Ioannis Georgakakis

What is your current role or position?

Executive Vice President of the BoD and acting CEO of ECALI SA, which operates in Real Estate and Hospitality. Founder and Managing Director of G&B Law Firm, which specialises in Corporate Governance, M&As, Family and Commercial Law.

Which organisation or organisation type do you work for?

Societe Anonyme in Real Estate and Hospitality.

What motivated you to pursue the Graduate Entry LLB (GE LLB)?

When I decided to apply to The City Law School, I first recognised the high status of the institution, which derives from its history and tradition. I happened to know previous alumni, who gave me excellent feedback.

I also looked through the programme structure, which seemed very consistent and modern. I had also the opportunity to benefit from the fact that I would get my degree in two years, since I already had an undergrad degree in Politics.

Another reason was City's connection with employability. Living in London was also a crucial factor for me, since I was keen to study in one of the most important capitals in Europe, which I visited many times as a tourist. Furthermore, London is one of the biggest business hubs for a wide range of industries.

I also wanted to meet, socialise and interact with people from different cultures and I knew that City is chosen by students from different continents.

What were you doing before studying the Graduate Entry LLB (GE LLB)?

As a school student I always had good grades, but I also participated in exchange programmes and in sports teams, such as swimming and basketball. Especially in swimming I participated in national championships, where I managed to be very successful.

I graduated from the German School of Athens and then I enrolled and got my BA Degree in Political Science & Public Administration from the School of Economics and Political Science Department of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

Teaching and research revolved around four sub-disciplinary fields: Political Analysis, Social Theory and Sociology, Administrative Science, Public Law, and International and European Studies. I also worked as an intern and trainee in Watson, Farley and Williams, one of the most prestigious English law firms in Athens.

Why did you choose to convert to Law? What qualifications, if any, did you pursue after the GE LLB?

I had already attended law courses in my previous degree, such as Constitutional, Public and Civil Law and I found these courses very challenging intellectually. My grandfather and father were also lawyers and as a child and adolescent I always enjoyed their perspective and way of thinking.

Furthermore, I always wanted to work in a corporate environment and I knew that the skills and experiences of a lawyer are highly useful and important for these environments.

I had already explored many social science subject areas like political science, history and economics as an undergrad and realised that I needed to further develop my communication and argumentation skills, as well as my knowledge in legislative and commercial processes.

What knowledge and skills did the GE LLB help you develop? Which one has been the most useful since you graduated?

As a GE LLB student I learned to prioritise and deal effectively with time management in order to meet deadlines.

We had a very demanding programme and since we needed to get our degree only in two years we were dealing with a heavy workload. Not only did we need to study for our exams, but we also had to create assignments.

What I found very useful later on was working in a multicultural environment, since my co-students came from different countries and disciplines.

Therefore, when I worked as a Lawyer-linguist in the Directorate-General for Presidency, Department of Legislative Acts of the European Parliament in Brussels, I had already developed all the appropriate skills to cope with professionals from cultures.

How challenging was the GE LLB after your degree in a different discipline?

Studying at The City Law School as a GE LLB student was one of the most challenging periods of my life. Although I already graduated from another discipline and was quite mature, the programme was very demanding and required numerous hours of study every day.

I also had to adapt to the differences between my previous university, as well as studying in a foreign language. The finals were also quite tough, but after the exams I was overwhelmed by emotions of success.

After a few years as a professional, I realised that I had to deal with difficult situations very often and I’m sure that the GE LLB degree as a process helped me face these challenges with confidence..

What one piece of advice would you give to someone considering studying the GE LLB?

Studying a law conversion course can be a rewarding but challenging endeavour, especially if you're coming from a non-law background. The GE LLB can be intense, so effective time management and organisation are crucial. Create a study schedule and stick to it to cover all the required material.

Before I applied to the programme I gained professional experience through an internship in a law firm. This can enhance your understanding of the law and improve your employability.

Law conversion courses can be demanding, but perseverance is key. Keep your end goal in mind and stay committed to your studies.

What is your fondest memory of your time at City?

Building lifelong friendships and connections with people from various cultures and backgrounds has been a significant part of my experience at The City Law School.

However, my fondest memory is when I got the results after the first year of my studies. I managed to pass all the exams with good grades, although I had to deal with my father passing away only a few weeks before the exam period.

The university helped me a lot psychologically and offered me extenuating circumstances, which I did not use after all.

However, I felt the support of my teachers, as well as the rest of the staff. This is something I will never forget and I will always be grateful for their humane approach.