An LL.M. degree does not guarantee a job as a lawyer in the United States. This is one of the many important points I make to my Legal English for American Law Schools (LEALS) students and foreign-educated lawyers who seek my advice.
This is not meant to knock LL.M. degrees! Even a J.D. degree does not guarantee a job in the United States. One only needs to look at the ABA Employment Outcomes to see that a number of J.D. graduates each year do not secure bar-required, long-term, legal jobs within 10 months of graduation. There are not as many entry-level lawyer jobs (certainly at the salaries that reflect the costs of legal education) as there are J.D. and LL.M. graduates each year.
I have worked with and spoken with enough foreign-educated lawyers to know that many are using the LL.M. experience, in part, in search of a legal position in the United States. This is why the first thing I focus on is whether the J.D. or LL.M. degree makes more sense for specific goals.
For those who understand how law schools offer scholarships, a J.D. could even be cheaper, tuition-wise, than the LL.M., assuming a high enough LSAT score! But not everyone wants to spend 3 (or even 2) years in J.D. programs or receive another first degree in law. And in some cases, the LL.M. is a much better choice than the J.D. degree.
What advice do I share with my students and others who reach out when it comes to studying in LL.M. programs with an eye on the job market? Some of the highlights:
LL.M. programs aren’t going anywhere
People who speak with me hear this often. Schools need LL.M. students every year for their entering classes. But whether this is the year you should enroll in an LL.M. program is a separate inquiry. I want students who work with me to choose LL.M. programs when it is in their best interest to attend. It will make for happier students, a better experience, and ideally, better job outcomes. And so, if you are going to study in a U.S. LL.M. program and you want to maximize your post-graduate job search options in the U.S., you want to be strategic about when you attend.
Experience is an important booster in successful LL.M. job searches
For people seeking to work in the United States post-LL.M., experience is a crucial booster. I give examples of high-performing junior and mid-level associates who enter programs and find success in the U.S. after, often earning more than many J.D. graduates in terms of starting salary. It’s easier for a fifth-year corporate associate in a big law firm outside the U.S. to navigate the U.S. job market.
Why?
You have an advantage and value-add over J.D. graduates who are just starting their legal careers. You have worked on teams and on deals. You have communicated with lawyers in other countries. You have partners and senior associates who have colleagues in the firms you’re trying to work in. Yes, people do get jobs straight out of LL.B. or Master’s programs, but given the LL.M. investment, timing plays an important role in the job cycle. Generally, I think at least 3 years of good, post-LL.B. legal work makes the LL.M. hiring search easier.
LL.M. + F-1 Visa = harder job market to navigate
There are many types of jobs and practice areas J.D. students enter upon graduation. A clearly defined process is the OCI to Big Law pipeline. You secure a 2L Summer Associate position in a law firm that offers all of its class return offers upon graduation. You finish 3L and then begin working at the firm a few weeks or months after completing the bar exam.
LL.M. students are obviously on a different cycle because of the timing and length of their programs and international students on F-1 visas (J.D. and LL.M.) have additional hurdles to face. Which makes it more challenging for F-1 LL.M. students to secure jobs.
So your job search really needs to begin before you begin your LL.M. program. This helps you (1) choose programs that have clear paths for foreign-educated lawyers to secure post-LL.M. positions in the U.S. and/or (2) begin the advanced networking that can more easily lead to job opportunities in the U.S. upon graduation. This is also why I really like the three-semester model for students who can secure a great summer position and secure additional scholarship funding.
