A belief in the power of giving back saw law graduate Sheri McAllister return to Aberdeen while holidaying in Scotland earlier this year.
Sheri, who works at Clemmons Law Firm in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a LLM Commercial Law in 1992 before returning home to the US to build a successful career.
Memories of her time in Aberdeen meant the University was at the forefront of Sheri’s thoughts when planning a holiday with her husband.
“I had an amazing year studying for my Masters, and these fond memories motivated me to reach out to the University’s alumni team and School of Law to see if there were any volunteering opportunities available while we were in Scotland,” she explained.
“As lawyers, I feel we are charged with a moral obligation to give back to the institutions that allowed us to achieve our dreams, and for me the University of Aberdeen allowed my dreams to come true.”
Sheri’s belief in giving back saw her return to her alma mater in January, where she spoke to current law students about her career, legal practice in the US and her experience in pro bono work in the community.
“The experience of returning to the University that I hold so dear was meaningful to me on many levels,” Sheri said.
“It allowed me to connect with current faculty members, to reminisce about my mentors, and to interact with current law students to share experiences from my legal career.
“Volunteering is a great way to show appreciation for the quality legal education I received, and to help future lawyers in their future endeavours.”
Reminiscing about her time in Aberdeen, Sheri mentioned the benefits of connecting with classmates from diverse backgrounds and taking part in study trips that helped sharpen her legal skills and allowed her to see more of Scotland.
“Decades later I still continue to use the information and skills obtained from the University,” she said.
“Overall my studies benefited my career in many ways. I found prospective employers to be especially interested in my legal education abroad, and I am confident that it opened doors.
“One of the main skills that I learned was an emphasis on educating yourself on the inner workings of your client's business, and whenever I undertake a new client I make sure that I fully educate myself on the product or services they provide in order to serve them well.”
For more information on volunteering opportunities with the University, visit https://www.abdn.ac.uk/alumni/involved/index.php
