Q&A with BU Law Student Eva

Q&A with Eva

Why did you choose BU Law?

I did my undergraduate studies at BU and really enjoyed the experience. I appreciate how international BU is, and I like that the law school provides many opportunities for students who want to work or study abroad as part of their legal education. Since I would eventually like to practice law in Europe or Asia, I thought these opportunities could considerably help me achieve my goals. BU Law also has the best professors, which I believe greatly enhances the educational experience. The passion my professors have for their subjects is contagious. I find it very enriching to learn in such an environment.

Who was the first person you told that you were accepted and why?

I called my parents. My whole family has been very supportive of my decision to go to law school, as they know how important it is to me to have a career which I will find meaningful and which will be fulfilling.

Are you—or do you hope to become—involved in any student groups or organizations?

I am a member of the International Law Society and the Chinese Law Society. Since I am interested in working abroad, these organizations are an excellent means of meeting people from different countries who have various experiences with law from around the world. Many of the other organization members already have experience working in legal positions abroad and have been a great source of information and advice.

You talk about learning from your classmates while in Prague—expanding your worldview, being able to better evaluate your situation, and ultimately deciding that law was the right course for you. What are the advantages of having this sort of self-knowledge as a law student?

Growing up among people from many different countries has provided some interesting insights into how various people approach life in terms of their careers, education and personal life. Everyone has a different way of managing problems, finding solutions and reaching their goals based on their background and experiences. I think this has encouraged me to be creative in finding the best way for me to fulfill my ambitions and made me flexible and adaptable. I try to keep my eyes open and learn from others because they might have come up with something I had not thought of before, but which could be very useful to me.

What is your favorite class so far and why?

It is very difficult to pick one class in particular. Torts has the most interesting cases; Civil Procedure makes my brain work the hardest; and the writing class is very practice-oriented and really prepares you for real life work and interaction with clients. I am also really enjoying Contracts because the professor makes me think about cases in a way I would not have thought to do so. When you read cases as a law student you can get very preoccupied with finding issues and rules. However, my Contracts class reminds me that there are real people behind the facts of a case. Understanding the human motivations that direct peoples’ behavior can shed a lot of light on why the law developed in the way that it did.

What kind of law would you eventually like to practice?

I am very interested in alternative dispute resolution, particularly arbitration and negotiation. My background is in economics, so I think I might like to focus on disputes relating to international commerce, finance and banking.

What advice would you give to a future applicant?

I would suggest that every applicant talk to a current BU student. It is very easy to organize a phone call with a 2L or a 3L though the admissions office. I personally spoke to two students before I made my final decision to attend BU Law. I wanted to speak to a fellow international student and a student who concentrated in the field of law I thought I might be interested in pursuing. It was the best source of information about the school, and it really helped me form a good idea about what studying at BU Law was going to be like and what opportunities would be available to me as a BU Law graduate.