CATEGORY - LL.M.

March 16, 2010

Northwestern Law Creates Accelerated LL.M. Program

Northwestern University School of Law announced on Monday that it is creating a streamlined LL.M. program that can be completed in 12 weeks.

Detailed in a press release, the accelerated LL.M., which is slated to begin in May 2011, will be offered to graduates of non-U.S. law schools working in their home countries.  Rather than spending a year on the Northwestern campus, these visiting students can complete the proposed LL.M. in one intensive summer of two six-week sessions or over two summers.

The focus of the 20-credit program will be business law, especially transnational legal issues.  Participating students will take a set course load — which differs from the yearlong LL.M. — on subjects including contracts, commercial sales, business associations, intellectual property, taxation and litigation.  According to Northwestern Law’s associate dean for executive degree programs, Mayer Freed, these classes will meet five days a week, for up to five hours a day.

The introduction of the accelerated LL.M. recalls the law school’s accelerated J.D. program, which we discussed in June of last year.  At the time, it was the first top-tier school to commence with a two-year J.D. and just the third American law school overall.

Also last year, in December, we relayed a report from the Financial Times that examined the increasing popularity of the LL.M. degree, including a 25 percent rise in applications to LL.M. degrees at Northwestern in 2009.

0 Comments »

# posted by admin @ 12:00 pm in LL.M., Law School News, School: Northwestern

March 10, 2010

Citing Leadership Vacancy, USC Law Postpones Tax LL.M. Launch

In early December, we offered a few updates from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, as the institution introduced a new vision statement and an entertainment law program, a law and business program, and a graduate tax LL.M.

Now, however, it has been revealed that the law school has pushed back its launch of the tax LL.M. from Fall 2010 to Fall 2011.  Commenting to TaxProf Blog on Thursday, Gould Dean Robert Rasmussen cited an inability to secure proper leadership for the program.

“We view having the right leadership as essential to launching the program, and we are still in the process of finding our founding director,” Rasmussen said.  “We simply will not offer any program that does not meet USC’s standards for excellence.”

In December, we reported that the tax LL.M. would be led by existing faculty, but the delayed start and the dean’s comments seem to point to an external search.

The program had been accepting applications since October.  An email from a Gould 3L to TaxProf indicated that the law school is refunding the $75 application fee.

0 Comments »

# posted by admin @ 12:00 pm in LL.M., Law School News, School: USC / Gould

February 18, 2010

Stanford Law School Outlines Addition of New LL.M. Program

It was announced Wednesday that Stanford Law School will offer a new LL.M. program, International Economic Law, Business & Policy (IELBP), beginning in the fall semester.

The newest Master of Laws addition is the school’s third such program, joining Corporate Governance & Practice and Law, Science & Technology.  IELBP will initially be open to 12-15 students.  All participating students are required to have a primary law degree from an institution located outside of the United States.

According to the Stanford Law School website, the LL.M. will focus on the following areas: “international trade, international dispute resolution, international business transactions, international investment law, international environmental law, international finance, international corporate and securities issues, and international intellectual property law.”

Additionally, SLS advises that international candidates interested in the LL.M. program subjects for careers in teaching, research, the judiciary, public policy or other public interest law organizations should consider the Stanford Program in International Legal Studies (SPILS).  SPILS offers approximately 12 research-based fellowships and features a separate application from the LL.M. programs.

0 Comments »

# posted by admin @ 8:00 am in LL.M., Law School News, School: Stanford

January 25, 2010

Duke Law to Offer Master’s in Law and Entrepreneurship Degree

Announced Thursday, Duke University School of Law will begin a new degree program aimed at synthesizing legal theory and principles of business innovation.

Beginning in the fall, the Law and Entrepreneurship LL.M. Program will include courses on innovation, intellectual property, finance and business law.  In total, the program is two semesters and 23 credits.   There is also a practicum, which places students with an emerging company or a law firm, and a capstone research project.

In advocating for the program, Dean David Levi stressed the importance of legal counsel in a start-up environment.

“In America and, increasingly, on a global basis, we look to the entrepreneurial sector for creativity and solutions,” said Levi in a school press release.  “The ongoing economic shifts resulting from the crisis in the global capital markets are likely to accelerate this trend.  As a result, we believe that this program, which focuses on how the law and lawyers can best support entrepreneurship, is extremely timely.”

Levi noted that such a program would prepare students for advising or leadership roles with a start-up.  The law school also plans to “take advantage of strategic ties to entrepreneurial companies in the nearby Research Triangle Park.”

Admission to the LL.M. is limited to those who already hold a J.D. or LL.M. from an American Law School.  The JD Journal also indicated that a similar degree will be offered on a smaller basis at the University of Colorado Law School.

