Creating Global Impact
As a Singapore-based internationally trained lawyer with over 15 years of experience in cross-border matters, Erica was looking for a program that would not only deepen her legal expertise but also position her at the forefront of technology-driven change. The Global Professional Master of Laws in Innovation, Law and Technology stood out for its unique blend of forward-thinking curriculum, academic rigor, and global perspective.
The program has a strong focus on the practical application of legal principles in real-world scenarios, especially as they relate to innovation and emerging technologies. The curriculum explored the legal application, challenges, and issues in technologies like AI and blockchain, inspiring Erica to think critically about regulatory issues, data governance and how the law is adapting to the evolution of technology. This is particularly relevant as companies embrace the improvements and challenges brought by innovation and navigate the evolving legal landscape.
The stellar reputation of the law school and its distinguished faculty who are thought leaders, scholars, and practitioners in their fields, coupled with an outstanding diversity of the student cohort created an additional appeal for Erica. Over a period of 10 months, Erica learned alongside executives in industries from consulting and finance to education and healthcare while the diverse composition of professional and personal backgrounds brought valuable insights and industry knowledge to discussions in a small class setting.
The GPLLM program is not just for lawyers. It’s for forward-thinking professionals who want to lead in a digital world. For Erica, it helped broaden her perspective and knowledge, and expanded her global network to further embrace the future of law and innovation.
Leading at the Intersection of Law and Technology
With over two decades in the technology industry and a career that has taken him to the highest levels of IBM Canada, it might seem that Sadi Khan had little left to prove academically. Yet for someone who has always believed that education should evolve alongside one's objectives, the University of Toronto's Global Professional Master of Laws (GPLLM) turned out to be the most meaningful degree of his career.
Currently working directly for the President of IBM Canada, Sadi leads efforts to help clients harness IBM's technology portfolio to meet their growing business demands. It's a role that sits at the intersection of innovation, strategy — and law.
Sadi's academic journey had already been impressive: a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, followed by an MBA from York's Schulich School of Business, and a Master of Analytics from Smith School at Queen's University, topped off with executive education programs through Harvard Business School and Boston University. But it was the boardroom — or more precisely, the contract negotiation table — that pointed Sadi toward law. As his work increasingly touched on data privacy, intellectual property, blockchain, generative AI, and quantum computing, Sadi found himself relying heavily on legal counsel to navigate the gaps and risks emerging across all parties. The pace of that dependence became impossible to ignore.
"I realized I needed to get on the field," Sadi reflects, describing a shift from sitting on the sidelines of legal discussions to actively deepening his understanding of Canada's legal infrastructure and how it intersects with his business objectives. He now tells the younger professionals he mentors that the GPLLM was the most enjoyable, relevant, and valuable Master's degree he has earned — and the reasons are concrete.
The program delivered far more than Sadi anticipated. Covering areas from technology competition and intellectual property to AI governance and data privacy, it gave Sadi both the language and the conviction to help bridge the divide between Canada's technology and legal industries, particularly in the infrastructure needed to keep pace with rapid technological change. He emerged not only better equipped to serve his clients as a strategic partner — one who understands risk, regulation, and the broader legal landscape — but also newly motivated to influence policy and product decisions.
The GPLLM also proved to be a career differentiator. In an executive landscape with no shortage of technology sales leaders, the ability to confidently advise on the legal and ethical dimensions of AI, cybersecurity, and data use sets Sadi apart. And the cohort itself — drawing together professionals from law firms, startups, government, education, and enterprise — built a cross-sector network that continues to open doors.
For professionals looking to move beyond consulting, sales, or delivery and into shaping how technology is used, regulated, and trusted, Sadi is unequivocal: the Global Professional Master of Laws is a game-changer.