Top LLM Programs in USA 2019/2020

Scholarships: All admitted students will be considered for merit-based scholarships at the time of application.

Classes: LL.M. students create their own program of study and take classes with their J.D. student colleagues.

Start Date: Spring or Fall

Eligibility: To qualify, students must demonstrate that they:

The Graduate Program in Banking and Financial Law has been at the forefront of financial services law since 1984. It is the oldest LLM program of its kind in the United States and, since its inception, has trained more than 2,000 lawyers for leadership positions in the United States and around the world. Our graduates hold influential positions in government agencies, law firms, corporations, financial institutions, and non-governmental organizations on a global basis.

In this program, we seek to provide an education that is both relevant and practical. To do this, we have assembled a faculty of financial services professionals who are masters in their field and who have the passion, dedication, and commitment to teach and train young lawyers. Our co-curricular activities provide our students with total immersion in the financial law area, through internships, career discussions, lectures and the opportunity to serve on the staff of the Review of Banking and Financial Law, the nation’s oldest student-run law journal devoted to this subject.... [-]

The LLM (Master of Laws) Program at the William S. Richardson School of Law is a one-year course of study of the U.S. legal system. If you have a law degree, or will soon graduate with a law degree, you may apply for the Program. The Program runs from August to mid-May. Our Program will help to enhance your legal English skills and understanding of American legal culture while providing you with the opportunity to interact daily with excellent American law students and faculty in a warm and friendly environment.

The LL.M. degree for Foreign Law School Graduates is a one- year, full-time program for students who hold a basic law degree from a recognized international law school. Students enrolled in this degree program must complete 24 credit hours including the required two-credit course in Perspectives of the American Legal System. The remaining courses are elective and offer a wide range of choices. Students have the freedom to choose from a wide array of classes and can design their LL.M. degree to meet their needs and goals in studying in the United States. Students desiring to take a bar examination in Texas, New York or California can take classes required to qualify to sit for those exams. Other students may want to specialize in international studies or in other areas of the law.... [-]

Our Master of Laws (LLM) focuses on the U.S. legal system for internationally-educated lawyers.

The full-time, one-year LLM is ideal for international:

This new specialized LLM will help students understand the laws and policies that shape international commerce and trade from a global perspective.

Courses will cover topics in business organizations, global regulatory policy, international trade policy, and international business transactions.

Students will learn negotiation and cross-border transactional law, in addition to the organizational and compliance aspects of servicing globally engaged clients.... [-]

A one of a kind, practice-oriented tax law program.

The Graduate Tax Program at the University of California, Irvine School of Law offers an innovative curriculum that instills students with both the doctrinal depth and the practical skills needed to practice tax law at the highest levels, in the United States or abroad.

The Graduate Tax Program aims to produce graduates who are prepared for careers as tax attorneys, judges, tax administrators and policy advocates, as well as markedly enhance the tax skills of those who are already members of the tax profession.

In designing its innovative curriculum, the program’s founding tax faculty consulted tax practitioners, government administrators, tax policy advocates and other industry experts to develop a world-class educational experience at one of the premier law schools in the United States. At the center of the curriculum is a mandatory practical tax skills requirement, which is completed through tax externships, tax clinics, or specially designed tax classes. Ours is the only program in the United States that makes practical tax skills an inherent, mandatory part of the academic curriculum.... [-]

Mitchell Hamline’s LL.M. introduces foreign law graduates to the legal system of the United States. The program brings together a global community of lawyers who receive the specialized training and education they need to practice law and compete on an international level. LL.M. students attend classes with Mitchell Hamline J.D. students, choosing courses and seminars that reflect their individual practice interests.

Loyola's renowned advocacy teams, experienced doctrinal and skills faculty, and extensive advocacy-related course offerings have always set Loyola apart in lawyering skills training. More recently, the Criminal Justice Specialization was created to ensure that students interested in criminal law receive a comprehensive and unique academic experience.

Students who complete the specialization will have a matchless opportunity for exposure to and concentrated study in the law and skills necessary to train as an advocate in a criminal prosecution or defense setting. An important component of the Specialization is the intensive integrated experience wherein all students will participate in a practicum or clinic allowing them to see the application of the learned skills to real life disputes.... [-]

The LL.M. Program at Penn State’s Dickinson Law gives students and lawyers trained outside of the U.S. a high-level understanding of the American legal system. The program’s foundational courses introduce you to our unique analytic methodologies.

