Can you help me improve my motivation letter for Erasmus IMSISS program? Thank you.

Dear Sir/Madam:

I am a licensed lawyer who graduated with a Juris Doctor degree in 2018 from the San Sebastian College - Recoletos (SSCR) College of Law.

I have been working at the Philippine Department of Transportation from 9 November 2020 until the present. I review contracts, render legal opinions, assist in the drafting of decisions and resolutions in disciplinary and appealed cases before the Secretary and the Undersecretary of the Department, and write letters/memorandums.

Before my public service stint, I worked as an Associate Lawyer at Florentino & Esmaquel Law Office in Pasig City, Philippines, from 14 June 2019 until 31 October 2020, where I represented clients and handled cases in civil, criminal, commercial, and intellectual property law. I also drafted and reviewed contracts.

The main reason for my application to the International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS) program is to specialise in intelligence and strategic studies and prevent criminals in the Philippines from killing lawyers. The IMSISS program will help me develop valuable knowledge for my profession in order to achieve the cause of building a safe society in the Philippines where perpetrators of extra-judicial killings face the law without impunity. My proposed topic for dissertation is to delve into the psychology of extra-judicial killings of lawyers and the creation of a database of extra-judicial killings of lawyers in the Philippines.

In law school, my favorite subjects were Criminal Law and Intellectual Property Law. My passion for these two subjects urged me to take my intellectual property internship at the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Intellectual Property Division. I gained relevant experiences in legal research, preparation of cases, client interviews, and in-depth analysis of cases in the Philippines.

I am a hard-working lawyer with a profound appreciation of knowledge. I am capable of analysing complex facts and principles and applying them in real-life situations. I have a global mindset that enables me to adapt to different jurisdictions and the law in general, thereby expanding my legal knowledge.

The world-class intensive program at the University of Glasgow will enable me to analyse the root causes of conflict and help me develop the skills needed to solve conflict and security issues, especially in my home country where violations of fundamental human rights to privacy and security are rampant. Dublin City University and the Charles University in Prague are among the best universities globally renowned for quality faculty and top-notch research and learning environment. The excellent research programs and innovation in these institutions will help me develop a broad and deep understanding of global conflicts that span generations.

Thank you for reading my statement.

Very truly yours,

Annie Hazel D. Basada
Erasmus IMSISS Scholarship Applicant