[Editor’s Note: This story was updated Jan. 24 to reflect that LMU Loyola Law School isn’t the first to offer both a J.D. and Tax Law LL.M. in three years. Boston University School of Law and Suffolk University Law School are two additional law schools that have offered a combined J.D/LL.M. for several years.]
LMU Loyola Law School, in Los Angeles, is the latest school to offer students the opportunity to graduate in three years with a J.D. and an LL.M. in taxation. The new offering is also open to law students at other law schools across the country accredited by American Bar Association (ABA).
“This allows you to get your tax LL.M. in the same three years, which is an extraordinary benefit,” said Theodore Seto, the professor behind the program. “There is an opportunity cost savings, and students can get their tax LL.M. for half the cost, or one-third the cost of what New York University School of Law or Georgetown University Law Center charge.”
Students who enroll in the program take the school’s Intensive Summer Tax program online and can attend classes at Loyola Law School as a visitor for one academic year — either their second or third year.
At the end of the standard three J.D. years, they receive their J.D. from their home school and a Tax LL.M. from LMU Loyola Law School.
Taxation is one of the practice areas where an LL.M. is most in demand.
“As a practical matter, half of all legal tax departments require a tax LL.M. as a prerequisite,” Seto said. “If you go to a large accounting firm, its use as a criterion goes up substantially.”
Loyola started its Intensive Summer Tax program more than 10 years ago and brought it online in 2021. During the program, students take 12 units in U.S. income tax law, including individual taxation, corporate taxation, partnership taxation, taxation of property transactions and the advanced timing rules essential to business tax planning and return preparation.
The online tax courses are designed with learning in mind and use hands-on approaches, live discussion and material for independent study.
The Summer program is $25,560, half the normal tuition for the school’s tax LL.M.
Seto said LMU Loyola Law School’s placement rate in high-level tax jobs is near or close to 100% each year.
“We have employers who come here specifically to look for tax lawyers because of our intensive summer program,” he said.
Visiting students can participate in the school’s on-campus interview process in the fall.
When on campus, students take an additional 12 units of advanced tax courses, counted toward both degrees, and culminating in the school’s Tax Law Practicum, Tax Policy Colloquim or one of five clinical or externship options: IRS Small Case Tax Clinic, Nonprofit Tax and Transactional Clinic, Taxpayer Appeals Assistance Clinic, United States Attorney Tax Division Externship and/or IRS Office of Chief Counsel Externship. Students also take 19 to 21 credits of non-tax J.D. coursework when on campus.