To ensure that we can provide hands-on training for our students, Dickinson Law has capped each LL.M. cohort at 20 students. This intentionally small class size ensures that students receive focused attention from faculty, guarantees ample opportunities to learn in practice settings, and fulfills the law school’s promise to best position its students to secure employment in a competitive marketplace.

The LL.M. program is a 24-credit, one academic year course of study. Students must enroll in at least 12 credits per semester and may enroll in no more than 17 credits per semester. The program’s foundational courses introduce you to our unique analytic methodologies. Students then may choose courses from our “Lawyer As …” curriculum divided by specialized fields of study, and create personalized tracks based on areas of interest.... [-]

The LL.M. degree program consists of 24 credits hours of study and can normally be completed in a year, although a part-time option is available for domestic students in the LL.M. in Dispute Resolution program.

The highly selective nature of the programs allows students to individualize their plan of study in light of their specific needs and interests. Applicants come from a variety of walks of life and from a wide array of countries.

The Mizzou LL.M. in American Law provides an introduction to the American legal system and U.S. legal practice for students who earned their first degree in law outside the United States.

Beyond the 6 credit hours of required courses – introduction to U.S. law, professional responsibility, and legal research and writing – students can customize their study in fields such as intellectual property, commercial law, international law, environmental law, and employment law.... [-]

The LLM in Transnational Business Practice trains lawyers to practice in the field of international business law. The degree further prepares lawyers for a career in the global economy.

A program highlight is an access to the McGeorge Global Center for Business & Development, which stands at the interface between the global economy and the legal profession. The Global Center facilitates scholarship and curricular innovation and hosts a number of international events every year.

Overview

Antitrust laws directly impact the globalization of businesses and the complexities of the international economy. Antitrust lawyers must engage with rapidly changing regulations and global issues. The LLM in Global Antitrust Law & Economics provides students with an advanced understanding of the laws that regulate the process of business competition and the economic analysis relevant to understanding modern antitrust adjudication.

With the growing demand in the U.S. and abroad for antitrust lawyers who can facilitate and manage mergers and acquisitions on national and international levels, determine compliance with economic laws of foreign governments, and support the efforts of law firms and corporations, Scalia Law’s LLM is designed to meet that demand.... [-]

Live and learn in Brooklyn, the ever-evolving international hub of culture and innovation. Brooklyn Law School is located just minutes from Wall Street, the epicenter of international finance and Silicon Alley, the hub for tech start-ups. Immerse yourself in a real-world learning environment where LL.M. students grow both professionally and personally.

LL.M. students at Brooklyn Law School have the option to focus their courses on General U.S. Law, Business Law, Intellectual Property Law, or Refugee and Immigration Law. The LL.M. curriculum provides lawyers trained abroad with the knowledge needed to master U.S. legal discourse and to enhance their skills for practice in their home countries. Our LL.M. program further meets the requirements to sit for the New York State Bar Exam. As a licensed attorney in multiple jurisdictions, you will be the global attorney of the 21th century.... [-]

The University of Cincinnati College of Law is pleased to offer a program of study on the US legal system to practicing attorneys and law school graduates who received their legal education outside the United States.

The LLM program is designed to introduce internationally trained lawyers to the US legal system while also giving each student an opportunity to design a course of study at UC Law that best advances his or her professional agenda. Students who complete the program are better able to represent U.S. clients and more prepared for negotiations and litigation with U.S. parties.

The LLM program can be completed in as little as 9 months, although some students decide to spend up to two academic years in the program.... [-]

Emory University School of Law offers a practical, disciplined approach to the study of law that engages students in the roles the law plays in our community, society, and world. Our student-centered focus, innovative programs, and commitment to scholarship prepare graduates to make an immediate and lasting impact.

Emory Law’s LLM can be completed full-time in nine months or part-time in up to four years. Several concentrations are available or the program can be customized to a student’s specific interests through the general study option. The LLM program is open to individuals holding a foreign law degree and/or a US JD degree from an ABA-accredited law school.

"Emory Law is a global institution, and our ability to offer a variety of programs to train legal minds speaks to our commitment to scholarship, inclusivity, and accessibility."... [-]