Thomas Jefferson School of Law offers three LL.M. (Master of Laws) programs, two of which will give students expertise in important areas of international law, and one of which will allow foreign students to obtain a U.S. law degree.
LL.M. in International Tax and Financial Services
LL.M. in American Legal Studies for Foreign Law Graduates
The Thomas Jefferson faculty has many noted international legal scholars who have contributed renowned and groundbreaking work in their fields of expertise and the law school has made a commitment to expand the horizons of its curriculum to embrace the globalization of the world’s legal community.
The three LL.M. programs work synergistically with our two summer study abroad programs in China and in France as well as our existing faculty/student exchange programs in The University of Burgundy Law School in Dijon, France and the Queens University School of Law in Canada, and with Far Eastern National University in Vladivostok, Russia.
LL.M. in International Tax and Financial Services
Thomas Jefferson School of Law offers specialized graduate degrees and certifications through the Walter H. and Dorothy B. Diamond Graduate Law Program in International Tax and Financial Services. Established in 1998, the program remains the first and only one to offer graduate law degrees and certifications through an entirely online course of study at an ABA accredited law school. More Information.
LL.M. in International Trade
The LL.M. in International Trade allows LL.M. candidates to take advantage of TJSL’s growing international law curriculum and world-class faculty. This LL.M. in International Trade can serve candidates with either a foreign or U.S. law degree.
LL.M. candidates in International Trade must take at least 2 and no more than 4 credits of independent research and writing under the direct supervision of a TJSL faculty member. The 2-4 credits of research and writing must result in a written product of publishable quality in a subject relating to international trade. This writing is equivalent to an LL.M. thesis.
LL.M. candidates in International Trade may take courses from among the many courses offered on line in the existing International Tax LL.M. and Financial Services, as long as the students fulfill the requirement of at least one-semester residency on the TJSL campus. Similarly, students may take 4 credits of courses offered in the summer Nice Program or in the China Program. The China Program will count toward the “residency requirement” because it is sponsored by TJSL. LL.M. candidates can also take other TJSL distance learning courses offered in areas related to international trade. More Information.
LL.M. in American Legal Studies for Foreign Law Graduates
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) Program in American Legal Studies is a one-year degree program for candidates seeking a U.S. law degree. It is designed for attorneys, judges, government officials, prosecutors, corporate legal counsel, bankers, and recent law graduates who have received their basic law degree outside the United States. These LL.M. students will be introduced to the U.S. legal system and, with advice from our faculty advisors and staff, they will be allowed to choose their own course of study from the extensive law course offerings at TJSL.
Foreign law graduates at TJSL will study together with TJSL J.D. students in order to promote a truly international and cultural exchange. Immersion into the rich J.D. curriculum and a low faculty to student ratio at TJSL will prepare the foreign law graduates taking an LL.M. in American Legal Studies to deal effectively with U.S. attorneys in their home countries as well as those serving foreign governments and international organizations. The LL.M. students at TJSL can expect to receive more personal attention than they would normally receive in another U.S. law school.
An LL.M. in American Legal Studies will appeal to foreign law graduates who wish to obtain comprehensive training in American legal practice and eventually use this training to find a job in the many competitive U.S. law firms operating in foreign countries. With an LL.M. in American Legal Studies, foreign law graduates know that they will be more attractive to the high paying U.S. law firms operating and recruiting abroad. In addition, every LL.M. student who has completed a minimum of 20 credits may be eligible for admission to practice law in some states like New York, after passing the New York State Bar examination. More Information.
To qualify for admission to the TJSL LL.M. Program, students submitting an application must have earned their first law degree (LL.B. or equivalent) outside the United States. Admissions will require two letters of recommendation, strong English language skills as demonstrated by a TOEFL score, a writing sample, and a personal statement. An Admissions Committee will carefully evaluate all parts of the application.
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For more information contact: llmprograms@tjsl.edu
or call 800.936.7529