Completing an LLM while working full time will not only improve your legal skills and prepare you to deal with complex challenges – including time management – but it can also open minds and lawyers’ abilities to adapt to change, says banking and governance expert Fred Chumo.
“Over the years, the banking sector in Kenya has witnessed a rapid evolution, particularly marked by technological advancements and regulatory changes,” pointed out Chumo, Head of Governance at Middle East Bank (Kenya). “Changes seem to be happening more rapidly and closer together than we used to witness before. My LLM studies equipped me to adapt to these changes.”
Several years ago, Chumo began studying for an LLM in International Commercial Law and Practice via online learning through the University of Edinburgh. At the time, he was working at another pan-African bank with many locations in several African countries and on other continents.
“That opened me up to a lot of legal challenges I hadn’t previously encountered, and I felt it would be a good idea to pursue an LLM to deepen my legal expertise and stay abreast of international developments,” recalled Chumo. Initially, he’d thought of quitting his job to study full time at a South African university, but then his boss suggested he “have his cake and eat it too” by finding a university programme that would allow Chumo to keep building his career and stay close to his wife and family, while also building his academic credentials.
Chumo was delighted to discover the University of Edinburgh, his father’s alma mater, offered exactly the type of international commercial law course he was looking to do, in an online format. He chose this course because of its quality and flexibility. “It allowed me to advance my education without compromising my professional or family commitments,” Chumo explained.
While it was a challenge to balance full-time work as an in-house counsel alongside postgraduate studies and family matters, Chumo says the supportive University of Edinburgh faculty and well-structured online programme, coupled with some social sacrifices, meant he made it work far better than when he’d completed an MBA at night school while working.
“My commitment to continuous learning was essential to successfully navigate the demands of both the professional and academic responsibilities I had at the time, which required a lot of effective time management,” Chumo said. However, unlike with his MBA studies, where he’d have to rush to attend night classes in person even when he was exhausted, Edinburgh’s online LLM programme allowed him to schedule his study time appropriately.
Chumo says his Edinburgh LLM studies equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of international commercial law, dispute resolution mechanisms like international arbitration, and compliance, giving him insights and tools to help navigate complex legal landscapes, draft robust agreements, and contribute strategically to governance frameworks. He also learned a lot from the case studies, class interactions and best practices the course covered.
The LLM graduate’s advice for young African lawyers is to embrace any opportunities to study with international universities as it broadens one’s perspective, enhances global competence, and builds international networks.
