Student Testimonials

Hear from Online LLM Graduate Vivian Williams

New York City attorney Vivian Williams, a 2022 graduate of the Online LLM in Global Antitrust Law & Economics, reflects on his experience in the LLM program and the value his new skill set has in his career.

Tremendous value

I decided I needed to equip myself with a more global practice and focus more on corporate clients. I did a few business programs, such as an MBA and a Doctorate in Business Administration. Then I found the LLM in Global Antitrust Law & Economics at GMU that cemented everything else. 

The time I dedicated to the program was very manageable. I threw myself into the program because I was working on cases relevant to what I was learning. From day one, I started learning things I could apply to my practice immediately. The value was tremendous, and the learning materials were immensely useful. 

A new way of practicing law

I wasn't expecting the program to give me a good foundation for contract law. The statistical measurements I learned in Economics for Lawyers were very useful for me as an attorney working with contracts. It gave me a different approach to dealing with contract disputes and settlements of major mediation. 

Economics for Lawyers and Statistics for Lawyers are taught in ways that simplify concepts to allow persons who are not quantitative-oriented to understand and see how law and economics work hand-in-hand, step-by-step with each other.

The Global Antitrust Law and Economics LLM gave me a new way of practicing law. Besides the gained knowledge of antitrust and competition law, I became an attorney with a different set of statistical skills and economic approaches. I am practicing law at a different level — my quantitative analysis skills have set me apart. I regret that I didn’t do it sooner.

Real-world connections and perspectives

The interactions with classmates were consistent with the weekly discussion boards, which helped develop a relationship and bond with classmates. I found professors open to meeting, taking phone calls, and responded to emails promptly. The program has a host of great professors, such as Justice Ginsberg, with whom you have the opportunity to develop a relationship. The lectures also include guest lecturers that bring expertise in specific course topics with real-world perspectives on distinct issues from around the world. 

Endless career pathways

If you want to go into antitrust and competition law, you can go through the law firm route and you would be valuable to a big firm that deals with major clients, because for any acquisitions, you need to understand what you learn in this program. The principles you learn in the LLM program would also make you a valuable candidate in public policy working with international or governmental organizations.

If you're getting into private practice, it will help you elevate your game and land major clients to take on corporate clients and start-ups. Also, by gaining the knowledge and skills in this program, you would be useful for any judge or court, if you want to go the judicial route.

Alternatively, if you're not interested in litigation and want to be a transactional lawyer, then this is the LLM you need to pursue. If you're dealing with a settlement and questions of ‘what it's worth’ — you’re getting the skill set in the program to deal with that.

A competitive edge to your career