LL.M. Degree
was “the” way to do something may in fact not be the only way – and perhaps not even the best - after all. Other approaches may seem weird, but ultimately it becomes evident that truly all roads lead to Rome. This recognition often strikes LL.M. and J.D. students when they learn alongside each other in the classroom, and in discussions with their peers – and with professors – after class, over meals, at social gatherings, in student orga- nizations, etc. The predominantly domestic J.D. population thus can also benefit greatly from hav- ing LL.M. ambassadors from across the globe in their midst. Having the time and the intellectual setting to recognize and hash out the differences and points in common is an opportunity not to be missed.
40
In closing, a few lines of advice for preparing your LL.M. applications. Most law schools ask for the same kind of credentials, although there may be some significant differences regarding minimum grade point averages (GPAs), English test scores and amount of professional experience, for exam- ple. After having ascertained that those require- ments have been met, and after making sure that all credentials can be submitted per each school’s instructions, applicants should focus very carefully on the essays.
When applicants have considered the costs and benefits of an LL.M. program from multiple angles, they will likely gain valuable new insights about their individual hopes and career goals. The consid- erable effort necessary for such research and soul searching truly pays off when one uses the applica- tion essays to express the reasons for wishing to earn an LL.M. degree and for choosing a particular law school. Furthermore, the better you know the law school’s expectations, as well as character and atmosphere, the better you will be able to address and emphasize aspects in the essays which will be most relevant to the law school.
To ensure that all required materials are submitted in time for each law school’s application deadline,
you should plan well ahead: for non-native English speakers, the item which probably needs the lon- gest advance planning is the English test score (TOEFL3
or IELTS4
). TOEFL tests are accepted by
virtually all U.S. law schools, and an increasing number of law schools also accept IELTS scores in fulfillment of the English test requirement. Both testing institutions offer an abundance of very help- ful information online, including free practice tests and information on test dates. Applicants should check and register for test dates as early as spring or summer of the year of desired enrollment in an LL.M. program - the test dates in some locations are very quickly booked.
LL.M. programs offer not only new academic challenges and legal expertise, but also cultural insights and exceptional opportunities for forming strong friendships and networks across borders. The law school experience tends to leave lasting impressions and memories even for the domestic J.D.s – for LL.M. students this formative year can- not but stand out. I have heard from many LL.M. alumni, even decades after they graduated, how significantly the experience changed their percep- tions of the law, their careers, and enriched their lives.
Endnotes for LL.M. Degree 1
. The University of Michigan Law School’s LL.M. programs,
for which I coordinate admissions, is geared primarily at law- yers with backgrounds from outside the U.S. common law. In addition to the “general” LL.M. program, where students are free to focus on any given field of law, we also offer a specialized program, the LL.M. in International Tax Law. This, or any specialization in international, transnational, or comparative aspects of law, lends itself to American J.D.s as well as to foreign-educated lawyers who wish to expand the scope of their legal expertise.
2
For details, see
http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/ telegrams_1444.html
TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language: http://
www.toeflgoanywhere.org/
3 4 IELTS, or International English Language Testing System:
http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/what_is_ielts. aspx
. ILSA Quarterly » volume 20 » issue 3 » February 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112