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Returning to a Legal Career through Temple’s LL.M.

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Before coming to Temple Law, I had already built a legal career in Kazakhstan. After earning my LL.B. and a master’s degree in international law from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, I spent more than 20 years practicing immigration, corporate, business, and international law. I managed my own legal practice, represented clients before courts and government agencies, and advised individuals and businesses on a wide range of legal matters. When I moved to the United States, I initially told myself that I would not return to legal practice. I decided to pursue business instead and opened a trucking company. However, over time, I realized that I could not completely separate myself from the legal profession. I missed legal practice, legal thinking, and the work of helping clients solve serious problems. That realization pushed me to return to law and pursue an LL.M. degree in the United States. My decision to attend Temple was both practical and personal. At that time, I was living in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, close to Philadelphia, so Temple was geographically convenient …

From Temple to Germany: How Temple Law School Shaped My Career in Sports and Entertainment Law

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When I completed my LL.M. at Temple Law School in Philadelphia in 1994/1995, I did not anticipate how profoundly this experience would shape my professional path. The focus of my studies was a comparative thesis on “Secondary Industrial Activities” in the United States, the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany – a thesis that later became the basis of my doctoral dissertation in Germany, which I completed and published in 1996. I was able to pursue my LL.M. at Temple thanks to an Ambassadorial Scholarship from Rotary International, which gave me access not only to an excellent academic environment but also to a truly international legal community. A pivotal moment for me was my first encounter with Sports & Entertainment Law at Temple Law School. The professor teaching this course at the time was the lawyer who had negotiated the product placement contracts connected with the movie “Rocky”. For a young German lawyer whose background was primarily in traditional business and labour law, this was an impressive introduction to the intersection of law, …

LLM for Foreign-Trained Lawyers: Opening Doors to the U.S. Legal System

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  Every day, I have the privilege of standing beside immigrant families during some of the most uncertain moments of their lives. As the founder and Director of Immigration at Migrance Initiative Inc., a nonprofit in Philadelphia, that work is my purpose. And whenever I trace it back to where it started, I arrive at the same place: Temple University Beasley School of Law. As a foreign-trained lawyer, I came to Temple to build my career on American soil, and its LLM for Foreign-Trained Lawyers gave me exactly the foundation I needed. The program is designed  for internationally educated attorneys like me, and it opened the door to the U.S. legal system in a way that was both rigorous and welcoming. Earning my LLM in American and International Law was a turning point, and looking back now, I understand just how deeply that year shaped my career and the practitioner I have become. What stayed with me most was the depth of the education. I arrived wanting to understand the American legal system and international …

Our Dreams Are Valid: Turning Aspiration into Achievement at Temple Law

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For a young man who grew up in a part of the world where daily struggles were considered normal, I realized very early in life that I had more dreams than my environment seemed willing to permit. Walking through the corridors of public schools in Abuakwa, a suburb of Kumasi in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, I dreamed of becoming a businessman, a leader in public service, and a lawyer. Even before I turned twelve, I knew I wanted more. But in an environment where people constantly reminded you of the reasons why you could not succeed, I learned to be careful about how loudly I spoke about my dreams. Before finishing high school, I understood the sacrifices my parents had already made on their modest salaries as teachers. Pursuing law in Ghana was a long and expensive journey, and I convinced myself that it would be wiser to pursue a path that could provide immediate financial stability while postponing my legal ambitions. Still, I never abandoned the belief that I was meant for more. I entered …

Building an International Legal Career Through Temple’s LL.M. Program

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Studying in the LL.M. program at Temple University Beasley School of Law has been one of the most transformative experiences of my academic and professional journey. Coming from Italy, where I graduated cum laude in Law from LUISS Guido Carli, I wanted to deepen my understanding of corporate law and gain exposure to the U.S. legal system in a practical and challenging environment.  Before coming to Temple, I had already cultivated a strong interest in international and commercial law through my studies and international experiences. In particular, I had the opportunity to spend five months in London as part of an exchange program at City, University of London, where I studied subjects including corporate law and EU product regulation. Living and studying in such an international setting further strengthened my desire to pursue a legal career with a cross-border perspective.  At Temple, I was able not only to expand my legal knowledge, but also to grow personally and professionally. Courses such as Corporations, International Commercial Transactions, and Mergers & Acquisitions provided me with a deeper understanding of cross-border business law …

