Student profiles
Debashree Dutta, India
What were you doing prior to the MLF?
I am a qualified lawyer from India and graduated (law) in 2007. For the last 3 years’ I have been working as an in-house counsel with one of the largest private banks in India. My role involved looking into all areas of documentation and procedural issues in complex structured corporate finance deals and debt restructuring transactions from a legal perspective.
Why did you decide to apply to study the MLF?
Business people often accuse lawyers of being ‘economically illiterate’ and innumerate, and therefore are not completely appreciative of the commercial aspects of deals. My purpose in choosing to study the MLF course was to dispel this myth. I chose the MLF programme because I believe that the course structure is tailor-made for people like me who want to hone their legal acumen with an in-depth understanding of the economics of laws and the financial contexts of commercial transactions.
The Oxford Law Faculty and the Saïd Business School are world-renowned highly prestigious academic seats in their respective areas. Since, this course is jointly taught by both, I was confident when I applied that this would be the leading degree programme globally as it would provide the best of both worlds, finance and law.
What do you hope to get out of studying the MLF?
I intend to practice as a finance lawyer and believe that this course will provide me with the relevant tools to venture beyond the strict interpretation and explanation of law in understanding commercial and financial situations.
Jonathan Greenacre, Australia
What were you doing prior to the MLF?
Before the MLF I conducted research into 'microfinance', which means providing loans, savings and insurance to poor households in developing countries. My research focused on helping donor-funded microfinance providers to grow into private, self-sufficient microfinance banks.
In the months leading up to the MLF, I travelled to Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Cambodia and the United States as a Churchill Research Fellow. During this trip I discussed my research with representatives of microfinance practitioners, market regulators, multilateral banks, and academics from Harvard University.
Why did you decide to apply to study the MLF?
Recently I have realized that I need to understand the basics of economics and finance to fully develop my microfinance research. I chose the MLF primarily because it will teach me the fundamentals of both these disciplines, without the unnecessary detail which I would have to learn as part of a straight economics or finance degree. The MLF also gives me the opportunity to develop my Churchill research through a dissertation, and possibly a DPhil.
What do you hope to get out of studying the MLF?
I hope to graduate from the MLF with a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles of finance and financial economics. I also aim to have completed a dissertation which focuses on the type of financial regulation required to build a strong microfinance industry in Kosovo.
At this point, I will decide whether to apply my knowledge immediately by working in the microfinance division of a multilateral bank, or further develop my research through undertaking a DPhil at Oxford. Ultimately I aim to work as a consultant to donors who are seeking to build microfinance banks in developing countries.
Karthi Sepulohniam, Malaysia/Australia
What were you doing prior to the MLF?
I completed two law degrees at The University of Melbourne, more out of intellectual curiosity than a desire to train as a lawyer. I found my legal training to be very useful when I embarked on a career in investment banking. Immediately prior to starting at Oxford, I was working at Allier Capital, a boutique investment banking firm in Sydney. Prior to that, I spent 2 years as an Investment Banking Analyst at Macquarie Capital, a global investment banking firm, also in Sydney. My role at both these firms involved working in teams to advise corporate clients on capital raising transactions, acquisitions and takeover defence, and financial strategy.
Why did you decide to apply to study the MLF?
I have always been interested in finance and the way companies and shareholders interact in the capital markets. I saw the MLF as an ideal opportunity to marry my intellectual interest in the law with my interest and work experience in finance. The world class reputations of both the Oxford Law Faculty and the Saïd Business School made my choice of a graduate school very obvious – each is a leader in its own field. In my mind, the MLF is greater than the sum of the parts.
What do you hope to get out of studying the MLF?
In the short term, I hope to spend a few years working in a finance or management consulting role to gain more business experience. Ultimately, my long term career goal is to combine my legal, financial and business experience to play a role in designing policy to further stimulate capital market development in Asia Pacific and South East Asia. For both my career goals, the MLF will provide me with the analytical tools to think about business and finance issues using both legal and financial frameworks – I believe having this skill would be highly attractive to employers and future clients. Furthermore, having access to the global Oxford alumni network through both the Law Faculty and the Saïd Business School will ensure I can reach out to experts in my field for guidance.
Onirik Sarma, USA/Canada
What were you doing prior to the MLF?
