Jesús Díaz Villasante

Shortly after finishing law school, Jesús started working at EDN Abogados, a Chilean law firm with a strong global profile that manages international deals with other markets, such as the US or Europe. He soon realized that, in order to practice in a firm like this, he had to take his financial analysis skills to another level, which led him to enroll in the Dual Degree Master in Management + Master of Laws (LL.M.).

Jesús didn't take this decision lightly: he knew several IE Business School alumni, including some co-workers, who encouraged him to go to the IE University offices in Chile and get informed. There, the recruitment team solved all his queries about the dual master's degree and reviewed the various brochures with him. Additionally, Jesús considers himself "a bit of a fan of rankings," and seeing that IE Law School's programs were so well-positioned in prestigious rankings, such as those of the Financial Times or QS, was what convinced him to apply.

With his sights set on the future, and after attending an interesting masterclass with the faculty of IE Law School, he began to consider selecting the International Taxation specialization. In the end, it was the support and inspiration of Professor Giulio Allevato that led him to make a decision he does not regret. “Tax law is an area that will probably not disappear. It may change the reality of business, as well as its regulation, but there will always be taxpayers for the state,” he explains.

Jesús defines his IE Experience as “innovative, challenging and one step ahead.” He is finding the program quite intense, but he is very satisfied with the classes and, above all, with the faculty that he defines as spectacular: “I have renowned professors in all areas.” The experience and prestige of the teachers was another reason that led him to choose this dual degree and, so far, they have all lived up to his expectations.

What’s more, the Dual Degree Master in Management + Master of Laws (LL.M.) has given him the opportunity to participate in the Legal Immersion Experience in London, in which participants visited the offices of companies such as Simmons & Simmons and Allen & Overy, a well-known firm that is part of the prestigious Magic Circle. There, they had the opportunity to discover different research techniques, familiarize themselves with new models of drafting legal documents and see firsthand some of the technological advances that are transforming how the market works. Jesús, who was very interested in knowing what the day-to-day life of European lawyers was like, found it a very interesting experience that provided him with an innovative perspective. This week made him even more aware of the educational excellence of IE Law School. He also links the experience to what he learned in the corporate law classes taught by Professor Felipe Quintero, which were of great help to him to make the most of the talks and masterclasses he attended during the immersion week.

He does not hesitate to recommend the program to other professionals, as he believes that IE Business School and IE Law School have been able to attract the best talent to their faculty and offer all kinds of opportunities and facilities to their students. For prospective students who are unsure whether to apply or not, he advises them to contact former students of the program and talk through their doubts and concerns, either in person or via LinkedIn. In this way, they will be able to explain all the services that IE University provides to its students, which go far beyond classes.