Inesa Letych and Yevgen Porada, Associates
Asters is holding the Fifth Scholarship Competition for law students in Kyiv and Kyiv region in 2011. Therefore, we have decided to share the stories of a couple of our colleagues – associates Inesa Letych and Yevgen Porada – who, in 2008 and 2004 respectively, became the winners of the competition. Inesa and Yevgen give some hints on how to win the contest, shed some light on their further professional development and also share their impressions of working at Asters.
What prompted you to participate in the Scholarship Contest organized by Asters?
Inesa Letych: The tasks that I found in the competition booklet were hugely different from those typically offered by the organizers of various contests and competitions for students. I got interested in their acuteness and practical orientation and decided to have a go myself.
Yevgen Porada: I participated in the First Scholarship Competition for law students organized by Asters in 2004. This competition stood out among others in a way that instead of writing abstract essays, three hands-on tasks were suggested for contestants. They dealt with foreign investments, construction and taxation, crediting Ukrainian legal entities by foreign financial institutions, private international law. The contest was also appealing because it gave the opportunity to do internship at one of the leading law firms in Ukraine with the possibility of further employment.
How did you prepare?
IL: For me preparation for the competition was primarily the process of professional self-improvement and acquiring knowledge necessary for a contemporary lawyer. The main impetus for me was to gain proficiency in the theoretical background that would be useful in future career, regardless of the outcome.
YP: I worked mainly with the regulatory framework and legal publications. I was very lucky because the preparation period overlapped with winter holidays, so studies did not distract me from solving the tasks. Although I failed to rest in winter, my efforts were fully rewarded because I took the first place after the first round. But in the end, I gave victory to Kostya Solyar, my current colleague. The final task concerned tax law, where Kostya is unrivalled at Asters.
What helped you to win the Competition, in your opinion?
IL: I think that the key to success in any initiative is perseverance and being clear about your goals. Apparently, fortune plays a definitive role, as it is quite difficult for students to embrace the whole amount of the required material. However, the desire to test my knowledge, and ability to promptly find the answers to questions were the most helpful.
YP: I think that the knowledge and skills of legal research gained at the university as well as patience and desire to win have turned out to be the most helpful for me.
What advice can you give to those students, who will participate in the competition this year?
IL: First of all, try to approach the task comprehensively. Secondly, have faith in your own abilities and fortune. From my personal experience, I can assure you that the competition will bring you a lot of fun and new experience regardless of the outcome.
YP: I would like to encourage all students to participate in the Asters competition this year. The competition gives an opportunity not only to test your knowledge and skills, but also to join our friendly team. Here are some practical tips for the first stage of the competition: start to solve the tasks as early as possible; be attentive to the conditions – almost every word and sentence bears a meaning or a hint; try to give exhaustive answers to all questions, and finally – do not be afraid to offer "out-of-the-box" solutions.
What new prospects has the participation in the scholarship contest opened for both of you?
IL: Participation in the competition gave me an opportunity to assess my knowledge and to reveal my own vision of professional development. What is extremely enjoyable and important for me is the fact that I have been in a perfect professional shape for the three years at Asters, I collaborate with talented and passionate professionals on a daily basis.
YP: After the competition I was invited for an internship, and after its completion I joined the banking and finance group. When I started working at Asters I was a fifth year student. Six years of my career at Asters have passed very quickly. There have been so many challenging projects, events and acquaintances of great importance for my life.
How do you plan your ongoing professional development?
IL: Asters provides numerous opportunities for professional development: here I'm involved into exciting projects, have some role models. The basic thing is to continue my active personal and professional development and deepen my experience. Currently, I'm focused on refining my expertise in the areas of corporate law and telecommunications.
YP: I'm going to continue working at the firm and develop not only as a lawyer, but also as a business-oriented person. Asters offers such an opportunity.