December 13, 2022
The 2021 intake of Part-Time Professional LLM students includes diverse professional backgrounds – from lawyers to senior project managers to corporate directors. Geographically, our students are spread out across Canada (though there are a few from outside of Canada as well!). Today, we’re focusing on the subject of Business Law.
We’re following our students’ success journey from their time of admission, checking-in with them during their studies, and again after convocation.
Join us as we dive into their stories.
Meet: Shayne Dalton
Shayne has worked as a commercial lawyer for nearly a decade. He is a member of both the Law Society of Ontario and the Quebec Bar Association. He is currently a student of OsgoodePD’s Professional LLM in Business Law.
About Shayne
Shayne Dalton has worked as a commercial lawyer for nearly a decade. He is a member of both the Law Society of Ontario and the Quebec Bar Association. He is currently an in-house counsel focused on procurement at Pratt and Whitney Canada, an aerospace engineering manufacturer.
His interest in the LLM in Business Law stems from a desire to deepen his understanding of his practice area. “I think it is important to be able to see the bigger picture as an advisor and this program is an opportunity to see beyond the day-to-day issues and step back to see how it all ties together. This an opportunity to step outside an environment I know well and learn from talented individuals also participating in this program. My hope is that these connections will help me gain a broader perspective in business law.”
Shayne’s Experience so Far…
How does your experience in the Professional LLM in Business Law compare to your expectations at the time of applying?
Better than expected. When I applied to the program, I thought that it would help me gain a broader perspective and the program so far has done that. But more than that, the deep knowledge of the faculty, quality of the instruction, and engagement of my peers have added a layer of depth to my understanding that I did not expect.
I have also been very pleased with how the courses are planned to be taken mostly consecutively, rather than concurrently. Being able to focus on one course at a time has been great from a time management perspective, but also from a learning perspective.
What courses have you found to be the most rewarding so far? What makes them so great?
The trio of corporate law required courses (Boards of Directors, Corporate Governance, and Advanced Corporate Law) have been especially rewarding for me.
Now that I have spent some time working for a large corporation, these courses have been engaging and informative in a way that they were not when I was originally in law school. That, for me, has been the best part of doing a Master in Business Law at this stage of my career. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m at the point where I also know enough to make the material come to life. On top of that, the ability of the faculty to weave in the practical implications of corporate law has been the most rewarding aspect of the program for me so far!
Has the program helped you in your professional journey in any way so far? If so, how?
It has definitely helped indirectly; it’s too early to tell what the more direct returns will be. We are in such an unpredictable time right now and I think that opportunities are there for people that demonstrate a willingness to grow and learn; what better way to demonstrate that than by pursuing an LLM?
More specifically, I think that being able to understand how to connect all the pieces is an advantage for in-house lawyers, and this program, has really helped with that. Having completed half of the program so far, I believe that I approach issues differently. I have a wider lens and I am better able to serve my client by seeing further around the corner.
What advice would you give to prospective students who are looking to apply to a Professional LLM program?
If you are thinking about doing it, do it!
There is never a perfect time to do anything and chances are if you are really thinking about it, you will benefit from the experience. The Osgoode faculty is great, the method of instruction is flexible and manageable, even with a busy schedule, and the experience altogether is very rewarding.
What’s Next for Shayne?
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