Another group of lawyers and law students from around the world are beginning the LL.M. application process to study in U.S. law schools. But unlike prospective J.D. students, they cannot rely on American Bar Association Required Disclosures to learn about LL.M. admission rates, LL.M. employment outcomes, LL.M. bar passage rates and other information that can assist with research and ultimate decisions.
So, how can you create a time-effective and cost-effective LL.M. application strategy? A few tips and thoughts:
- LinkedIn is a gamechanger. As the 2023-24 LL.M.s start their programs, many are publicly posting about their orientations and initial experiences. This is a great opportunity to connect with students at the schools you are most interested in learning about. How have their experiences been so far? Do they feel welcome as international LL.M. students and also part of the larger law school community? Have they been able to enroll in the courses they most wanted to take? What sort of support and resources are they receiving as they begin? Website information about U.S. law school LL.M. programs seems to be designed for recruitment and marketing purposes. Speaking to students early in the process and staying in touch with them will be helpful as you’re applying, evaluating options, and comparing their experiences to what you’re hearing in information sessions.
2. EducationUSA can help you plan and connect. EducationUSA provides information about U.S. higher education without advocating for a specific school or set of schools. The advisers focus on finding the best fit for you, which is the same advice I give my Legal English for American Law Schools students and those who read my Beyond Non-JD blog. EducationUSA advisers are quite knowledgeable and best of all, they do not charge for advice. They can alert you to LL.M. fairs that visit your country and some of the online programming around LL.M. information. They may also be able to suggest reaching out to current LL.M. students they worked with recently in the U.S., and LL.M. graduates who have returned home to practice after the LL.M. degree and stay connected to EducationUSA. Find an advising center here.
3. Lawyers and professors in your network can help you strategize and focus your research. Having a good research and application strategy requires knowing where to look and what to ask. Having a trusted contact who understands this process will save you time and focus your research. It also means you’ll get an important perspective to complement what you hear in recruitment sessions. This is especially helpful if that person completed an LL.M. degree in the U.S., because they can share advice on some of the most common questions related to the decision to pursue an LL.M.: how programs are viewed back in your home country for career progression, what are important things to think about in choosing an LL.M. program, and so much more. These trusted resources will also likely play an important role in advising you once you are in the U.S. and in thinking through post-LL.M. strategies.
4. Ask about applications. Does the school use LSAC for LL.M. applications or do they have their own website to use? Most of my LEALS students are applying to LL.M. programs at LSAC-only schools, and so it’s important for them to understand what documents they need to submit and how the fees work. You’ll see that costs can quickly add up when applying, and so you can ask schools whether they have a fee waiver code they are willing to share to waive one of the application fees. Some schools offer a code to all applicants who click on a website link, some may offer a code if you ask or if you attend an information session, and others may politely share that they do not offer fee waivers. But a couple e-mails and some research may save you a couple hundred dollars on application fees.
5. Use your research for more effective conversations with schools. A lot of the things U.S. law schools highlight will apply to more than one school, and sometimes many schools. An example: steps to meet state bar exam eligibility, work eligibility in the U.S. on CPT and OPT, choosing courses that fit your career goals, and networking. Spend your time learning the basics that will apply broadly so that you can focus conversations with law schools on how they specifically work with you on these areas. Networking with alumni is important. What does each school do to help you connect with alumni? Likewise, what advanced courses does each school offer in the areas of law you’re most interested in and how easy is it for LL.M. students to enroll in those courses? This will help you have more efficient conversations with the law schools you speak with as a prospective applicant. Once you apply and are admitted, it is far easier to have deeper conversations with a smaller number of schools as you make your ultimate decision.
6. Apply early enough to get invited to in-country activities. U.S. law schools are back on the road! After a lot of virtual sessions since 2020, schools are using international travel opportunities to engage their alumni abroad. Applying early enough in the cycle can maximize the number of schools that may provide information about attending their events as either an applicant or as an admitted student. Some schools prefer to keep these events to students who have been admitted to their schools (or even only those who will attend their schools), and so checking in with schools is important. But these events will allow you to learn about the alumni network and get a better sense of the career trajectories of LL.M. graduates from that school from your country. They may also connect you with their colleagues who stayed in the United States, helping you expand your own network as you prepare for your LL.M. experience.
Good luck with the 2023-24 LL.M. application cycle.
