School of Law Commonwealth Scholarship holder Kathleen Bennett passes with distinction
Kathleen, who is from the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, is a Commonwealth Scholarship holder (19/20) who passed her International Corporate Law LLM with distinction.
We spoke to Kathleen Bennett about the Scholarship, her time in Leeds and her plans for the future.
Where did you hear about the Commonwealth Scholarship?
When I decided to apply for funding for my Masters degree, I utilized the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s website to get more information about the scholarship.
Why did you want to study International Corporate Law and why at Leeds?
As an Attorney-at-Law practicing in the field of corporate law, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of areas such as corporate and bank insolvency law, and corporate finance law. Having examined the course content online, I found that the LLM in International Corporate Law was best suited to my needs.
Additionally, the University of Leeds was my first choice. I chose to study here because it is a Russell Group university and thus is research intensive; it is highly rated as one of the top 100 universities for law in the world; it offered the combination of subjects that I wanted to study and the mode of assessment which I prefer (i.e. mostly written assignments, which allows for extensive research and critical analysis to be conducted).
What was your favourite part about studying in Leeds?
It is very difficult to choose only one favourite thing about studying in Leeds.
The lecturers are very approachable. They always encourage students to seek their assistance when experiencing difficulties, or if they just wanted to discuss aspects of the course. This support made a huge difference.
Additionally, I loved the fact that Leeds has a vibrant city life, whilst being within close proximity to the Yorkshire countryside. You get to experience the best of both worlds!
What would you say to someone who was considering applying for a Commonwealth Scholarship?
Do it! The Commonwealth Scholarship is one of the most highly competitive and prestigious scholarships in the world, so prepare well.
Not only will it give you the opportunity of studying in the UK where you will be taught by people who are leaders in their field (like many tutors at the University of Leeds), but you will also have the opportunity of networking with the community of Commonwealth Scholars at the university, within the region, and throughout the UK as a result of the various development training and networking events that you are invited to attend.
As a Commonwealth Scholarship recipient, you will not leave the UK with just an excellent degree at the end of your tenure, but you will have gained access to a network of individuals who are keen to contribute to their nations’ development and have the potential to be future leaders in their respective countries.
What are your plans for the future?
I intend to use the knowledge gained from my LLM in International Corporate Law in my practice as a corporate lawyer when dealing with non-contentious and litigious matters, particularly in the fields of corporate and bank insolvency law and corporate finance law. I believe that as the effects of the coronavirus continues to negatively impact corporations and many nations’ economies, the increased use of insolvency law in particular, is inevitable.
Further information about the Commonwealth Scholarship can be found here.
