ALUMNI STORIES & MORE: GET TO KNOW.....

Please explain to us your current job and your title.

I am an associate in the Capital Markets practice group at Clifford Chance in Frankfurt, advising banks and corporate clients on a broad range of debt and equity products.

What motivated you to apply for the LL.M. Finance program at the Institute for Law and Finance (ILF)?

I came across the LL.M. Finance program while researching finance-related law programs and quickly realised it is one of very few of its kind offered globally. What attracted me most was its proximity to the finance industry, both through its location in Frankfurt and through the program's extensive connections to practitioners, spanning professors, alumni, and the ILF staff more broadly. I was confident the program would not only prepare me academically, but also give me genuine insight into the practical aspects that matter for employability. I wanted to become a competitive professional, not just a strong student.

I also valued the flexibility of the curriculum. The ability to tailor your courses, including business and economics modules as well as niche areas of finance, is a differentiator as well. Some of the courses I chose were on IPO and structured finance, and I ended up working in capital markets, which broadly encompasses both. The courses also helped me identify which areas I was less drawn to, which is equally important to discover. Arriving at interviews having already engaged with a practice area, and being able to demonstrate that, was a meaningful advantage in my view.

How easy was it to network yourself in Frankfurt during your studies here at the ILF? 

Networking is not something handed to you; it requires genuine effort, even where the infrastructure is there to support it. I relied significantly on the alumni network and the credibility it carries within specific firms and practice groups. The internship component is also an invaluable opportunity not just for getting a feel for the work, but for making the kind of impression that opens doors later. Ultimately, much of what you get out of the program reflects what you put in, but I am also certain it would have been considerably harder to break in without the ILF name and network behind me.

What advice would you offer ILF applicants or prospective students?

My advice to prospective students is to genuinely make the most out of your time at the ILF. That includes being smart about the courses you choose, the opportunities you create for yourself, but also through the relationships you build. I was lucky to have exceptionally talented, kind and engaged LL.M. colleagues and those relationships matter deeply to me to this day. The people you meet here will go on to work across the industry, and it is always good to have someone you know and you can rely on, be it professionally or privately. 

What do you remember most with fondness during your time here at the ILF?

What I remember most, honestly, is the people: professors who made the material genuinely engaging, staff who invested in creating a meaningful experience, and the friendships formed with my classmates, with alumni, and even with ILF cohorts that came after mine.

The ILF has been an exceptional investment in my future, and I am grateful for the program and for everyone who made it what it is.