Which Law School?

Harvard Law School, Langdell Hall

The value of a postgraduate law degree depends to a great extent on the reputation of the university awarding it. An LL.M. from a prestigious law school can enhance career opportunities. One way to assess the quality of postgraduate programs is to consult the various law school rankings. However, a law school’s ranking may not reflect the quality of its LL.M. program, since usually only the regular courses leading to the traditional graduate law degree are taken into account. In many cases students may be well-advised to apply to a law school that may not rank among the highest, but offers an LL.M. in a special field of law, or is known for its high-quality lecturers and instruction. Another factor to consider is the affiliations of a law school, which may provide useful contacts and job prospects upon completion of the degree.

Students planning to study in the U.S. should make sure that the university they want to apply to is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). This is particularly important for students who intend to earn their degree through distance-learning. Please note that the ABA's approval of a law school extends only to the first professional degree in law (J.D.) offered.

For further information on the quality of law schools, or on the validity of a certain degree, contact your local bar association and your local higher education authorities. In addition, you may want to consult one of the books listed below.

American Universities

ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools

Edited by Wendy Margolis, Bonnie Gordon, Joe Puskarz, and David Rosenlieb

Annual guide published by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) featuring all the programs approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) in the United States.

(amazon.com) - (amazon.co.uk) - (amazon.de)

Rechtstudium in den USA

by Marianne Roth and Renate Nikolay

A compact, German-language guide to studying for an LLM in the United States, with program listings and advice.

(amazon.com) - (amazon.de)

UK Universities

The Times Good University Guide 2007

by Andrew Hindmarsh and Bernard Kingston

The London Times newspaper has been publishing its famous listings of the UK’s top university programs and courses since the early 1990’s. The annual book includes annual tables and rankings of British universities in dozens of different subjects, as well as includes sections of advice and profiles of the country’s major universities.

(amazon.com) - (amazon.co.uk) - (amazon.de)

European Universities

Der LL.M. in der Europäischen Union. Bewerbungsverfahren und Studienorte

by Jens Karsten and Markus Marcell Wirtz

A German-language guide to European LLM programs, written by two German lawyers who got their LLMs in the United Kingdom.