Tell us about your current job?
I am working at Harneys, an offshore law firm advising on jurisdictions such as the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Luxembourg. I oversee marketing strategies from websites and social media to media relations and events across our offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai, some of our fastest-growing offices.
It was quite a transition for you to switch from your law degree to marketing, how did it happen?
It stemmed from my corporate communications internships at AIA the insurer, which prompted me to do a marketing masters at the University of Warwick.
After having been a legal assistant of an event venue provider, I formally kickstarted my legal marketing career by being the Marketing Trainee at Paul Hastings, an American law firm specialising in corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions law, as one of my friends passed me the job ad – the power of connections!
Since then, I stayed in legal marketing as it’s just the perfect industry for me to utilise the skills from law and marketing.
Which aspects of your law degree have been the most beneficial to your career development?
To me, learning how to think critically, logically and laterally is really the epitome of legal education. This was particularly reinforced by my Immigration Practice module in final year, where I got the chance to work at the Liverpool Law Clinic to submit statelessness applications for my clients and acquired practical skills from critical analyses and business writing to project management and interpersonal skills. And in marketing, this has translated into my ability to look at things from the bigger picture, which is key to my role being a manager.
What is more, I felt over the moon to hear a partner saying this: “Liverpool is a really good law school!” (I was drinking water off a mug that says Liverpool – thanks to the Maritime Museum that sells it!). Generally, you get a lot more respect from the lawyers as you’ve gone through the same journey as they did, so it’s much easier for you to build rapport with them.
What are your top tips for students wanting to work in your field?
Tip 1: Stay open-minded
Remember, lawyering isn’t the only way out after your LLB. Your law degree actually opens many doors, like mine in legal marketing – not to mention legal publishing, legal project management, legal technology…to name but a few! Besides, there are numerous possibilities in marketing for you to specialise in – events, digital marketing, media, branding, communications…the list goes on!
Tip 2: Stay thirsty
The world of marketing has so much going on. Do courses from the marketing-related bodies such as Hootsuite, Eventbrite, Adobe, etc. and try to get certified. This doesn’t just help you stand out amongst the applicants, but it would also ensure you can keep pouring new ideas into your upcoming proposals, strategies and initiatives.
What are the three things you loved the most about studying at Liverpool?
It’s hard to narrow it down! But I’d say:
1. My friends: A lot of my close friends now are those from uni. They’re a big and irreplaceable part of my study-abroad life. Whenever we catch up in person or on social media, it’s like I’m reliving my good old student days!
2. The locals: From the tutors and staff to those whom I just randomly met in restaurants and the streets, they’re all so friendly that I started saying “Mum, I’d like to go back to Liverpool in the week of XX after Christmas please” in my first year, rather than saying I’m going “to” Liverpool. Liverpool’s my home ever since I joined our uni!
3. Close proximity to everything: With destinations like Walker Art Gallery, Albert Dock and Bold Street being just within a stone’s throw from our campus, you can enjoy a life full of colours all the time – not to mention the fact that the Liverpool skyline is awesome with buildings of varying architectural styles, plus all the mouth-watering cuisines you can savour from the long list of budding restaurants. And don’t forget your halls may just be a few mins’ walk to the Lime Street Station where you can be off for a day-tour kind of city break!
All in all, surely no two days in your Liverpool experience will be the same – as long as you throw yourself into this lovely city and have a blast!