Ambition Is Key: Dr Paulius Jurčys’ Journey From the VU Faculty of Law to Harvard and “Google”

Studies in Japan and at Harvard, employment at Google, and a new business in Silicon Valley – this is the inspiring and bold journey of Dr Paulius Jurčys, who is full of drive to explore new horizons in science and embrace new opportunities. Having obtained his legal education at Vilnius University (VU), the researcher now shares his international experience in intellectual property, copyright, and innovation with VU students.

What are your impressions of studying at the VU Faculty of Law? Which course units piqued your interest the most?

The first year of studies was quite difficult due to unfamiliar concepts and uncertainty about my post-graduation plans. During the first semesters, I had lectures on logic, legal history, Roman law, and other general subjects. We soon recognised that this was part of the general education intended for future lawyers. Over time, as we delved deeper into various branches of law, our affinity for certain fields grew stronger, which brought more clarity about my own area of expertise.

Which field of law did you find the most captivating?

Among my university teachers were some of the greats of the older generation: Prof. Dr Armanas Abramavičius, Prof. Dr Jonas Prapiestis, and Assoc. Prof. Dr Valentinas Mikelėnas. These charismatic personalities left a lasting impression with their special lectures. My second year of studies marked a significant turning point when we were first taken to court during our seminars on criminal law. Each student was assigned a real case to review. I got a gruesome murder case... After viewing the attached photos, I came to the realisation that while I truly enjoy studying the theory of criminal law, its application might be “too much” for me. Then, I started contemplating the sources of creativity and social progress. That is how I developed an interest in intellectual property law.

After VU, you continued your studies at Kyushu University in Japan. What influenced your decision to choose this country?

I spent my fourth year at VU as an Erasmus student in Germany. During those two semesters, I took 19 course units on law in German and managed to take part in three moot court competitions. When I finished my master thesis during the fifth year of studies, I started thinking about what to do next.

Despite several job offers from big law firms, I opted for further studies overseas, choosing Asia over Europe. I applied to some universities in Singapore and Japan. Back then, I was convinced I could always get a job later, but I feared missing out on the opportunity to advance my education.

Kyushu University in Japan responded extremely quickly and offered me very favourable financial conditions: a scholarship and health insurance. It seemed unwise to decline such an offer. Then, I spent the summer in my hometown, Klaipėda, where I started learning Japanese. In September, I embarked on a year-long adventure in Japan, where a new and spontaneous chapter began and lasted seven years.

The international programme at Kyushu University was gaining momentum, with good funding, talented students, and excellent teachers from all over the world. One of the teachers, Prof. Toshiyuki Kono, who coordinated the programme, encouraged me to delve into international litigation on intellectual property rights. At the time, legal scholars and practitioners were struggling with the issue of where international disputes were to be settled. Intellectual property rights are territorial; thus, Japanese patents are only valid in Japan, American ones are only valid in America, yet business operates on a global scale. It was a new and fascinating field for me.

After my master studies in law (LL.M.), I stayed in Japan to write my PhD thesis. During those three years with Prof. Kono, we carried out a comparative research project, culminating in a book of almost 1200 pages. After receiving a prestigious scholarship, I stayed on for my postdoctoral fellowship there. Various projects were set up, attracting professors from Europe and America who were proud of their profession and recognised the value of academic work. I also thought that teaching at a university was a very honourable profession. Thus, still being a doctoral student, I already started lecturing, thereby making Japanese staff members feel uneasy because they had to use a more formal means of addressing me – “Poru-sensei” instead of just Paulius or Mr Jurčys (“Poru-san”). In Japanese culture, the term “sensei” usually refers to teachers and implies great respect. The most common use of “sensei” is to address older people. It made me feel uncomfortable, and it seemed a bit ironic because I was 26 or 27 years old at the time, and all the university administration staff were much older than me.

When I began my teaching career, I saw that my lectures were not attractive enough because I still lacked practical experience. Then, I started pondering my next steps. I realised I had given almost as much as I had received from Japan, so it was about time to start afresh. I grasped the following: I must stop wasting time if I want to move forward. That is when I sent my applications to Harvard, Yale, and Stanford; I got a response from several of them and finally decided to settle for Harvard.

Was it difficult to get into Harvard University?

Harvard offers a wide variety of programmes, and I chose the LL.M. (Master of Laws) in International Law programme, which is tailored for lawyers with a foreign legal background. Admission procedures for international programmes are generally consistent across institutions, although more competitive at Harvard.

When I was accepted, I still had doubts about attending Harvard and sought advice from my family. One dear professor told me: “There is no room for doubt, just go for it!”. I vividly remember walking into Harvard Square with all my suitcases and realising how daft I’d been to think twice about coming here.

What is the atmosphere like at Harvard?

It is a different world, a different space. I came to Harvard with one goal in mind – to get the most out of those years and attend lectures by some of the greatest professors. I had two to four lectures a day and lunchtime events with invited speakers – over pizza, we listened to people pursuing impressive career paths. Then, I would go to the gym to play basketball, while during the evenings, we gathered in the library with other students; it is the largest academic library, where we would often stay late into the night. Since I lived in the nearby dormitory, at midnight, we would go to celebrate someone’s birthday. With hundreds of students residing in the building, birthdays were almost a nightly occurrence. We used to stay up until the wee small hours, so we had little sleep before leaving for lectures. Formerly, I tracked the daily tally of people I interacted with, and it averaged between 170 and 200.

What differences have you observed between studying in Lithuania, Japan, and America?

The contrasts depend on the study programme and the country’s culture. In Lithuania, I studied law fundamentals, with lecturers providing basic key material that students have to master. Therefore, it is common to have more teacher monologues and fewer discussions, which are far more typical during seminars. There is more debate during optional course units due to the already-established foundations and known legal principles.
In Japan, lectures are almost always dominated by the teaching staff, and there is no student interaction unless the lecturer is particularly innovative.

In the USA, studies are based on the Socratic method of teaching: there is a lot of debate and practical exercises, while the economic approach to law and cost-benefit analysis are of major importance.

You have experience in both studying and working in America and Japan. Which companies have you worked for, and how did you apply your legal expertise in these countries?

After graduating from Harvard, I had a short stint at “Google” between my studies and a job at a law firm. That was good enough for me because the fast-paced environment in such tech companies requires efficiency and productivity in task handling. I also spent a year working at a prestigious law firm in Tokyo, where tasks had to be carried out flawlessly, even at the expense of valuable personal time. The most important things there were long-standing human relationships and respect between the lawyers and their clients. Then, another idea struck me: I should venture to Silicon Valley and launch my own business. This was a totally unexpected scenario because, as a lawyer, I thought I would become a judge, an attorney, or a prosecutor, or maybe start a career in the public sector – these were my potential future options. Now, I want to spread awareness of the idea that law studies open up an incredibly wide range of career opportunities. Studying law equips you with a versatile skill set for any path you choose.