A recent report on global legal education in the Financial Times focused its attention on the increasing prevalence of the LL.M. degree.
According to the report’s main article, the LL.M., or Master of Laws, is today seen as a notable and distinguishing qualification for law students and existing lawyers, especially given the competitive legal market and current economic climate.
Revealing this trend, the article indicates that interest in leading international programs has risen this year, including a 25 percent rise in applications to LL.M. degrees at Northwestern University Law School.
And while the recession has pushed many to want to strengthen their profiles with an LL.M., the article also notes that the degree, because of an increased desire for specialization and the overall globalization of the legal landscape, has been growing as a coveted credential for longer.
Additionally, the report also features an itemized list of the top LL.M. programs in the world, which can be arranged by the number of LL.M. departments or available fields, for instance. The two largest LL.M. programs, by full-time enrollment in 2008-2009, were New York University and the University of London with 440 and 413 students, respectively.
Further, the report also features application advice, content on specialized courses, and relevant profiles, such as one on Boston University Law School’s LL.M. offerings.
