Meet our star alumna of the month

Associate, Mourant Ozannes

What course did you undertake?

LLB

What year did you graduate?

2013

Why did you choose the Institute?

I originally planned to go away to University to study French and Italian but realised fairly last minute (during Freshers’ week!) that I had signed up to a course I wasn’t entirely excited about. I returned to Jersey to reconsider my plans and heard that the Institute of Law had started offering a University of London LLB.

I always knew that I was interested in studying law. However, I had imagined that this would be something I would pursue after obtaining a non-law degree. I signed up to the Institute of Law’s LLB course thinking that I would give it a go and reevaluate at the end of the first year. No looking back after that!

What did you enjoy most about your course and what features did you find most beneficial?

I found the course content varied and interesting. I had been advised that studying a pure law degree might be slightly boring but was surprised to find that I enjoyed learning about the different areas of law. The most beneficial feature of the course for me was the timing of the lectures. As all teaching took place in the evenings and at weekends, I was able to undertake various work placements with different law firms during the week.

I ended up securing a part time role in the Finance and Corporate team at Mourant and I’m still here almost 9 years later!

Could you give us a brief description of your current job?

I work as a Senior Associate in the Finance and Corporate Department at Mourant. I advise global corporate and financial institutions on a wide range of transactions, often with teams of lawyers from all over the world.

Last year, I worked on the takeover by a leading Japanese company of a Jersey incorporated pharmaceutical company. Valued at £46 billion, it was the largest ever takeover of a Jersey company.

What route did you take to get to your current job position?

I started working at Mourant at the beginning of the second year of my LLB. My first role was as a Legal Assistant/Paralegal while I was still working towards completing my LLB. After finishing the LLB, Mourant arranged for me to be enrolled on the Jersey Law Course with the Institute of Law.

Upon completion of the Jersey Law Course two years later I was sworn in as a Jersey Solicitor in the Royal Court.

What do you enjoy most about your current role?

I enjoy many aspects of my current role. The work is varied and interesting but also challenging. It was very important to me to find a job where I would be constantly learning and developing a range of skills. I also enjoy working alongside many fantastic lawyers and businesspeople – both in my team at Mourant and in the law firms and organisations we work with.

What have been the highlights of your career so far?

My highlight has got to be being sworn in as a Jersey Solicitor in the Royal Court. All of the studying had finally paid off and friends and family were invited to watch the swearing in ceremony. It was a great day!

How did studying with us help your professional career?

Studying for my LLB in Jersey at the Institute of Law meant that I was able to develop a relationship with a local law firm and secure a role in my chosen area of law while I was still working towards completing my degree. Students studying off-Island often have to wait to complete work placements between terms at University, whereas students at the Institute can make themselves available for work placements at any time of the year – perhaps times of the year which may suit law firms better than the usual Christmas, Easter and Summer periods.

By the time students studying at the Institute have finished their LLB, they could have up to three years’ experience working at a Jersey law firm. This is a great advantage of studying at the Institute because it is unlikely that many off-Island students would have the opportunity to gain so much practical experience prior to completing the LLB.

What advice would you give to prospective law students?

I would advise prospective law students to start doing work placements as early as possible with a number of different law firms. There are so many different areas of law so it can be tricky to identify which area(s) you might be interested in. You will also then get an idea of whether you’d like to work in a small or a large law firm. Some of the larger firms may have offices in a number of different jurisdictions and that may present opportunities for living and working abroad.