0 Comments »

# posted by admin @ 8:28 am in LL.M., Law School News, School: Duke

December 1, 2009

Report Examines Increasing Popularity of LL.M. Degrees

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.

0 Comments »

# posted by admin @ 8:00 am in General, LL.M., Law School News

November 19, 2009

Washington University Offers Unique Six-Semester Tax LL.M. Program

Washington University in St. Louis Law School has recently implemented a new J.D.  and Tax LL.M. program that will allow students to earn both degrees within six semesters without required summer coursework. Washington University is the first top-20 law school to make it possible for students to earn concurrent J.D. and LL.M. degrees in a three year time period. As reported in a news release on the school’s website, this program will be of value to those enrolled, as students will have the opportunity to pursue summer employment options, while still being able to complete both degrees within only six semesters.

In order for students to earn the Tax LL.M. degree, they must take eight additional credits in addition to fulfilling their J.D. requirements. Additionally, these students must take the course Federal Income Tax and 24 other qualifying tax credits. These requirements are the same as those for a one-year Tax LL.M. student.

The Tax LL.M. program has been offered at Washington University for over 40 years, but it was only recently that this new degree option was made available. According to Assistant Dean Mary Perry, director of the Tax LL.M. Program, “This new program is a great opportunity for our students who accept permanent employment outside of St. Louis, and, therefore, cannot take advantage of our current seven-semester LL.M option. And, it offers students who participate in the program the competitive advantage of having a Tax LL.M. in hand when they graduate.”

The school also believes that this new program will appeal to students who may not have otherwise have considered a Tax LL.M. Given the opportunity to pursue the degree while simultaneously earning a J.D., and additionally being able to hold summer positions, may be an attractive option for student hoping to increase their recruitment options. As Michael Spivey, assistant dean for Career Services, Strategy and Marketing, explained, “Employers like to see a more focused course load in tax when filling tax positions. Students interested in the tax field should find this program highly beneficial to their job search,” he continued. “Additionally, the ability to complete internships over the summer will uniquely position these students to start their legal careers with valuable and relevant experience.”

To learn about other LL.M. options and upcoming LL.M program deadlines, make sure to read our previous post on the topic.

0 Comments »

# posted by admin @ 8:00 am in LL.M., Law School News, School: Washington University in St. Louis

July 18, 2009

LL.M. Program Highlights and Application Deadlines

In addition to offering students the opportunity to pursue a J.D. degree, most law schools also provide various advanced degrees. One of the most popular is the LL.M., a degree geared toward candidates who already possess a J.D., or their home country’s equivalent. A full-time LL.M. program is generally a year long, and requires that students submit a substantial piece of writing, composed using outside research and containing a sustained argument related to the field of law, in order to graduate and receive a degree.

Various LL.M. programs offer their students different opportunities in terms of areas of specialization, location and class size. Stanford, for instance, asks students to pursue one of two specializations:  Corporate Governance & Practice or Law, Science and Technology. Stanford’s LL.M class is relatively small with an average of 30 total students, 15 in each of these two groups. Stanford’s program is designed exclusively for students who have earned a primary law degree outside of the U.S. Meanwhile, the Harvard LL.M. program, representing a large class of 150 students in a given year, is currently in the process of developing a series of concentrations for its students to pursue, but aims to allow for as much flexibility in its curriculum as possible. Students from foreign nations and with J.D. degrees from accredited U.S. law schools are eligible for admission. The Cambridge LL.M. program, unlike either Stanford or Harvard, is even willing to admit a candidate without a law degree on occasion.

For individuals in the law community seeking a career in academia, now is the time to begin preparing an LL.M. application. In the past, we’ve discussed the upcoming admissions review periods for prospective J.D. candidates. Students pursuing alternative law degrees, such as an LL.M., however, are generally asked to submit applications sooner than those candidates applying for J.D. programs.  Many law school admissions offices are set to begin receiving LL.M. applications by August or September, similar to the time when the J.D. review process begins, but set then set their deadlines for sometime in November or December.  This means the window for LL.M. applicants to gather application materials and apply for financial aid is smaller than that provided for J.D. candidates.

Here’s a glimpse at a few of the already announced LL.M. deadlines:

Yale: November 16, 2009

Harvard: December 1, 2009

Cambridge: December 1, 2009

Chicago: December 15, 2009

Altogether the LL.M. deadlines at other programs, such as NYU, Columbia and Stanford have not yet been updated for the 2009-2010 admissions process, given their previous deadline histories, candidates can be confident that the dates will be set for sometime in November or early December.

0 Comments »

# posted by admin @ 10:03 am in Deadlines, LL.M.