Don't expect to receive benefits from your contacts but be ready to give these benefits to others

Chevening scholarship networking essay

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who ...

During my studies at BSU, I have managed to build a strong network of professionals in legal sphere all over the world that played significant role in enhancing my studies and career.

During my exchange program in Poland, extensive volunteer experience abroad I have been engaged in multinational environment and established relations with the dozens of students, volunteers and local leaders that have inspired me for new endeavors and became my friends. This demonstrates my ability to get involved in international community and establish contacts that I hope to use to integrate with Chevening alumni.

One of the thing that was driving me for the participation in three international moot courts was the very opportunity to establish professional network. As I expected I have enlarged my network that helped me in several academic and professional projects. During ELSA establishment in Belarus, I have received the assistance from Elsa-members from Germany that I had met at the ELSA Moot court. My ability to influence others consequently led to the successful foundation of ELSA in Belarus and I hope will promote its development in the future.

The contacts I established at Vis moot in Vienna brought their results in the final year of studies- we helped each other with other students with work on final thesis as we could share the experience of our jurisdictions, scholar studies and ideas. One of them became the client of the law firm I work now in. This solid legal network also helped me to revive Belarusian moot court community and inspire students for academic development. For example, at the Vis Pre-moot competition in Riga I established contacts with law professor Rudolf von Laun who accepted my invitation to participate as an arbitrator in the next Lex-Mercatoria moot court in Minsk.

Moreover I had a chance to meet law professor from Denver University - Stephen Sewalk with whom we have started research on IP law concerning the legal framework of new technological methods of construction. At the Conference on the Rules of SCC I was introduced to the organizers of the EEU law moot-court in Moscow who invited me to be the judge at this competition. Due to my endeavor for academic leadership the partner of the law-office 'Vlasova Mikhel and partners' proposed me become the Supervisor in the Global University Ranking project conducted by London office of 'Allen and Overy' and prof. Oliver Wood.

Therefore, one important thing I have learnt about network is not to expect to receive benefits from your contacts in the first place but to be ready to give these benefits to others. Following this rule, I have received even more than I could expect. I wish to expand my networking skills and extend them to other Chevening scholars helping them to achieve their goals and benefit from my experience. I hope that in return it will help me in achieving my goal of reforming legal environment in Belarus by consulting and attracting experts from all over the world.

@Ira_Chelysheva
I think you need to stay focused on your networks related to professional career, and how will it help you in future if you get selected for Chevening

Iriyna, it is an exaggeration to say that you have "contacts all over the world". Rather, you have "a significant international network" that can assist you during times you need a consult regarding international law. Don't exaggerate. Change the term that I indicated for replacement. There is no clear example that can lead the reviewer to believe that you created some contacts during your time in Poland. These contacts need to be of the professional and academic kind owing to your being an exchange law student. Definite network involvement is required. Activities indicative of network enhancement and growth are a must in these types of presentations. It isn't enough to just mention "ELSA" and "Vis Moot". An explanation regarding the relevance of the network to your career should be included. You have mentioned specific names of professors in this essay, have they provided you with recommendation letters? If not, then do not mention them because they might be interviewed as part of the information verification procedures. Since you are now a practicing lawyer, you should be focusing your network discussion in your professional practice. What legal groups are you a member of? How have these groups influenced your work as a lawyer? Has participating in their activities expanded your own network? Would you say that this is a network that can be useful to the other legal professionals who are part of the Chevening roster? If so, how? Bear in mind that your network will also be expanded by your Chevening membership so you should be able to justify the reasons why your network qualifies you to join them. This presentation is very unclear on those points as the focus is mostly academic in nature. It would seem that you do not have the 2 year minimum work requirement for the scholarship based upon your presentation.