Yan Gao, LL.M. Class of 2026

Tell us about where you’re from and where you earned your law degree.  
I am originally from China. I earned my Bachelor of Laws and my first Master of Laws in Criminal Procedural Law from China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, which is widely regarded as China's premier law school. After graduating, I spent nearly a decade in legal practice at top Chinese law firms, working across commercial litigation, private equity, cross-border transactions, and corporate compliance. My second Master of Laws, the LL.M., I completed at SMU Dedman School of Law on a full scholarship. 

Why did you decide to seek a graduate degree in the U.S. and what attracted you to Dedman Law?  
Much of my work at JunHe, one of China's top-tier law firms, involved U.S.-related deals: international investment, cross-border data privacy compliance, USD bond issuances. I understood U.S. law from the outside, but I wanted to understand it from the inside. An LL.M. felt like the right way to close that gap. 

Dedman Law came highly recommended by Chinese alumni who had gone through the program and gone on to build strong careers back in China. Their experience made me take a closer look, and what I found confirmed it: a strong focus on transactional and business law, a location in one of the most active business cities in the U.S., and a program that takes its international students seriously. Being awarded a full scholarship gave me confidence that it was the right fit. 

What part of the LL.M. program did you enjoy the most?  
The conversations with classmates from around the world, inside the classroom and long after it ended. The LL.M. cohort brings together practicing lawyers from dozens of countries, each carrying a different legal tradition and a different way of thinking about the same problems. At a time when the world is not always the most open place, having a space where lawyers from very different backgrounds can debate ideas, share experiences, and build genuine friendships felt rare and valuable. Some of those relationships I expect to carry for the rest of my career. 

Was there a professor, mentor, or class that had a lasting impact on you at Dedman Law?  
Professor Monika Ehrman stands out without question. I took her Oil and Gas Law in my first semester and came back for her Property course in my second, which probably says everything about the impression she made. She is exceptionally welcoming to LL.M. students — always encouraging us, making sure we felt confident sitting alongside JD students in class rather than intimidated by them. Her office hours go well beyond doctrinal questions, covering careers, job opportunities, and life as an international student, and she regularly shares scholarships and professional opportunities in the energy law space. 

Her courses gave me a real foundation in U.S. oil and gas law and property law, two areas directly relevant to the cross-border energy work I had done in China. After her classes, I could finally see those deals from both sides of the table. 

What makes Dallas a great place for LL.M. students? 
Dallas has a lot of Fortune 500 headquarters, and that translates into real opportunity for LL.M. students. 

I was able to intern at Wingstop, a publicly traded company with an international franchise operation, and work on actual deals rather than simulated ones. Beyond that, the city is welcoming, the cost of living is reasonable, and the international community is larger than most people expect. For someone building a cross-border legal career, it is a surprisingly good place to be. 

What are you doing now that you have graduated from Dedman Law with an LL.M. degree?  
I am preparing to sit for the New York Bar Examination in July 2026.  

My goal is to build a practice focused on trade and legal matters between China and the United States, particularly in areas like cross-border transactions, franchise and investment structuring, and data privacy compliance. My background on both sides of that relationship, combined with my U.S. LL.M. and certifications in privacy and compliance, puts me in a good position to help businesses navigate that space. 

How did your experience at Dedman Law impact your legal career? 
It changed how I think about cross-border legal work. Before Dedman Law, I understood U.S. law as a system I studied. After Dedman Law, I understand it as a system I have worked inside. That shift matters enormously when you are advising clients on transactions that span both jurisdictions. It also gave me a clearer sense of how my background fits together. Chinese-qualified lawyer, U.S. LL.M. graduate, privacy professional, compliance auditor: at Dedman Law I started to see those not as separate credentials but as a coherent expertise that serves a real market need. 

What is one memory from your time at SMU that you will always remember? 
Celebrating the Lunar New Year at SMU. It was the first Spring Festival I had ever spent away from my family, and I honestly was not sure how it would feel. But the school organized a celebration with dragon and lion dances, traditional Chinese performances, and food that genuinely reminded me of home. Standing there watching the dragon weave through the crowd in the middle of Dallas, surrounded by classmates from China and from everywhere else in the world, I felt something unexpected: warmth. Not the kind that comes from being home, but the kind that comes from realizing you have found a second community. 

If you could go back and talk to yourself on your first day at SMU, what would you say?  
Your experience is an asset, not a liability. It is easy to feel like a beginner again when everything around you is new. But the years you spent in practice give you something your younger classmates do not have: you know how law actually works when it leaves the textbook. Use that. And go to more things than you think you need to. The opportunities at Dedman Law are only as large as the effort you put into finding them. 

What tips or advice do you have for a new LL.M. student? 
Network, and network early. The most valuable thing about an LL.M. program is not the coursework — it is the people. Your classmates come from dozens of countries, many of them already accomplished lawyers in their own right. Build those relationships seriously. Some of the most interesting legal work in the world happens across borders, and the best referrals come from people who trust you. That network is something no textbook can give you, and it will compound in value throughout your entire career. 

Note: This student spotlight was published in 2026 and reflects information from that time.