‘When I came to Amsterdam to study at the Amsterdam Law School, I already had a lot of interest in insolvency law. During my studies in Germany, I had already been introduced to the basic concepts of German insolvency law, but the LLM in European Private Law offered me a completely new, international perspective.’

Inspiring education

‘The professors challenged my views on how the law works, as they drew our attention to the critical issues of Private Law in the European Union right now. They went well beyond the simple understanding of decisions and paragraphs and instead offered insight into the bigger issues, to assist the students in developing a systemic understanding of the problems.’

A deeper understanding

‘The enthusiasm with which the professors did so encouraged me not only to discover new areas of law, but also made me question and rethink ideas and concepts, which I had until then considered to be self-evident. It helped me to develop a deeper understanding of the issues in European Private Law, based on a comprehensive insight into the dynamics at play in various areas of the law.’

Professional perspective

‘When it became time to say goodbye to Amsterdam the knowledge I had gained during this Master was invaluable to my future employers. No matter what country you are working in, with today’s ever closer economic ties around the entire globe, there are not many places left for lawyers without a high degree of proficiency in Legal English.’

‘Even more importantly, in all my job interviews people were thoroughly impressed by the diverse and comprehensive legal education I had received during my Master’s. For me the courses in European Insolvency, Corporate and Financial law proved key to securing several job offers at big international law firms.’

An European lawyer

‘In my opinion, today’s world needs lawyers, who are able to approach legal issues from a truly international mindset. They are indispensable for any law firm that operates in a globalized economic environment. The Master’s in European Private Law offers the chance to acquire the knowledge that makes you a truly European lawyer.’

Career goals

Phillip has chosen to study law with a clear career path in mind: ‘I decided to study law because I'd like to work in the space industry, and don't like math enough to be an engineer, but everyone needs a lawyer. After I graduate I'd like to find a position in the EU related to the space industry.’

Public International Law

Phillip tells us about his fascination for law: ‘To me the most interesting thing about Public International Law is getting to know the rules dictating how governments function.’ He is especially excited about International Investment Law. ‘Everything revolves around money so I look forward to understanding how it flows around the world.’

Extracurricular activities

Even the most hard-working students need some time off every once in a while. About his hobbies, Phillip says: ‘When I'm not studying, I write, play music, watch a lot of movies, and I like to volunteer at the Guerrilla Kitchen.’