Name: Jan Vyjidak
Age: 26
Country of origin: The Czech Republic
Programme studied/studying: LLM Legal Aspects of Medical Practice (full-time)

Following a one-year Lisbon University Law School internship in 2004, Jan completed a Master of Law at Charles University and gained admission to the Czech Law Society in 2005. He worked as a Legal Executive in a small Dublin law firm, completing an Internship in 2006 at Na Homolce Hospital. He has since founded ‘E-patient’, a non-profit organisation.

Why an LLM at Cardiff?
Following my admission to the Czech Law Society in 2005, I ventured out of Prague to the Republic of Ireland where I worked as a Legal Executive for John Kilroy Solicitors. Whilst dealing with numerous personal injury and medical negligence cases, I had an opportunity to work closely with senior solicitors, barristers and medical experts. My own experience with the practical problems that arose in this medico-legal field attracted my attention to medical law.

Among all medical law programmes available in the UK, Cardiff Law School’s appealed to me the most, with its experienced history, teaching excellence and renowned academics. I was also impressed by Cardiff University’s ambition to become one of the World’s top universities.

How did you find your time at Cardiff?
Given the focus of the LLM in Legal Aspects of Medical Practice on individual research, I greatly appreciated the fantastic academic facilities, which enabled us to access relevant electronic resources even off-campus and also meet up in dedicated library rooms for a group discussion prior to upcoming lectures.

An introduction into the UK legal system and extensive lectures on research skills helped me to build up sufficient confidence for the different modules included in the course, as well as for the final dissertation.

Not only did our professors provide us with an excellent insight into various medico-legal issues, but the unique combination of continental and common-law lawyers along with experienced clinicians and health managers from the UK, South Africa, Malaysia, China, Singapore and Germany, created a vibrant atmosphere and invoked intriguing discussions.

More importantly, within our small group of students we could get to know each other easily and this further contributed to a very personal experience. On top of all that, Cardiff University’s sport and leisure facilities made it possible to relax from time to time.

Final thoughts
Apart from extensive research and language skills gained during the programme, which I have already made use of in the final round of competition for a position of Assistant Lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, I am convinced that the course has substantially increased both my future academic aspirations at Imperial College London, where I hope to do my MSc in International Health Management, and my employability with law firms and institutions concerned with medical law and health management in the UK as well as in the Czech Republic and the EU.

Irrespective of where are you coming from and where are you heading to, I would recommend Cardiff Law School to anyone.

Contact
Postgraduate Secretary
Cardiff Law School
Law Building
Museum Ave
Cardiff
CF10 3AT

Tel: +44 (0)29 2087 4351
Fax: +44 (0)29 2087 4982
Email: law-pg@cardiff.ac.uk
Web: http://www.law.cardiff.ac.uk/