LL.M. Programs in the United States:
How to Choose the “Best” School, Get Admitted, Excel Academically, and Get a Good Job Post-Degree by George E. Edwards*
“international students,” in that they earned their first law degrees outside the U.S. These students hail from every major legal system of the world. They have lived in many countries, speak many dif- ferent languages, and have widely diverse cultural backgrounds. Each student is different, with indi- vidualized academic, personal, and career needs and aspirations.
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LL.M. Roadmap is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or at
www.LLMRoadMap.com. All Professor Edwards’ personal
profits from LL.M. Roadmap are being donated to the International Law Students Association (ILSA).
Despite their individualized nature, students from around the world ask similar questions about grad- uate legal education generally, including whether they should even pursue a LL.M. degree. Once they choose the U.S. for their LL.M., they must decide which is the “best” school or LL.M. pro- gram for them, and then sort out how to get admitted, pay for their degree, and succeed academically, and how to se- cure a great job or otherwise reach their career goals after graduation. Each student will necessarily answer these questions differently. Nev- ertheless, all students must gather critical information, weigh it, acknowledge and honor (or possibly overcome) their own personal prejudices and
predilections, and then make informed decisions based on rational, legitimate criteria that they consider important in the short and long term.
ver 100 ABA-approved law schools in the U.S. offer Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree programs. Most of the 6,000 students enrolled in these programs each year are
Ideally, a student’s strengths, interests and expec- tations will lead her to choose a U.S. law school that is prepared to complement her strengths, and satisfy her interests and reasonable expectations. In theory, there is a “best” or “ideal” U.S. LL.M. program for each international student. The best program for one student may not be the best pro- gram for another student. A prospective student’s goal is to find the best or ideal program for himself or herself.
But where and how do prospective students ob- tain the accurate, comprehensive information they need to make informed decisions about LL.M. programs, based on rational, legitimate criteria? One could write a book on the topic. And, indeed I did write such a book—LL.M. Roadmap.1
are many sources of information other than LL.M. Roadmap.2
There For example, U.S. law schools may
provide you with substantial, very helpful informa- tion, as each has different academic offerings and resources, and different administrators and faculty who have varying levels of commitment to stu- dents and to the educational process.
Schools are obligated to meet all students’ rea- sonable expectations, and to communicate to prospective students—before they enroll—if the school is unable or unwilling to provide a service that LL.M. students would ordinarily consider rea- sonable. Not all schools need to provide all servic- es, but they need to be clear about what they will or will not provide. This helps prospective students make informed decisions about schools.
Unfortunately, there is not always a meeting of the minds between students and schools. It is hoped
ILSA Quarterly » volume 20 » issue 1 » October 2011
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