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Please share how you have benefited from this access For more information, please contact [email protected]. /hu NoJ1unwi A consumer guide to U.S. LL.M. programs for foreign attorneys How many U.S. lL.M. programs are open to foreign attorneys? ~ There are more than 150 programs open ./! to foreign attorneys, ranging from gen- eral LL.M. programs to specialty degrees like insurance law and space law.Around 60 programs are open to foreign attor- neys only, offering a degree in American fi; law.Th,,, are ,1<0 23 distance-learning J:'#:flf""• programs. cW/,1 What's the benefit for a foreign attorney in taking a lL.M. program? It introduces you to American law, which can be a huge asset in your career, should you prac- tice here or in your nation of origin. Adding this level of skill makes you more marketable, particularly to international law firms, which seek a diverse work force to tap into other markets. Globalization is only fueling this trend. one that starts on page 11. Combined, information about its LL.M. programs. they include every ptogram in the U.S. Look at the courses offered, faculty and As a foreign attorney, how do I decide open to foreign attorneys. Next, sta r t student population. But don't limit your which lL.M. program to apply to? researching the programs to find the best search to just that. Talk to alums from Start with our guide on this page and the match. Every law school has a website with your country and consider going to an u.s. LL.M. PROGRAMS OPEN ONLY TO FOREIGN ATTORNEYS • Distance learning DC Catholic University American Law NC Duke American Law Jan. 20 $70 DC Georgetown University Law Center Two-Year LL.M. with Certificate in Feb. 15/March 1 $80 DC Howard University School of Law International Law March 14 $60 VA Regent University School of Law American Legal Studies March 15 $50 $1060 MD of Baltimore US Law NC University of North Carolina April 30 $75 NC Wake Forest University American Law March 31 $70 $37010/yr VA Washington and Lee University US Law March 1 $100 $46665/yr VA William and Mary Law School American Law Feb. 1 $50 $1100 32 Tur NA"fIONAL JURISI Graduate Law Annual 2013-2014 Education USA advising center. The centers Which programs are are funded by the U.S. State Department, the highest-rated? and are free and unbiased. There are That's hard to nail down.A number of law also twO books available with advice and school rankings, such as the one done by detailed information - "LL.M. Roadmap: known alumni, while others care about U.S. News & World Report, are based on an international student's guide to U.S. law whether the career office helps LL.M. the schools' J.D. programs. Logic would school programs" by George Edwards, and students find legal jobs. Most agree that suggest that a top-ranked law school should "The Unofficial Guide to Legal Studies in a good place to stare is to narrow your have an outstanding LL.M. program as the U. S. for Foreign Lawyers" published potential pool down to schools that offer well, but that's not necessarily a given. by the American Bar Association. your chosen specialization and are within Some organizations try to rank LL.M. spe- the geographic area of choice. After that, cialties. ]obslnTax did a ranking of the best What kind of a program should I seek? look at secondary factors, such as whether LL.M. tax programs, basing it on responses That depends on your own academic, the school offers exrernships, journals and from heads of corporate tax departments. personal and financial needs. Some other programs for LL.M. students. One other way to judge the schools is by studen tS are more concerned about a their alumni. Who are they and how are school's reputation or whether it has well- they faring? But the ABA does not rank law • Distance learning MN Hamline School of Law General 1 50 $1200 IN Indiana Maurer - Bloomington Research/Thesis Rolling adrnis- $65 $47790/yr sions IN Indiana McKinney - Indianapolis American Law for Foreign Lawyers Rolling admis- D $1333 sions IL Loyola University Chicago U.S. Law for Foreign Lawyers Fall: July 1; None $1320 Spring: Dec. 1. WI Marquette University Law School Sports Law March 1 $38690/yr MI Michigan State University American Legal System