Swansea university enjoys close links with several leading global organisations. One of these is HFW; a global law firm employing over 600 lawyers in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
HFW specialises in the aerospace, commodities, construction, energy, insurance and shipping sectors. Recognising the prominent role Swansea plays in educating the new generation of commercial and maritime lawyers, HFW set up several Prizes for Swansea LLM students five years ago.
In the academic year of 2020-21, the winners of HFW Prizes were:
Filippos Mentis (HFW Prize in Admiralty Law);
Eline Vergotte (HFW Prize in Oil and Gas Law), and
Ozavize Dele-Alufe (HFW Carriage of Goods Prize).
Filippos is a graduate of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Eline is a graduate of Ghent University and is currently employed by Marsh McLennan in Antwerp (a job she secured when completing her LLM at Swansea). Ozavize graduated from Benson Idahosa University in Nigeria and has worked one year in a local law firm prior to coming to Swansea. The Prizes were presented by Richard Neylon, Partner at HFW, who is also a Swansea graduate himself, at an event held in London. He congratulated the students for their success and expressed delight at the fact that Swansea LLM degrees are enjoying such a global reputation.
Speaking after the event, Associate Professor Leloudas, who accompanied students with Dr Kurtz-Shefford, congratulated all the award-winning students and expressed our gratitude to HFW for their continuing support to Swansea LLM degrees.
Dr Leloudas also stressed that despite the pandemic, Swansea LLM intake has increased and that is due to the recognition of the fact that the School did its utmost to care for its students during the pandemic offering a substantial part of teaching in class.