On March 11, 2021, the Institute for Transnational Law sat down with 2018-2019 MD Anderson Research Fellow Filimone Tuivanualevu (LL.M. ’19) to discuss his career trajectory after completing his legal studies at Texas Law.
How have a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from The University of Texas at Austin and a research fellowship from the Institute for Transnational Law helped you achieve your academic and professional goals?
The experience at UT is like no other, and to be a Longhorn is something quite special. Achieving my LL.M. from the UT School of Law and the experience of being a Research Fellow under the Institute of Transnational Law has greatly impacted and influenced my journey in my young professional life.
I returned to my island country of Fiji and worked as a consultant for a research project on the extractive industry, later I worked as a solicitor at our nation’s largest private law firm, followed by work at an international conservation NGO, and I currently have the role as the Senior Climate Change Adaptation Officer assisting in my nation’s efforts in the fight against climate change. This has all occurred in a period of a little over 2 years. Prior to leaving for studies in Austin, Texas, I had envisioned one day working in the Climate Change Division as you will see in my profile information available on the Institute of Transnational Law website. I am grateful that I took a long route of development and training to get me to where I wanted to be upon leaving for studies years back. The LL.M. and opportunities I received from UT have elevated my employability and marketability, and I can attest to the fact that it has greatly helped me in achieving my professional goals and that it will continue to carry forward to the many other goals I have set for myself in the future to come. Hook’em Horns!
This interview was conducted by Dr. Mauricio Pajón, the Institute’s program director.