Kazakh LL.M. graduate credits Penn State Law with his understanding of the western legal mindset

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Azamat Ryszhanov came to Penn State Law because of its specialty in international arbitration and the high caliber of the professors experienced in this area. Ryszhanov, a lawyer in Kazakhstan who graduated from the Penn State Law LL.M. Program in 2015, now works as chief consultant at the specialized judicial board of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He says his Penn State Law education gave him a new perspective on global business regulation, which he uses on a daily basis.

“The courses that I took at Penn State Law, such as Arbitration, Sales, International Financial Law, and the Rural Economic Development Clinic, gave me opportunities to understand legal regulation of advanced business relationships,” he said. “This experience helps me a lot in my current work in terms of creating a favorable and secure business place for international investors.”    

At Penn State Law, Ryszhanov found professors who are not only globally recognized leaders in the field of international arbitration, but also accessible mentors who made time to meet one-on-one with students and provided individualized attention.

“Professor [Thomas] Carbonneau gave me a higher understanding of international arbitration,” Ryszhanov said. “He clearly described the main purpose of arbitration in resolving disputes in a way I could understand and implement.”

In addition to the professors, Ryszhanov appreciated the friendliness of the State College community. He also valued Penn State Law’s vast cultural diversity, which has students from different backgrounds, countries, and religions all sharing the same academic and professional goals. He described the law school as “a very welcoming and accommodating school for international students.”

One of his most memorable experiences was attending Penn State Law International Arbitration Day in New York, which was hosted together with Columbia Law School’s Center for International Commercial & Investment Arbitration. The event brought together expert practitioners and law professors from around the world to discuss important issues in international arbitration and was organized by the Penn State International Arbitration Group.

Beyond the academics, Penn State Law was attractive to Ryszhanov because of the school’s central location and its technologically advanced building. Each classroom has audiovisual and wireless capability, and the library, which is glass enclosed, offers its patrons ample study space with an abundance of natural light.

“I highly recommend Penn State Law,” he said. “State College is the perfect place to study, with its safe, natural setting, and a building that will grab anybody’s attention.”