Kirti Rana ’15 LL.M. in U.S. Law
Kirti Rana had no interest in pursuing an LL.M. degree until the day she saw a brochure posted in Jindal Global Law School – her home law school in Sonipat, Haryana, India – that touted UST School of Law as the No. 1 law school in the United States for practical training.
“I was always interested in learning the practical side of law rather than just sitting in class and listening to the professors,” Rana said. “I wanted to study in a college where, along with my classroom session, I’d have an exposure to the legal world, where I could use my classroom knowledge in practical settings.”
After scouring the school’s website and digging into the Mentor Externship Program, Rana felt confident that UST School of Law would be a good fit. And after her first semester in Minneapolis, she’s found that her expectations have been exceeded.
“Every law school gives the impression that they teach you the things you need to learn to join the legal industry as an attorney, but I’m actually finding everything I saw on the website to be true,” she said, adding that she’s been especially intrigued by her White Collar Crime and Compliance class co-taught by professors Hank Shea and Joe Dixon, both former assistant U.S. attorneys. “Anyone can read the books and learn the law, but learning law through the experience of eminent attorneys and scholars is indeed a great experience.”
As the only student from India in UST School of Law’s first class of LL.M. in U.S. Law students, Rana naturally felt a bit of uncertainty about how the community might receive her.
“From the very first day when I reached the United States, Holly (Noble) from admissions picked me up at the airport and took me to her house, and it felt like I belonged here,” she said.
Just weeks later, Rana’s class elected her to serve as the UST School of Law student government representative for LL.M. in U.S. Law students. She also was invited to work with professor Teresa Collett on a book she’s writing.
Following graduation from the LL.M. program in May, Rana hopes to extend her visa, take the bar exam in New York or California and work in the United States for a while. When she returns home to India, she hopes to teach and then serve on the judiciary.
