Thai Judge Sutharat Suriyaket, LL.M. ’16, Reflects on Her Experience at Minnesota Law

Sutharat Suriyaket of Thailand originally came to Minnesota Law to become immersed in American culture and to ultimately achieve her dream of becoming a judge. After obtaining her LL.M. in 2016, she returned to Thailand, where today she serves on the bench of the Kantharalak Provincial Court.

How did your time at Minnesota Law help you in furthering your career goals?

I have more confidence after earning my LL.M. When I started, I could not even talk in front of the class. In the program, I had to talk and share my opinion. That made me braver speaking English, and helped me to become more fluent.

In addition, I always prepare myself and study cases before hearings. I got that routine while I studied at Minnesota Law. If I did not prepare myself before going to class, it was hard to follow professors and I could not share my opinion.

What were some of the most valuable parts of your experience?

The professors care about and help the LL.M. students a lot. … I also made a lot of new friends in Minnesota, both LL.M. students and J.D. students. We hung out and had fun together dining, watching soccer games and shopping.

What are some of things that you enjoyed about being in the Twin Cities?

• I love winter in Twin Cities, even though it is a little bit colder than other cities.
• The people are so kind and friendly.
• The Mall of America is very big, so I enjoy shopping there!
• The cost of living is reasonable.
• The exercise classes at the University gym, especially the Yoga Sculpt, helped me to relax from studying and I made a lot of friends there.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your post-program experiences or life today?

After I finished the LL.M. program, I studied hard for a year in order to be a judge and today I am already successful. I still remember that I used to tell people in the leadership class I completed that I want to be a fair judge. So, I will try my best to do as I said!

What message would you like to give to those contemplating enrolling in the LL.M. program at Minnesota Law?

Minneapolis is a great city with great people and you will get a lot of knowledge that you cannot learn from other universities. They take good care and understand us students a lot. Also, there are a lot of scholarships available for LL.M. students.

To learn more about our LL.M. program, follow the link.