Season 4: Episode 2: Erblina Sejdiu
International Arbitration Attorney at Wagner Arbitration in Berlin
Erblina Sejdiu
International Arbitration Attorney in Berlin, Germany
How to network your way into BigLaw?
If you are curious about how to network on LinkedIn, check out Erblina’s story. When studying for the bar exam, which she passed on her first attempt, Erblina continued to network diligently. She reached out to the managing partner of an international firm, not expecting a response. To her surprise, the partner wrote back within an hour and ended up forwarding her resume to the right person who eventually offered her a job. During her LLM year, Erblina secured a prestigious externship at Wiley Rein by the end of the first semester. Today, she interned in the international arbitration group of WilmerHale’s London office. She’s currently the Visiting Professional of Wagner Arbitration in Berlin.
How to reach out to people cold for internship and job opportunities on LinkedIn?
What’s her take on how to stand out from other internationally trained candidates at BigLaw?
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How did your journey in the law begin?
I decided I wanted to be a lawyer in the last year of high school. It surprised everyone around me because I was very much into natural sciences. I attended a specialized high school for natural sciences, and although I loved math and biology, I decided that I wanted to make an impact through law. No one in my family was a lawyer, so I didn’t have anyone to look up to or guide me in that direction.
When I started law school, I really enjoyed it. I tried to study harder than my peers because I felt like I was at a disadvantage, having not taken any prior law classes. By my second year, I was selected as one of the top seven law students in my class. After completing my first law degree in Kosovo, I knew I wanted to pursue an LLM in the US. I wanted to experience the US education system and learn about the common law system. I began applying for scholarships and, after two years, I received the Fulbright Scholarship. That’s how I ended up at Georgetown, where I focused on international arbitration and international trade.
You found an externship opportunity at Wiley Rein during your LLM year. Could you talk about the search process?
By October or November, the career office publishes a list of externship opportunities. I applied through that program. I generally tailor my application to the specific type of position. For example, if I’m applying to law firms specializing in arbitration, I create a tailored application to emphasize my interest in arbitration. If I’m applying to international organizations, I prepare a different application. I applied to many places and ended up with three interviews, all of which resulted in externship offers. However, there are other ways to secure an externship. For example, reaching out to people might be a good idea. I konw that some of my friends have gotten opportunities reaching out to people directly on LinkedIn.
How did you manage your working at BigLaw as an extern while studying full time as a LLM student?
Time management for an externship while being a full-time student can be a bit tricky in the second semester. Fortunately, the organization where I worked was very understanding. They emphasized that my priority should be my law school coursework, regardless of my externship responsibilities. In my first semester, I tackled some of the most challenging subjects, so by the second semester, I had lighter workload. This made it easier to manage both the externship and my studies. But, definitely working as an extern while studying for the second semester is manageable.
In my case, I also wanted to earn a WTO certificate but didn’t have enough credits, so I arranged to complete a 40-page paper during the second semester to fulfill the requirements for the certificate. The professor supervising my externship also oversaw my project, allowing me to work on both simultaneously. In terms of time management, I prefer to break larger tasks into smaller ones and tackle them one step at a time. Overall, I think it’s important to stay organized. Starting early and keeping a structured approach.
How did your visa situation affect your externship and post-graduation employment?
Since I was a Fulbright Scholar, I was on a different type of visa and didn’t have OPT. I used most of my training period during the second semester for my externship, as it counted towards that. For those with OPT, the externship wouldn't count against your time. After completing my externship, I knew I had to return home due to my Fulbright requirements. I went back, worked for a while, and used that time to apply for jobs. I didn’t move abroad to start a new job until I finished the New York bar exam, which I took in February and passed at the first attempt.
Does taking the bar exam boost your chance of getting hired after graduation?
It really depends on your career goals as to whether you should take the bar exam. From my perspective, it takes about two intensive months to study for the bar exam. After completing the New York bar exam, you’ll have an extra credential on your resume that adds significant value. Even outside the US, having passed the New York bar exam is impressive because it shows you understand the common law system. If you also have a civil law qualification, that’s even better. If you’re aiming for a career in BigLaw or similar fields, I would recommend taking the bar exam.
Do you have any tips for starting the bar exam prep early?
You should send in your documents as soon as possible if you haven’t already. I missed the deadline because I didn’t send mine in time and couldn’t take the July bar exam. Regarding the bar exam itself, don’t stress about it too much during your LLM year. Focus on your LLM classes and other responsibilities. Once you graduate, you can dedicate two full months to study for the bar exam. If you concentrate on it full time, two months should be sufficient. That’s what I did, and it worked well for me.
Are there subjects on the New York bar that you found challenging?
I think Civil Procedure is unique to the U.S. system. In my own experience, I took classes in contracts, corporations, and U.S. legal research and systems. If you can fit Civil Procedure into your schedule, I would recommend it, as it can be quite challenging due to the various dates and rules you need to memorize.
You secured a position at Wilmer Hale’s London office. What qualities do you think the employers are looking for when hiring internationally trained lawyers like you?
That’s a great question. Making it as a lawyer in the international market is quite challenging. International lawyers have many advantages. They should learn how to sell them. Some of them are the languages. This is something that law firms appreciate very much, if you can speak different foreign languages because it means that you can do research and you can cover more countries. Also, another advantage is the exposure to the international market, the international network that you created especially during the LLM; All your friends right now, and in the future, they become your network. Then if you have professional experience from your country, learn also how to sell, if you know different industries because I feel that nowadays it's less about knowing the law because everyone can read and interpret the law. It's more about also understanding how to work with different industries and being able to understand the facts of the case, especially if you're doing arbitration.
It is important to understand what your advantages are. I reached out to people at various levels to seek their advice and identify which firms found my profile most useful.
Coming from the Balkans, I initially saw it as a disadvantage. But when applying for jobs, I found that it actually worked to my advantage. International law firms are starting to explore Balkan countries, which had previously been overlooked. It turned out to be a unique selling point.
Do have any interesting stories to share during your job search process?
One interesting story, which is a bit of a surprise for me, from my job search is that I reached out to many people. I remember contacting the managing partner at a European law firm, someone I didn’t expect would respond. But to my surprise, he got back to me within an hour. He said they might be interested in my profile and would forward my resume to the right person. After that, I had a call with the appropriate contact and ended up getting several projects from them. Eventually, they even extended a job offer. Although we didn’t end up working together, it really highlighted the value of reaching out and putting your resume out there. You never know who might be helpful or interested in what you have to offer.
Would you share your advice on how to make these “cold calls” to people who might offer you a job?
The first thing is to perfect your resume. When I tailor my resumes, I don't customize each one for every single job. Instead, I focus on specific categories, like an arbitration position in BigLaw. I create a targeted resume and cover letter for that category and use it to apply broadly. Most people recommend tailoring resumes for each specific job, and it’s definitely a good idea. However, because resumes often go through HR, who may not always appreciate all the unique aspects of your background, applying to many places can increase your chances.
When reaching out to people, especially on LinkedIn, don’t start by asking directly for a job. Instead, try to set up a call first and mention that you’re looking for opportunities. In preparation for the call, do your research and be clear about what you're asking - whether it's about open positions or connecting with others who might find your profile suitable.
For example, I reached out to someone on LinkedIn, set up a call, and during the call, I explained my background and the specific types of work I was interested in. Impressed by my research, they ended up forwarding my resume to three law firms. So, when you reach out, keep your initial message concise, request a call, and be well-prepared for that call. Know exactly what you need and always ask if they can connect you with others who might be interested. You never know which contact might lead you to the right opportunity.
