The Association - CHEVENING LEADERSHIP ESSAY

Hello, it is my first attempt to write it and I will appreciate any advice. Thank you!

born to lead

They say leaders are born naturally, but is it true? I never considered myself in leadership positions or situations, as I thought I was not a good fit. Although, life proved me wrong.

As a fresher at the university in 2013, I joined the biggest law students' Association to expand my horizons and meet my future colleagues from all over Europe. With no intentions to climb the career ladder in the association, I admired the ones who were on the board of the Association, being amazed how they could do so much at this young age. I never expressed any interest in even being the head of the smallest local projects and continued to be a member of the organising teams. After a while, I found myself in a situation where people around me supported and followed my ideas, approached me for guidance and believed in my views. That is when I found a strength and interest in myself that I could be a leader, not just a manager in a high position but a good leader that contributed to the goodwill of society.

Intellectual Property law has always been my interest field, despite it not being a very demanded and popular field of law. I decided to use the platform X gave me to learn more about my favourite fields of law while contributing to legal education and creating opportunities for young lawyers. I presented the idea of creating a summer law school on IP law, which would be receiving participants from all over YY. The executive board liked the idea, I started to work on the project, partnered with the National Intellectual Property Center of YY, and we managed to train and increase the awareness of IP among over 300 students and young lawyers.

From 2017-2019 years, I was managing the key project of the association that offered opportunities to do traineeships in private and public institutions all over Europe. Despite its importance, not many people were interested in the project and it was collapsing. I gathered a team of 10 people, with whom I increased the number of traineeships offered in YY by 200% and doubled the number of students applying for the traineeships abroad. I was organising info sessions, went through an application process and helped applicants individually. Additionally, I created a system of national traineeship programmes, where YY law firms were offering paid traineeships for YY law students. Through this project, a lot of YY students got an opportunity to travel abroad and working in international companies opened the door for many other career possibilites.

I have been part of the Association on every level and position for 7 consecutive years, led 100+ projects and looking back to my young self, that never believed in her abilities, I am proudly saying that everything is possible if you put your mind, passion and hard work in it.

Chevening reviewers are not interested in reading about your college adventures as a law student. Yes, this shows an inclination for leadership but, it does not show your promise as a true international leader. The experience presented suffers from a localized situation presentation. It is easy to become an association leader of sorts within an academic setting. It is not easy to become a leader within a professional setting. Remember that the requirement is for the applicant to show his ability to be a future leader and influencer within his field of expertise. That means, the applicant needs to be a leader within his field of law. Where is the ambition to become a partner in the law firm? Ambition leads a person, specially a lawyer, to become a leader within the law firm. Leaders are created by the need to properly defend their clients. IP law may allow for some sort of leadership within a professional presentation, but I do not see any of that referenced in this paper. Where is the professional desire to use leadership as a lawyer to help improve the country's community?

Use a progressive leadership focus if you wish. Show how the academic leadership led to professional leadership. Use 2 specific leadership settings that will show leadership, influencing, and an emerging national leader. Something that should be easy for you to do as a lawyer, who are professionals who are often looked up to and who often become the leaders of their country because of the political nature of their job.

@Holt
Thank you very much for your feedback! I will definitely try to use a progressive leadership focus. One question, would not it be repetitive if i discuss my ambitions/future plans here? I thought it should be discussed in another essay about career plans.