Law students and lawyers around the world often look to the U.S. as one of their options for post-LL.B. study. But prospective LL.M. students have many other choices.
Each time I teach Legal English for American Law Schools (LEALS), I ask my LL.B. students where the U.S. ranks on their list of options. Usually, the answer is that the U.S. is either the first or second choice, but which law school(s) they are admitted to will play an important role in their decisions, along with scholarship awards. Indeed, LEALSers have also studied in Australia, Canada, England, France, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Singapore and other jurisdictions.
I just returned from my first Law Schools Global League (LSGL) General Assembly and Academic Conference, where the July 2024 meetings were hosted by Universidad de los Andes in Bogota and Cartagena.
LSGL, composed of 30+ law schools around the world, meets twice a year. Its Colombia summer session also included an LL.M. Fair and Summer School that welcomed students from the member schools.
In my administrative role for one of the member schools, I was able to attend the conference and learned more about the global marketplace for LL.M. programs, including during an exciting LL.M. Fair.
Esra Özcan serves as secretary of the Law Schools Global League and is a leader in the international legal education community. We connected through a shared mutual colleague, and I was able to learn more about her background and work over the week of LSGL activities in Colombia.
LSGL & the LL.M. Fair
LSGL is dedicated to fostering a global community of legal scholars, students and institutions committed to advancing legal education and research across borders. According to Özcan, their “mission is to create a collaborative platform that promotes innovation, diversity and excellence in legal education.”
The LSGL Fair was the perfect opportunity for students to compare options across jurisdictions and learn about some of the key benefits for studying in particular jurisdictions.
For example, in addition to questions about specific programs, scholarships and faculty, a lot of questions U.S. law schools receive revolve around qualifying for state bar exams like New York through an LL.M. and working after an LL.M. through Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Tabling alongside law schools from Australia, United Kingdom, Continental Europe and Latin America also provided me with excellent insights into opportunities across jurisdictions.
When tabling at an Education USA LL.M. Fair, the focus is on students who are primarily interested in the United States and evaluating their options across many choices. But when tabling with LSGL, it reinforced the point that for many prospective students there is a need to collectively think about how to better attract talented foreign-educated lawyers and law students to the United States.
In addition to her other LSGL responsibilities, Özcan oversaw the LL.M. Fair. Afterwards she summed up the experience: “With representatives from 15 LSGL member schools meeting candidates at their booths, attendees experienced an unparalleled opportunity to explore a wide array of law programs and scholarship options from around the world — all in one setting.”
LSGL & Summer School
One of the other dimensions that I enjoyed about the LL.M. Fair: In addition to the Colombian attendees, we were also visited by students participating in the LSGL Summer School.
This two-week educational program provides an opportunity for students from member schools to learn from leading professors from a variety of law schools outside their home jurisdictions.
Having just completed its 12th edition, the LSGL Summer School is “designed to address pressing global legal challenges,” according to Özcan. She added that “each Summer School centers around a pertinent theme — this year’s focus being law and inequality.”
One of the features she is most proud of: the community. “This initiative not only enriches the participants’ academic and professional perspectives but also builds a global network of future legal leaders dedicated to addressing complex international issues and forging lifelong friendships.”
And these globally focused students were just as eager to learn about LL.M. opportunities from Australia to the United States, and a lot of places in between.
U.S. among other options & the future
It is not a secret that U.S. law schools face increasing competition for LL.M. students. And I was able to witness that firsthand during conversations throughout the Fair.
While some students I spoke with were primarily or only interested in the U.S., many more were evaluating a wide array of options. Özcan noted two important points. First, she explained that “a notable trend we observed is the growing interest among students to stay closer to their home countries.” And second, she highlighted the financial aspects of LL.M. programs globally compared to those in the United States.
I think it is more important than ever for U.S. law schools to have some combination of clear paths for post-LL.M. OPT opportunities, structured support for bar exam preparation so LL.M. graduates can practice afterwards, and to rein in LL.M. costs. Otherwise, in my opinion, we will collectively continue to price out and lose out on talented prospective students who do have an interest in U.S. legal education.
Conclusion
My experience with the LSGL was a great opportunity. I tabled at an LL.M. Fair for the first time in five years. And my experience reinforced something that I have continued to see over the last dozen years working and teaching in U.S. law schools: the ever-growing connections between global law schools and the ever-increasing global practice of law.
Summing up the LSGL, Özcan noted that their “mission is to create a collaborative platform that promotes innovation, diversity and excellence in legal education.” Throughout my week with LSGL, I saw firsthand the ways in which member schools, students, and the international legal community benefits.
