Sonya McGuire adds Law to her portfolio!

31/07/2019

Demonstrating her commitment to women’s empowerment on home ground, Sonya McGuire is close to completing her Masters in Legal Administration at the level of Juris Doctor, majoring in International Business and Finance Law and Corporations Law through Bond University.
“When I decided to embark on this challenge I had been in business for 22 years and felt that as a woman in business, I needed to empower and educate myself to be ahead of the game. Being a business owner, CEO of two international training colleges and a production company, I knew having legal experience would be invaluable for me,” Sonya says.
When Sonya started her legal studies in 2017, her three sons were still at school. She reflects “I was fortunate to have excellent support and encouragement for my studies from my entire family, and this has continued throughout – I appreciate this sincerely.”
In 2018, Sonya McGuire was awarded first in the class for Global Investment Banking Law and second in the class for International Financial Systems Law. She now manages all the legal administration for ACIT & IFTV Enterprise.
Empowerment draws from a range of strengths. While much has been written about the need for vocational skills and the benefits of self-esteem and self-confidence, it is only in recent years that proper attention has been given to the role that understanding legal matters can play in empowering women in business.
“As a woman I understand that in today’s interconnected world, it is vital that women have the skills necessary to take a leading role in protecting their business interests. Attaining knowledge of Cyber Security Law is an asset to business, and after having spent 30 years in the IT industry, I know the importance of this knowledge in a modern digital world.”
Women, in any type of business, need to feel empowered to be on equal footing with business counterparts. The deeper you go into business dealings, the more decisions you have to make and the more prepared you need to be. Education about emerging traditions and legalities is essential in the fast developing world of Cyber Law.
Sonya admits that it has been extremely challenging trying to study law and balance the demands of family, business and international travel. Women always have a wide range of responsibilities, demanding excellent skills in multi-tasking. During her studies, Sonya also cared for her ailing mother who, sadly, passed away, in 2109.
“It has been challenging, but as a woman I felt that it was not enough for me to have a technical background. If I want to continue having a successful, international business, I need to understand cross-border trading and the legal framework that allows me to safety trade between countries,” Sonya explains. “Trading and exporting in education for the past 10 years with Asia, South America, the US and the EU, required a deeper understanding of the intricacies of Intellectual Property Law. Also, within the entertainment industry, knowledge of International law and Intellectual Property Law has provided a strong platform to work with others in digital production.”
“Women need a solid education to empower themselves. IT, Business and Law studies have empowered me over the last 30 years. I think they are a powerful trio of skills and knowledge in any woman’s portfolio”.