by the way.. i am on line right now...and will be on lat least 1.5 hours mre

Juliette, i am preparing the applications....
i still haven't decided wich specialization...
i'm not sure if i want to do the chinese law or the financial and corporative law..... or evne the genral one.. malster of laws....
what do u think? did u understand how the general once works like?
How did u do for the reference letters?? will u seld them in a uniqe parcel.. or will u send them separately??'
let me know what have u done till know and how are u filling up the application...
I am also applaing for both the unis... but for now i'm concentrated on the hong kong university.. becosue the dead line is on 28 february
regards
Chicco

Kikko, sorry for not coming back earlier, I do not have internet access at home at the moment.. I am still waiting for my letters of recommendation so I have not sent anything yet but I hope to be able to send them tomorrow. I have not decided on the specialization but I think I will go for the Chinese and Comparative Law Stream.
By the way, I am not 100% percent sure that I will go to HK, I also applied to some other schools so I still have to make up my mind..

Hello,
i haven't applied yet too...
i will get my letters next tuesday and sedn everything with a courier.
i was thinking on appling to a master in australia too... but i realy need to understand what i want to do.
The chinese option sounds at least interesting and in prospective looks the best chooise.
The fact i donìt have a toefl certification may be a problem... but unfortunately i can't get it befre next may.. wich is the first avieble examination they have planned this year.
I'm thinking on going for a few months to an english speaking country to improve the language...
About the specialization of the master... i don't remember any Chinese and comparative law stream... are u sure??'
I think they have 5 streams: Master of laws (general), master of law in chinese law, master o flaw in finacial and comparative law, master of law in human rights, master of law in thecnologies and something...

wich universities didu apply too?

Juliette,
i found another master in law taght in english...
at the tsinghua university in beijing... the course last one year and it cost 18.000 us dollars accomodation included...
I found another LLM in shanghai too.. but it last for 2.5 years.. i wrote them an email.. hope they will answer soon..
Where did u apply til now?

http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/docsn/fxy/english/llmPrgm.htm

Hi kikko,
yes those are the two programs I pointed out to you earlier in this board. You can check Star's answer and description about the tsinghua program: its actually a LLM program by Temple university (USA) but appearantly more for Chinese students.
I mixed up City and HK uni with the specializations you are right, still havent sent my docs, still waiting for 1 letter of recom.
I have applied to UK LLMs in London apart from HK

Juliette.
they have 2 different programme, one with the temple university.. and it's mostly for chinese students and it's about amreican-international law.. and the other one is for non-chinese students and it's about chinese law.
I will apply for both the unis in hong kong and at the one in beijin too...
I'm considering on applying to others universityies too, but i donno wich one yet..
Did u translated your academic transcripts into english?? and what about the letters of recom.?? are these in english?
I will apply on tuesday when, hopefully, i will get both the letters of recom...
I think that i will choose asia at the end... it looks so much more interesting...
Have u been to beijin??? the city is huge.. not exacteoly what i consider a beautiful city.. but it's charming and it's booming... though in winter time it must be really cold!!!
Honk kong has surely a better quality of life and it's very western...
i think i'de like to live in both the places.. i wouldn't mind if it's hk or beijing....
I would love shanghai actually... but the only LLM for foreigners i did find.. it last 2.5 years.. too much for me eheheh!!!
What score do u have at the toefl?
Chicco

Hi Kikko, i only found the LLM for Chinese studentswhich on US LAw, wher did you see the other one? My letters of recommendations are in English, yes. But maybe its ok if you write a translation of yours and send it with it.. My TOEFL is not that good, better not ask ;-)

Juliette,
have a look at this link:

http://www.tsinghua.edu.cn/docsn/fxy/english/llmPrgm.htm

I will apply to Honk Kong university, Hong Kong city university.. and probabily the one in beijing too.. though.. it's on his first edition and it's mostly related to chinse law.. and i think i'de prefere soemthing more related to international comemrcial law with an asian-chinese relation.
So.. at the end.. where are u appling?' i still haven't choose all the Modulese i'de like to o..
did u choose the 8 modulese for each programm ?
Chicco

Juliette,
i am ready to send my application..
I am applyinh on line... to day i will send the 2 letters of raccomandation and the transcript of my degree...
what about u??
I am applying to 3 masters at the Hing kong univ... LLM, LLM in chinese law, and LLM in Corp. and FInanc. Law...
then i will apply also for the city univ and the tsinghuo Univ...
so.. did u choose what modules u intend to study?
Chicco

Hi, Kikko, I sent my applications finally, I hope the postal stamp is enough for the deadline! I chose the same subjects as you, didnt have much time to think about it and your choices seemed pretty good..

Juliette,
i have some news...
Right today i went to a conference about china...and i talked to the directors of the italian trade chamber in beijing and hong kong..
they sujjested me to do the LLM in Beijing.. for a series of reasons i don't have time to explain right now ( but i will later). It's been a very nice conference and i have much clearer ideas now...
The director of the italian trade chumber in hong kong told me to send him an email about the programmes of the masters... he'll be back to hong kong on monday.. he'll have a look and suggest me what in his opinion could be better...
I am applying to the city univ. too and the beijing university (tsinghuo or something).
I'll let u know the news...
wich subject did u choose?? at the end i did apply for 2 masters.. LLM and LLMCL....
Chicco

Juliette,
is everything all right?
I did exchange a few emails with the director of the italian chamber of commerce in hong kong...
He said the hong kong university is a very good one...
He first suggested me Beijing... but then he said HK uni is very good too..
did u choose what to do? where would u like to go?

