Eugene Tang

While studying with us were you a UK student or an international student?

I was an international student whilst studying at City, and am from Hong Kong.

Which course did you study with us?

I studied Master of Laws (LLM) and graduated in 2021

What motivated you to pursue the LLM?

It was my intellectual curiosity combined with the knowledge that, in my intended area of specialism (Alternative Dispute Resolution), The City Law School has the most knowledgeable and reputable lecturers in Professors Susan Blake and Julie Brown, among others.

This made me confident that I would learn from the best and receive expert support throughout my LLM studies. Another reason I pursued the LLM was to practise the skills of legal research and writing. Having written a dissertation in a non-law subject for my MSc, I felt myself ill-equipped to enter the legal profession without having produced a substantive piece of work relating to the field.

I therefore took the opportunity to pursue the LLM on top of the Bar Vocational Studies (BVS) to write a dissertation about something I genuinely cared about, which was mediation in clinical negligence claims.

What were you doing before studying the LLM?

I studied a double-major in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Toronto in Canada before obtaining my MSc in Clinical Neuroscience at King's College London. Without any work experience in the legal industry, I converted to Law through the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) at City, University of London.

During the GDL course I attended law fairs and visited solicitors' firms as well as barristers' chambers, before a pandemic made these impossible. In spite of the difficulties caused by the pandemic, I enjoyed the student experience at City so much that I immediately went on to study the LLM.

What opportunities and experiences did City, University of London offered you whilst you studied, or still offers you?

The City Law School is known for its connection with barristers' chambers. The School uses its connection to provide a lot of opportunities for students to interact directly with barristers in either talks or networking events. This gave me invaluable insights into a diverse range of practice areas and helped focus my mind when it came to Pupillage applications.

City's Pupillage Advice Service also offered tremendous support during application season. I used their mock interviews to hone my skills and ensure that I present my best self in front of real interviewing panels. The School also operates free legal advice clinics. I volunteered at one of the clinics during the LLM to give written legal advice to tenants. Despite everything, including client conferences, being done virtually, the experience was still excellent thanks to City's well-established digital platform.

What was your favourite module or aspect of the LLM? And why?

My favourite aspect of the LLM was the entire process leading up to my final dissertation. I was given a high degree of autonomy in relation to both the topic that I chose and the approach that I took in answering my thesis.

Having said that, I had regular meetings with my supervisor who provided constructive feedback and was always willing and able to point me to the right direction when asked. I also valued the structured support given by the librarians at City. They taught me to conduct legal research in a way that was effective and comprehensive.

I could not have won the Henderson Chambers Prize for the Dissertation if I had not taken advantage of the help and support available at The City Law School.

How did you fund your studies – did you secure any financial support?

I funded my studies privately but did obtain the Bar Vocational Studies Scholarship from The City Law School which covered part of the tuition.

How did you find studying in the UK or in London?

I came to City, University of London with prior experience of studying in London, so I had high expectations. Overall, I was not disappointed even though a significant part of my student experience at City was spent in national lockdown.

My favourite aspect of being a student in London is the endless stream of public lectures given by prominent figures which one can attend for free. Fortunately, this is one of the things that was relatively less disrupted by the pandemic as many of these have moved online, making them even more accessible.