After studying law and economics in Colombia, Santiago Jaramillo Martinezworked as a legal assistant and then for Ernst & Young.
But, soon he was ready to move his career even farther.
“As a lawyer and economist, I wanted to earn a higher degree that potentially could help me combine in a better way my professional and academic background,” Jaramillo Martinez said.
He started looking at law schools in the United States where he could focus his LL.M. in corporate law. His search led him to The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, which is one of two schools to top International Jurist’s lists of best LL.M. programs. Jaramillo Martinez said he learned it was a great program in terms of quality and costs.
He earned his LL.M. in 2016, and was hired by Ernst & Young in its Columbus, Ohio office. Currently, his position at EY focuses on tax and employment tax advisory services.
“Thanks to the LL.M. degree, I was able to apply for a job in the U.S. and meet lawyers from more than 17 different countries around the world,” Jaramillo Martinez said.
Over the past year since earning his degree, he has volunteered as a team leader/coach for the school’s LL.M. International Commercial Arbitration Moot Competition.
His advice to prospective LL.M. students?Determine, in detail, what kind of program you want, versus your budget and expectations.
“After taking all your priorities into consideration, check the multiple rankings available online,” Jaramillo Martinez said. “This sounds obvious, but reversely many people start looking for top-ranked law schools, leaving out of their lists other better-specialized LL.M. programs. Likewise, I strongly recommend the LL.M. program at The Ohio State University, especially for those who are looking for programs in dispute resolution and corporate law.”