Hi kikko,

Looks like HKU's LLM in Chinese Law is well established and has already has a research base. The LLM at Tsinghua has only recently been setup... and in fact 2005 will be its first intake. I reckon there'd be more research papers written in English about Chinese Law at HKU than Tsinghua.....
So unless you're proficient in both English and Mandrain,
HKU is still a better bet!

Kevin,
thanks for your answer.
Of course the Hong Kong University is much more prepared to have foreigner students, but i also think that hing kong is not china... and i think this master is a good opportunity not only to study and understand the chinese law, but also to get involved in chinese culture, society and language. It's a good opportunity to make new contacts with local Law firm, businessmen and so on...
I am not sure yet if i'll do the master in law in HK or in Beijing... i'm sure it's gonna be great in both the cities...
Have u done a Master in Law in china\Hk ?
Chicco

Hi kikko,

Actually, I am in the same position as you are. Am from SIngapore. Can't really decide between the LL.M at HKU or Tsinghua. Am still doing more research on the courses offered. But most of my colleagues know of HKU much better as it is already well established in the area of CHinese Law. I think Tsinghua is better known for its engineering school right? Not sure :)
Well, I think what u said about absorbing the culture in Beijing makes sense too.... Sigh..... still can't decide...

I am not sure whether or not foreign law students like you guys are qualified for the bar examination in China( I guess not). So, considering your future career plan, I would encourage you to apply to HKU(the only good law school in HK ) to study the Chinese law. there are several reasons. 1, HKU is the dream place where the west and the east meet, and it has a closer relation with the mainland China than Singapore.2, the law firms in HK have a better reputation than these of other places(like Magic Circle and Top tire law firms ) to deal with the FDI, IPO, MBO and the like in China, which means you can find it easier to land a well paid job in a decent law firm. 3, presently, lawyers in HK can deal with the cases in Mainland China, that's why they are called consultant other than lawyer. However, as the CIPA works, this situation will change soon. the international lawyer's future is bright!^_^

sorry for making a mistake in my third point, the lawyer in HK CAN NOT conduct the cases from MC, coz they r HK lawyers not the Chinese Lawyers, which will change soon after the CIPA goes into effect.
PS: u can pursue the JD offered bt city U of HK to be qualified as a HK lawyer.

Hi everyone,

I'm an American JD who wants to start an LLM program in Chinese law (taught in English) later this year. Last December I applied to the National University of Singapore's program. Right now I'm preparing an application to Tsinghua University in Beijing, which is due May 10.

I've never been to Singapore, but the program sound interesting. Plus, it offers full scholarships to foreigners like myself. I've visited Tsinghua 1-1/2 years ago when I was living in China. The campus is beautiful! It's just down the street from the Summer Palace. Although Tsinghua is in a city of 15 million people, it has an idyllic campus. I think it would be a great place to study Chinese law. And the Chinese government offers full scholarships to foreigners. See for more details.

Anyway, I should hear back from NUS in April and Tsinghua in June. I hope I get admitted to both with full scholarships. If so, then I'm unsure how I'll choose which one to attend. I guess I'll have to wait to cross that bridge later. In the meantime, I'd appreciate your comments and info on these programs. Thanks.

Best regards,
Roy

I got into that program at NUS. I've looked into Tsinghua. In short, don't do either.

Numerous expert scholars in the US strongly advised me not to do either.

Practitioners in China said the same.

What alternatives did they give me? Sharing relevant words depends on what your goals are. My goals are to practice law in China.

Practitioners told me that relevant skills are gained in practice. The best thing to do, they said, was first to be fluent in reading and writing Chinese. Then to practice law in the US for 5-10 years and become an expert in some field relevant to practice in Asia (something related to business and corporate law).

The scholars also said that I need to be fluent in Mandarin Chinese. Then they said that the best programs are at the best schools in China and the United States. In case you didn't know, some of the best LAW schools in China include, as I understand them to be (in ranking): Beijing (Peking) U, Renmin U, Fudan, East China, Nanjing, and Xiamen and Zhongshan follow somewhere not far from this stratum.

Tsinghua law school doesn't have a good reputation. It's a very new school and is groping for ranking and funding. My Chinese friends who graduated from there have a really hard time finding jobs. ANY jobs.

NUS law school doesn't have the best reputation outside of Singapore, and has a poor reputation outside of Asia. People feel that the department isn't a serious academic institution, and is very politicized.

If you don't speak Chinese, and don't plan on learning: first of all, I'm really curious why you think a LLM in Chinese law is useful at all. Because you can't do anything with it--neither teach nor practice. But, you may nevertheless find the best program to be at Hong Kong University. I highly recommend it (for objective reasons). And even the program at City University of Hong Kong is better than the ones you have considered. Neither require Chinese language ability.

If you want to learn Chinese, the best programs are the Inter-University Program (IUP) at Tsinghua, the International Chinese Language Program (ICLP) at National Taiwan U, Princeton at Beijing Normal, CET in Harbin, and FALCON at Cornell (please note that I didn't mention the Hopkins program at Nanjing, nor the Cambridge program in Beijing).

All the best!