Nyi Mas Gianti Bingah Erbiana (LLM '16 | Indonesia)
With 15 years of experience in business and corporate law, Gianti “Ghea” Erbiana (LL.M. ’16) has led an impressive career and shown a commitment to serving her community and home country of Indonesia through her work.
"For me, a career in law is intellectually challenging and personally fulfilling. I have a personal goal of serving people, the community, and the nation through the profession of law," she explains.
Currently, Ghea holds a position as the Head of Legal and Compliance at PT Daimler Commercial Vehicles Indonesia. In this role, she provides legal and compliance advice for business operations and strategy. Additionally, Ghea shares her knowledge as a part-time law lecturer at the University of Djuanda in Bogor, Indonesia, where she teaches international law, private international law, arbitration, English for legal professions, and bankruptcy law.
Reflecting on her dual roles, Ghea shares, "I felt proud and accomplished when I could apply my knowledge as an expert in my current job while sharing such knowledge as a law lecturer."
Ghea’s decision to pursue an LL.M. degree stemmed from her passion for learning and her desire to expand her legal expertise. She carefully considered where to further her education before deciding on UC Davis. “I like the city of Davis; I researched the city, the people of Davis, and the environment around UC Davis. What I like the most is that Davis is a city of bikes," she recounts.
As an international student accustomed to Indonesia’s civil law system, Ghea faced the challenge of adapting to the U.S. legal system’s common law structure. "The way I faced the challenge was by reading more and asking questions. As a non-U.S. lawyer, I understood I was not familiar enough with U.S. law, so I needed to learn and adapt more."
Her perseverance paid off, leading to an internship with Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas) in Manhattan, New York after completing her LL.M. at UC Davis. This opportunity allowed her to work alongside U.S. lawyers, applying her knowledge in a practical setting and further enhancing her expertise.
In her own words, Ghea concludes, "Thank you, UC Davis, for giving me one of the best experiences of my life. I enjoyed all my moments personally and professionally."