final nudge to apply. As far as I recall, the scholarship’s application process was seamless.

What does being part of the UCL200 celebrations mean to you?

Being part of the bicentennial celebrations of an institution with a history as rich as UCL’s feels gratifying and makes me feel as though I am a small but meaningful part of UCL’s historic legacy.

If you could give one piece of advice to future scholarship applicants, what would it be?

Give it your best shot and do not overthink your application; almost every scholar I know second-guessed themselves at some point, but they applied anyway.

If someone were considering supporting scholarships like yours, what would you say to them about the difference it makes?

Scholarships like this make all the difference in the grand scheme of things. As I have come to realise, there is not a dearth of talent in the world but rather a dearth of opportunity. Your support bridges that gap.
 

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