Temple LL.M. Alumna Isabela Faria: Leading the Way in Energy and Finance Law

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Isabela Faria, LLM ’98, has charted a dynamic international legal career. As partner at Schmidt Valois Advogados (SVMFA) in her native Rio de Janeiro, she specializes in a broad practice that encompass finance, project finance, banking, business transactions, oil and gas, energy, and infrastructure. Her journey to pursue her LL.M. in Philadelphia to her current role as a partner in a well-recognized law firm in Brazil showcases the power of determination and a passion for embracing new challenges. Isabela, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, was exposed to diverse cultures and backgrounds from an early age. Her parents played pivotal roles in shaping her broad worldview as they often traveled as a family. After completing her initial law degree in Brazil, one of her parents’ friends, whose wife was a Temple alumna, recommended the university’s LL.M. program to Isabela. Before immersing herself in her LL.M. studies, Isabela participated in Temple’s Intensive English Language Program. This provided her with a head start in language proficiency as well as familiarity with the campus and its many …

Temple Alumni Host International Students for Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving celebration with Brooke Banville FOX ’09 This Thanksgiving, Temple alumni opened their homes—and hearts—to students in the Master of Laws (LLM) for Foreign-Trained Lawyers program. Joana Gaizelyte-Lacy JD ’09, Brooke Banville FOX ’09, and Temple friend Tricia Neff each hosted international LLM students at their homes to experience the quintessential American holiday. Thunvath Thorng LLM ’23, reflected on his visit with Joana Gaizeyte-Lacy: Frankly, it was a delightful experience to have a Thanksgiving Feast with a local Philadelphia family, especially a Temple Law alum. This American unifying holiday is where family members gather, indulge in a wide range of cuisines, interactively exchange stories, laugh, and more. This exquisite and well-decorated dinner celebration allows me to realistically see and dive deep into American culture and tradition. I sincerely appreciate the alum’s effort in hosting this event, and hopefully, there will be more for next year, and even years ahead. It surely is one of my most memorable nights in America, as an LL.M. student at Temple. Along with Thunvath, other international LLM students spent Thanksgiving …

Alumni Spotlight – Matteo Smacchi LLM ’11, Head of Legal & Compliance, SDA Express Courier, Poste Italiane

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Italian alumnus Matteo Smacchi LLM ’11 has long been committed to professional and personal service. After earning the Professor Samuel Gyandoh Award for rendering outstanding service to Temple Law upon his graduation, Matteo has gone on to a distinguished career in the public and private sector. Matteo currently serves as the Head of Legal and Compliance for the SDA Express Courier services within Poste Italiane—one of Italy’s largest companies with over 120,000 employees. He is directly responsible for all legal and compliance oversight of the express courier business unit and distribution activities. In his role, he particularly appreciates the unique opportunity to engage in strategic decision-making for the company and the ability to interact with other professionals who lack legal backgrounds. Prior to his current role at Poste Italiane, Matteo spent eight years working for large, international law firms in Philadelphia and Rome. He then made the decision to transition out of law firm practice. Playing the role of in-house counsel, Matteo first served as the Head of Corporate Affairs at both Banca Generali and …

Temple Law Commencement 2022 – Keynote Speaker Leonard Barrack

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May 19, 2022 marked the commencement activities for the Class of 2022 and, returning after nearly two years, the Class of 2020. In his keynote remarks, Leonard Barrack LAW ‘68, chair of the law school’s Board of Visitors and member of the university’s Board of Trustees, congratulated the graduates and their families and shared some words of wisdom. I greet you all here today with a special kind of joy and pride. I greet you as a first generation American whose own father came to this country in 1923 from Ukraine with $25 in his pocket. He had so many dreams. Yes, as Emma Lazarus said, he was among those “huddled masses yearning to be free.” Had he not had those dreams – and yes, that courage – I would surely not be standing here before you today. But he did and here I am. Had he not, he would almost certainly have been shot and buried in a mass grave as his own mother and sisters were for the ‘crime’ of being Jewish. So …