Felix Dorfelt (LLM ‘07) and Straus Institute’s Master of Laws Program Featured in LLM Guide

"The LL.M. basically set the theoretical groundwork for the work I'm doing now."

LLM Guide, an international online platform and directory of Masters in Law Programs, profiled Straus alumnus, Felix Dorfelt (LLM '07), in its article, "Post-LL.M. Careers in Big Law: Latham & Watkins." The article also featured Straus' Associate Director Aparna Gupta, who highlighted the Institute's global relationships as well its unique curriculum that balances ADR theory and practical training.

The article focused upon the importance of an LL.M. education as a foundation for further understanding the law, particularly in an international setting. Dorfelt is an associate in the Hamburg office of Latham & Watkins. He is a member of the firm's International Arbitration and Public International Law Practices. He was a Fulbright Scholar at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.

Excerpt from "Post-LL.M.Careers in Big Law: Latham & Watkins"

Felix Dörfelt says that the practical experience he gained doing an LL.M. at Pepperdine University went a long way towards helping him land a job at Latham.

"At Pepperdine, I mediated over 50 cases at the LA superior courthouse," he details. "It gave me life experience in negotiations that helped me a lot, being a lawyer and having to negotiate my own cases." Being at Pepperdine exposed him to a new field of law: investment arbitration. "That proved to be very beneficial when I started here at Latham, because representing states in investor-state disputes is now a major part of my practice. The LL.M. basically set the theoretical groundwork for the work I'm doing now."

Building a theoretical framework with real-world experience is one of the goals of Pepperdine's LL.M. programs, claims Aparna Gupta, Associate Director of Professional Development & External Relations at the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. "Our core curriculum is designed to immerse our students in a vibrant mix of doctrinal and practical learning," she explains. This is assisted by the university's connections to firms like Latham. "The relationships that our program has with major law firms and celebrated figures in the international dispute resolution field allow our Institute to promise a rich experience for our students."

The complete article may be found here