International Jurist asked LL.M. students and graduates to share their thoughts on their schools, their careers, and advice for future students.
Diego Fernandez
The John Marshall Law School
Argentinian native; earned LL.M. in 2013
How did you choose your law school?
At the time I decided to pursue an LL.M degree (early 2012), John Marshall was one of the only schools providing a specific IT and privacy program. JMLS’s program was tailored for students seeking courses dealing specifically with information technology and privacy.
Why did you want to get an LL.M.?
I wanted to expand my knowledge in IT and privacy to further develop an IT and privacy practice in my firm, Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal. An ideal starting point was to obtain an LL.M degree, which, in my case, was later, complemented with a one-year work experience at Foley & Lardner in their Chicago Office. (I was visiting foreign counsel and a member of their IT & Privacy practice group, as well as their Latin America practice group).
At the same time, attending an LL.M program would allow me to connect with other professionals with the same interests and build a network of trustworthy colleagues.
While attending the LL.M, I was the international students’ ambassador and acting vice president of the Privacy & Information Technology Law Society.
How has your LL.M. affected your career?
I am a senior associate with Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal in Argentina and a member of the firm’s IP, IT & Privacy Group.
The LL.M. had great impact in my career, both from a personal and professional perspective. Particularly from a professional side, it allowed me to (1) continue developing my career at my firm, (2) have a working experience at Foley & Lardner side to side with extremely qualified professionals, and (3) participate and stand out in local and international IT associations such as ITechLaw.