Rolling adrnis- $100 $1250 sions IL Northwestern University General; Law & Business; Accelerated December $100 n/a LL.M. MO Saint Louis University American Law Rolling adrnis- None $36175/yr sions IL The John Marshall Law School Global Legal Studies Fall: Aug. 1; Sp: None $1420 Dee. 1; Sum: 1 MI The University of Michigan American Legal System Jan. 31 $75 $25640/sem MI Thomas M. Cooley Law School U.S. Legal Studies Fall: July 1; Win- None $650 ter: Nov. 1; Sum: March 1 KS University of Kansas American Legal Studies May 1 $55 $1055 MNUniversity of Minnesota American Law April 1 $70 $52400/yr IN University of Notre Dame International and Comparative Law May 1 $60 WI University of Wisconsin Legal Institutions Fall: Oct. 1; $56 $38810/yr Spring: March 1 IN Valparaiso University American Law June 1 $60 n/a MO Washington University U.S. Law Dee. 3, Rolling $70 $50040/yr after MOWashington University U.S. Law May 15 $70 $46925/yr MI Wayne State University U.S. Law May 1 $50 $935.15 34 THE NAIIONAl JURIST ! Graduate Law Annual 2013-2014 schools and neither does any other official whose native language is not English usu- organization. ally are required to complete the TOEFL, h[[p:llwww.ets.org/toefl. But once in the What other factors should I consider? U.S. and immersed in the culture, your It can't hurt to see how well you might fit English to the schools in which you are English skills will undoubtedly improve, in culturally when considering a school. applying. If the law school in your coun- which will give you another advantage over One good thing about U.S. law schools uy can't provide the translation, a certi- your peers. is that you can find one or more in just fied translation service can be used. Some about every state. For example, if you're schools also require you to have your grades After completing the LL.M., Asian, you might want to look at schools evaluated by an independent company to can I take the bar exam? in California, which has a large Asian see how they compare to U.S. grading sys- That depends on the state. Each one has population. A school's reputation is also tems. Obviously, grading is hardly uniform various rules regarding who is qualified to important, especially in your home coun- across nations. This gives law schools an take the bar. Knowing what state allows try, assuming you plan to return to practice idea of the student's performance. Other LL.M. graduates to take the test could there. schools also may require you to write an also impact your decision on which law essay. schools to apply to if passing an American What do I need to qualify bar exam is one of your goals. To see what for an LL.M.? Is it important to speak English well? states offer the opportunity, go ro the While different schools have varying Very important. In fact, many schools National Conference of Bar Examiners, requirements, all require that you have a require foreign attorneys to take an English http://www. ncbex.org. law degree from your country. And you proficiency exam for entry. All applicants must be able to provide the transcripts in from non-English-speaking nations or • Distance learning Northeast MA Boston College Law School General April 1 $75 MA Boston University School of Law American Law April 15 $75 $43278/yr NY Brooklyn Law School American Law June 30 $70 $49976/yr PA Duquesne University School of Law American Law April 30 $60 $33064/yr PA Duquesne University School of Law LL.M. April 30 None $22,000 NY Fordham University School of Law U.S. & Comparative Law Fall: Mar. 1; Sp: $70 $2010 Oct. 1 NY Hofstra University American Legal Studies Fall: June 1; Sp: $75 $1675 Nov. 1 MA New England Law U.S. Law March 15 $100 $42490/yr NY New York Law School American Business Law Fall: June 30; None Sp: Dee. 1; Sum: 30 NY New York University International Taxation Dee. 17 $60 n/a MA Northeastern University May 1 $75 NY Pace University SchooL of Law Comparative LegaL Studies RoLling admis- $60 $1750 sions PA Penn State Law Master of Laws Rolling adrnis- $75 $1650 sions NY Syracuse University CoLLege of Law American Law May 15 $75 PA TempLe University Masters for Foreign-trained lawyers Rolling admission $50 $1158 through March 15 CT University of Connecticut U.S.LegaL Studies FaLL:June 1; $40 $24900/yr Nov.