Enerjeta Bashaj
What’s it like being a law student—and an international law student studying in the United States in particular? Just ask Enerjeta Bashaj, a young woman from Albania pursuing her LL.M. in American Law at New England Law | Boston. This is her story.
I was born in Tropoja, in the far north of Albania.
When I was two years old, my family moved to Tirana, the capital city of Albania, where I grew up and got my education. I studied at University of Tirana, Faculty of Law, where I got my bachelor’s degree in Law and my Master of Science degree in Civil Law.
I have wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I can remember. I think that has to do with one of my biggest idols—my father—being in the law field working as a prosecutor for almost twenty years now. Even so my desire to become a lawyer was primarily fed by my desire to help others, my passion for rules and order, and my love of looking at every perspective.
From October 2015 to July 2016, I was in the training program in the National School of Advocacy in Tirana near the National Chamber of Advocacy of Albania. I took the exam to be licensed as a lawyer in Albania in October 2016 and got my license to practice law in my home country.
When I was doing my master’s, I worked as an assistant for a lawyer in Tirana and worked on legal research, case filings, lawsuits, and other legal documents. Starting in October 2015, while I was doing my training to become a lawyer, I worked for a year as a legal advisor to a shoe company for all their contracts and legal proceedings.
I only practiced law in Albania as an independent licensed lawyer for about three or four months, when I decided to follow my dream of studying in the United States.
I decided to apply for an LL.M. in American Law for two reasons: First, I thought of it as the best way to get general knowledge on the world-renowned democratic American legal system. Second, it was suggested to me by the Board of Bar Examiners in Massachusetts, if I should want to take the Massachusetts Bar Exam.
After being admitted to every school I applied to and getting scholarships from almost all of them, I decided to go to New England Law | Boston for many reasons. I’m very glad I did so, because it has been the best decision I ever made.
After New England Law, I’m ready for whatever fate brings my way. As much as I would love to bring all the knowledge that I’m gaining back to my country, I plan to first take the Massachusetts State Bar Exam. If I should happen to start a career as a lawyer here, it would truly be a dream come true, especially with the profound love that I now have for the great city of Boston.
My spare time is limited because I always like to keep myself very busy—and law school throughout these years has made sure of that! But when I have time, I engage in student organizations or with volunteer groups helping the community. I was part of AIESEC Albania for a year and a half, during which time I went on a one-month internship in Bulgaria to give English and Italian classes for the High School of Blagoevgrad and also some Italian classes for the students of American University in Bulgaria. I also love giving myself the chance catch a law- or crime-related movie or TV show!
Learn more about the LL.M. in American Law or Foreign Lawyer Bar Program at New England Law. You can also meet more New England Law students and alumni here.