I clearly remember my first encounter with an attorney; in the summer, of 1994. Lifshitz walked into our classroom, wearing an impeccable black tailored suit. I gazed at him with admiration. Well-dressed people were unfamiliar in my hometown, and working in an office was equally rare. My school would have been declared insolvent if not for the generous donation of advocate Lifshitz. His humanitarian and anthropological example inspired me, motivating me to become an attorney. Shaking his hand, I envisioned a day when it would be me wearing the black tailored suit.
Our town had few resources and the lowest SAT scores in the country. I have learned that there are no barriers to success except those you impose upon yourself. Even during high school, formal studying was never something I settled for. After school, I practiced my love of writing and, at fourteen, penned a book called, "Our Story," a personal narrative depicting teenage life in a struggling town. My book caught the interest of Israeli National TV producers, who asked me to participate in a documentary about promising teenagers from peripheries. This experience was empowering, enabling me to inspire teenagers to achieve their goals and inspiring me to continue to challenge myself.
Working as an attorney in international commercial and corporate law in one of Israel’s leading firms - XXXX & Co. - and specializing in international cross-border transactions, I have worked with a rich array of cases and clients from around the world, building my cultural competency and negotiation skills. Every day I am given opportunities to alter legal realities, raise original and creative claims, gaining a better understanding of financial markets and businesses.
In addition to my duties as an attorney, I have created interactive legal software entitled, “Agreement Optimizer,” a professional tool that facilitates the drafting of agreements and other legal documents. The software suggests enhancements, among other things, according to the user's needs, updated, relevant legislation and court rulings, and helps the author avoid errors such as disregarding relevant legal matters.
I was serving in the military and refined my leadership skills. After only six months, I was promoted to senior technician, commanding fifteen soldiers from diverse backgrounds, a position in which I had to be confident, and encourage my team. At the same time, I had to be understanding, attentive and lenient with my soldiers. This experience has given me an edge at the negotiation table as I suggest creative ideas to solve differences and defend my client's interests and the collective interests of both parties.
As a young adult, I had the unique opportunity to participate in a national program designed to encourage burgeoning teens from depressed areas to become future business or industrial leaders. Building on the spirit of my experiences as an Atidim Cadet, I frequently volunteer my time, teaching disadvantaged children the basics of the law, entrepreneurship, and personal development through a student-run program called “Perach.” Furthermore, I volunteer my time with the Public Defense Office of the Ministry of Justice, assisting people who cannot afford legal aid.
My experiences as a young adult fueled my interest in the financial aspects of law and business, leading me to pursue economics, and practice commercial and corporate law. I felt a strong desire to understand why places such as my hometown did not receive financial incentives to exploit their resources and prosper. Since graduating, I have found that my combination of law and economics education has equipped me to be effective in management studies, and have an excellent grasp of the legal implications of decisions made in the business sector.
In the future, I anticipate excelling in a leading multinational law practice, specializing in international commercial and corporate law, utilizing my international cross-border transaction experiences. I will never forget where I have come from, and I intend to assist people from socio-economically depressed areas with their legal needs.
The prospect of attending the world-renowned XXXX University, located in a city that is perhaps the world’s most dynamic legal market, participating and contributing my experiences in the LLM program is fascinating to me. My interest in XXU has been intensified by my desire to attend the course “Advanced Corporate Law: theories and practice,” headed by one of my heroes, the Chairman of the Israeli Securities Authority. By achieving my academic goals through an academic relationship with XXU, I will be completely prepared to achieve my goals. XXU alumni have nothing but praise for their educational experiences, and I would be honored to join their ranks.
I thank you for consideration of my application for admission to your program.