LLM in American law
US bar exam specialization
The LLM program in American law with a specialization for the US bar exam is designed to prepare students for an American bar examination. In a few US states, including California, New York, Washington, and Texas, and in Washington D.C., graduates of an LLM program who do not hold a JD degree may be eligible to sit for the bar examination. The specialization emphasizes courses that are commonly tested on state bar examinations: Torts, Property, Criminal Procedure, Civil Procedure, and Conflict of Laws, as well courses to provide students with a foundational education of the American legal system: American Constitutional Law for Foreign Lawyers, American Legal History, and the Legal Profession for Foreign Lawyers. Additionally, students may take elective courses in areas of Constitutional Law, Business Law, Family Law, and Civil Procedure to explore specific legal areas of that are of interest to them.
Graduates may go on to work as practicing attorneys in any area of law. This LLM program is ideal for students who desire to practice American law or for foreign lawyers who would like to remain competitive in the international legal market. In addition to practicing in the United States, graduates from this program may also go on to work for multi-national corporations and global law firms who desire to hire attorneys with knowledge of American law who are certified to practice in more than one country.
Core courses (select 10-18 credits)
- Administrative Law
- American Constitutional Law for Foreign Lawyers
- American Legal History
- Civil Procedure
- Conflict of Laws
- Contracts
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal Profession for Foreign Lawyers
- Property
- Torts
Elective courses
- Civil Procedure II
- Constitutional Law II
- Corporations
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure Capstone
- Evidence
- Family Law
- Legislation
- Mediation for LLMs
- Products Liability
- Sales
- Secured Transactions
- Securities Regulation
- Seminar in Congress, the Presidency and the Courts
- Seminar in Constitutional Law
- Seminar in Constitutional Law: First Amendment
- Seminar in Constitutional Law: Sexuality, Reproduction, and the Constitution
- Seminar in Constitutional Law: The Courts, the Democratic Process, and the People
- Seminar in Criminal Law: Current Issues in Law and Procedure
- Seminar in Criminal Law: Federal Sentencing
- Seminar in the Supreme Court as an Institution
- Wills and Trusts
American law for foreign lawyers specialization
The LLM specialization in American law for foreign lawyers is designed to give students a foundational overview of the American legal system. Students in this program are required to take Contracts, Torts, Legal Discourse and Writing, and Introduction to American Law. In addition, students will take 12 credit hours of elective courses chosen according to their specific interests. This program is ideal for students who wish to gain a thorough understanding of the US legal system but who do not wish to sit for a state bar examination and for lawyers and students from civil-law jurisdictions who wish to gain insight into the workings of common-law systems. Attorneys specializing in this field work as practicing attorneys as well as legal educators. With the knowledge gained through this program, graduates may go on to work for universities, global companies, or international law firms.
Core courses (8 credits, plus 4 credits of Legal Discourse and Writing and Introduction to American Law)
Elective courses (12 credits according to specific interests)
Student organizations
Students may get involved with any of several student-run organizations that provide opportunities to gain additional legal experience, such as the Business and Law Society, Environmental Law Society, Family Law Society, Health Law Society, Labor and Employment Law Society, and Public Interest Law Foundation. Students may also contribute hours to pro bono projects in order to gain working experience in the American legal system.