LLM student expands her horizons and IP focus at UC Law

In her home country of Nigeria, Vanessa Ojo-Igbinoba chose to study law because she found a passion for helping people. In the United States, she chose to continue her studies at the University of Cincinnati College of Law because it would expand her opportunities for learning and gaining experience.

“I know this might sound funny, but studying law was initially a suggestion from my dad,” Ojo-Igbinoba recalls. “I originally wanted to be an actress, but I found law really interesting because I could express myself in certain ways and also found a passion for helping other people.” That passion persisted when she moved to Cincinnati, where she briefly worked in the medical field before enrolling in law school to continue her studies.

Ojo-Igbinoba sought the LLM program because it was a way to familiarize herself with the legal system in the U.S. She says, “I wanted to learn about law in the U.S. and learn about the limitless opportunities for work and helping people.”

When she studied for her bachelor’s in Nigeria, there was no specialization to her studies. After graduation, she interned with a senior attorney to determine what area she wanted to practice law in; the work she did there was related to elections, petitions, and criminal matters. Ojo-Igbinoba worked at that firm for a brief period of time, then transitioned to another firm where she was able to focus on corporate transactions.

“My area of specialization was corporate practice, which I quite enjoyed,” she says. Today, Ojo-Igbinoba continues to explore different aspects of this field, as she is currently interested in intellectual property (IP). She says, “I’m interested in IP because the idea of protecting people and their creativity appeals to me. And so, I’m looking forward to more opportunities in that field.”