Careers in ADR :An Insight from Alumni

By Mimi Oosterveen

On the 22nd of May 2020, the Multilevel Regulation Student Projects hosted its first event. Considering the restrictive measures imposed by the Dutch government to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus, we have hosted our first event online.

The objective of Careers in Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) is to provide for a platform where students of The Hague University of Applied Sciences (“THUAS”) can connect with alumni and advanced students who have chosen a career path in the field of ADR. Through an interactive session, a dialogue is started between the guest speakers and the participants.

During the Careers in ADR, we had the pleasure of welcoming Ms. Zuzanna Ostromęcka, Ms. Bianca Oprea and Ms. Zuzanna Cieplińska as our guest speakers. Ms. Ostromęcka and Ms. Oprea are both alumni of the International & European Law Programme of THUAS and Ms. Cieplińska is in her final year of the IEL Programme. Each one of our guest speakers shared their own unique experience within the field of ADR. Through their internships during their time at THUAS, they have developed a strong affinity with dispute resolution. Internships can be done in a variety of countries worldwide. Our guest speakers have conducted their internship in Australia, The Hague, Paris, and Poland.

After obtaining their LL.B in Law, both Ms. Ostromęcka and Ms. Oprea have chosen to pursue an LL.M program in the United Kingdom, focusing on the field of commercial law. Ms. Cieplińska also has the intention to pursue an LL.M degree once she graduates from THUAS this academic year.

Not only did our guest speakers share their stories of how they had experienced their internships, but they also shared their experience on housing provided abroad as this can be a challenge. Moreover, they have shared their views on what working in the ‘real world’ is like how their working day looks like, especially now in times of the Covid-19 pandemic. A very important take away from all of their experiences has been that even though, you mainly work individually in a lot of workplaces, applicants should possess certain sets of skills. Communication skills, team working skills, presentation skills, language skills, and independence are very important within the field of law. The field of law is highly competitive, but not impossible to get in to.

All in all, this event has shown our students that there are opportunities for them, once they graduate. There is a wide variety of options out there for them, whether it is pursuing an LL.M program or pursuing a career you love. With hard work and dedication, you can get very far in this world.