Back to School. Ramón Uría, PhD student

After earning his law degree and practicing law for a year and a half at one of Spain's largest law firms, Ramón decided to return to the University of Navarra to launch doctorate.

While you were studying law at Degree , did you ever think about pursuing thesis ?
During my time at degree program , I had other employment opportunities in mind, although even from my freshman year I felt a desire to delve deeper into various subjects—though this was a secondary concern, far from a doctorate. And more than the subject, what impressed me most was the professors’ dedication: their effort to teach well and their ability to answer—accurately and competently—any question in the classroom. I also admired their attention with students, striking a balance between warmth and a certain professional distance.

What is your current relationship with the faculty like?
Professionally speaking, we’re colleagues, although in reality—understandably—we’re worlds apart in terms of our career paths: I’ve only just started. That doesn’t mean, though, that now, when I address them formally, they don’t ask me to use the informal “tú” and treat me like one of the team.

What path did you take after graduating?
I decided to pursue the “ Master's Degree ” (Law School Admission Program) to keep two career paths open: on the one hand, to complete an internship and get started in the practice of law so I could learn about the profession from the inside; on the other hand, to obtain the “ degree program ” (Certificate of Legal Practice) required to become a “ doctoral program ” (Attorney-at-Law) in the future.

What was your professional “ pathway ” like?
I worked for a year and a half at a law firm in Madrid. It was a very good experience; there were capable, hardworking, and disciplined people there, with partners who had a very deep “ knowledge ” of their “ subject.”

If you were so happy at the firm, why make the leap to thesis ?
There comes a time when you realize that some of the circumstances you’re facing don’t align with what you’re looking for. For example, the city: I really like Pamplona. Plus, there was an intellectual aspect I wasn’t finding at the firm, because a lawyer’s work is focused on the client. When working on a case, I found myself focusing more on the background and the conceptual aspects, and that limited me. This status led me to realize that if I was so interested in the fundamentals and in academic study, what I was really looking for was the doctorate. I spoke with an Full Professor who specializes in administrative law, and he convinced me that the thesis at the University of Navarra is an incredible four-year program.

Have you received any important committee about thesis ?
When I was student intern during Master's Degree, a professor I admired told me: “Whatever you end up doing, be clear about the underlying idea—the problem you want to help solve.” He told me that because it’s sometimes easy to lose your way as a PhD student and think that your topic is useless or too niche.

What is this “ topic ” and what’s the motivation behind it?
My “ topic ” focuses on the distribution of powers between the Provincial Council of Navarre and the Spanish government in the 19th century. At first glance, it may seem like a very specific topic, but ever since I started, I knew I wanted to do something related to Spain’s territorial organization: why we’re organized the way we are, why Navarre and Spain are the way they are from a legal and territorial standpoint. Having that underlying idea provides peace of mind when you have doubts and instills a sense of humility—knowing that you’re going to make a small contribution to this vast discussion .

What has the transition from a law firm to academic research been like?
At first, the transition from the law firm to the university was very difficult. In a law firm, there’s constant pressure to get things done quickly, and there are many small daily or weekly assignments. The “ thesis ” is a four-year “ project ” with intermediate milestones. What I found most difficult was understanding the deadlines and the depth of the assignments. It helped me a lot to talk with professors like Juan Cianciardo and Julio Muerza, who offered me guidance on how to organize my work at work and in my relationship with the directors.

There’s a perception that the “ doctorate ” phase is a lonely one. Has that been your experience?
In my case, not at all. Over the past year and a half, about five or six law doctoral students around my age have joined the program. In the Social Sciences Building ( Science Library ), they’ve placed us right next to each other on the fourth floor, back-to-back. Whenever we have any questions about administrative matters, the Graduate School ( enrollment ), or scholarships, we discuss them. We go downstairs to eat together and have a very close-knit community. Feeling supported by both the professors and the department , as well as my classmates, makes the experience very enriching.