Prior to entering the legal profession I worked for two years as an Associate on the sell-side in institutional equity research at a large Canadian investment bank. The role was a tremendous experience but I had always been a firm believer in the value of a broad-based liberal arts education, and when the decision to return to school was made, I chose a law degree over an MBA. After one year of practice at a Toronto litigation boutique, I made the decision to enhance my educational base and broaden my international exposure. Originally, I was considering pursuing a traditional two year US MBA, but when I learned of the Oxford MSc in Law and Finance (MLF), I chose to pursue an accelerated MBA in Canada followed by the prestigious Oxford MLF. That decision has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only is the MLF a unique interdisciplinary offering, but the very talented students in the programme are highly accomplished, personable and from all over the world.
Why did you decide to apply to study the MLF?
Pursuing graduate studies at Oxford had always been one of my dreams, but the opportunity never quite presented itself. Law can be particularly tricky, because it makes sense to go to school in the jurisdiction where you plan to practice. However, after obtaining my law degree in Canada and a year of practice, I wanted to re-align my academic and professional focus on my area of interest – capital markets. At the same time, I wanted to be able to leverage my legal background while pursuing this interest. The Oxford MLF is specially designed for both lawyers that are interested in corporate legal practice and for lawyers interested in making the leap into high finance. The courses offered allow law students to look at legal issues through the lens of a financier, and also allows business students to look at financial issues through the lens of a lawyer. The course work is varied, challenging and practical, but also takes a broader perspective such that the student is able to understand complicated concepts and apply their learning in a meaningful manner.
What do you hope to get out of studying the MLF?
From a career point of view, the Oxford MLF leaves nothing to be desired. Students have access to the professional contacts of both the Faculty of Law and the Saïd School of Business, as well as the resources of the University's Careers Service. As a student with an interest in pursuing a career in capital markets, you are able to network with professionals from investment banks and asset managers from day one. Ultimately, I am planning to be able to take advantage of the tremendous resources that Oxford has to offer in order to help me make my next big step into a career that I am passionate about.
Wendy Li, China/USA
What were you doing prior to the MLF?
Prior to entering the MSc in Law and Finance (MLF) programme at the University of Oxford, I practised corporate and securities law with a major international law firm in New York.
I represented both issuers and underwriters of publicly and privately offered high-yield, investment grade, convertible and exchangeable debt, equity, risk-linked and hybrid securities, as well as IPO and SPAC transactions. I also advise investment banks and other clients on a wide variety of derivative-related matters.
I have advised companies in their acquisition and sale of equity interests and assets, forming and dissolving strategic alliances, joint ventures and special arrangements in the US and overseas. I have also advised clients in both public and private mergers and acquisitions.
I provide regulatory and transactional advice to a wide variety of foreign and domestic financial institutions with respect to the development of new financial service operations. My expertise includes domestic and international bank regulatory mechanisms and the way in which they affect wholesale and retail banking, securities, trust and capital markets operations. Additionally, I have assisted international banks planning to open branches, agencies, representative offices or brokerage subsidiaries in New York.
Why did you decide to apply to study the MLF?
The MLF programme is unique as it is a degree focused on the intersection of law and finance. As a result, the MLF was the only programme, and the University of the Oxford the only university, that I applied to.
As the legal and financial industries have witnessed during the recent global financial crisis, it is critical to have effective cross-border cooperation and risk management. The scope, scale and complexity of international financial transactions have expanded at an unprecedented pace. International regulators and financial leaders must therefore communicate and coordinate on a global basis. Meanwhile, at the level of individual firms, international financial institutions and financial groups must maintain financial stability, liquidity and safe and sound practices. The financial crisis has illustrated the shortcomings of the current cross-border crisis management frameworks. In this new global order (or disorder), there is a great need for better multidisciplinary and cross-border expertise.
What do you hope to get out of studying the MLF?
The MLF programme jointly offered by the Law Faculty of the University of Oxford and the Saïd Business School provides me with an ideal platform from which to further study the intersection of finance and law and global financial regulatory frameworks. The global financial crisis has illustrated an urgent need for global financial cooperation. I wish to contribute to the ongoing efforts to design a global financial architecture based on financial systems in the EU, the US and China.
