12th & High business anywhere in the world.” Chen, who is studying at Moritz on a scholarship from Jones Day, appreciated how supportive his former employer was of the decision to come study intensively at Ohio State this year. In addition to making contacts with classmates from other countries, he is gaining a better understanding of how American lawyers think. “I can get a sense of how (the J.D.
students) will practice in the real world, which will help my clients when I return to China,” he said. “There are so many great resources here, and I want to fully utilize my one year here as much as possible.” Looking toward the future This year’s group of 33 LL.M. students is the largest and most experienced the college has hosted yet. While the
Where are they now? There are approximately 60 alumni of the Moritz LL.M. Program, and All Rise caught up with a few to find out what they’re doing now.
n Sofia Paramés, LL.M. ’08 returned to her home of Lisbon, Portugal and is an associate with Miranda, Correia, Amendoeira & Associados. She works mainly in the firm’s Portuguese, Angolan, and Mozambican jurisdictions, handling a range of issues in commercial, corporate, mining, and regulatory law. “I believe that a big part of my success as an associate in an international law firm is a direct result of the LL.M. program,” Paramés said. “As a student from a civil law country, we tend to theorize about everything, which frequently leaves our clients
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more confused than when they first approached us. The LL.M. program changed my way of thinking and reasoning, which I think is appreciated by my clients and colleagues at Miranda.” Among the memories she cherishes of her time at Moritz: being invited to Thanksgiving dinner at the home of Ellen Deason, the Joanne Wharton Murphy/Classes of 1965 and 1973 Professor in Law; the first winter snowfall; and taking part in the University of Oxford-The Ohio State University Summer Law Program in England. n Chao “Phoebe” You, LL.M. ’09 is well known around The Ohio State University since taking the lead in 2010 as director of the university’s first global office outside of the U.S. – the China Gateway. The office was established to foster international collaboration among scholars and students and to promote Ohio State’s
program has quadrupled in size since it started in 2007, Fernandez said the intent will be to keep LL.M. class sizes small so the college can continue to provide individualized attention to students. Some peer schools have LL.M. programs of 100 or more students. Instead, her goal is to enhance the program’s global profile by recruiting even more qualified students and to more fully
reputation in China. Originally from Weihai, Shandong, China, You is now in Shanghai, overseeing the operations at the China Gateway and maintaining relationships with alumni. “My LL.M. degree helps me in my job, even though I am not practicing, because it provides a solid foundation for me to evaluate controversial situations and make decisions,” You said. The Barrister’s Ball and potluck party she had while in the LL.M. program always bring a smile to her face. But her fondest memory is a trip her group took to Amish country. “It was the first time I visited a place where people choose to live without electricity and drive a buggy because of their religion. It made me realize Ohio is an amazing place where people are respected and that the U.S. is a great country that values diversity.”
n Chatchamont “Cherry” Piyatanont, LL.M. ’08, ’09 is a business development manager at the Thai Credit Guarantee Corp., putting her two LL.M degrees – one in intellectual property and a second in business – to work. Being one of only two Thai students in the inaugural class of the Moritz LL.M. Program turned out to be a great marketing asset for Piyatanont. “The LL.M program at Moritz is quite new for Thai society, so it is more outstanding and interesting than other universities in the U.S. where Thai students graduate from a lot,” she said. “I also decided to apply to a university closer to the East Coast so that I could experience a real winter and snow. I miss driving in the snow.”