Hi all, I am a first year corporate attorney from the US. I spent about 6 months at a big firm and was laid off because of the economy. I am now considering getting an LLM at the University of Sydney in either Tax, International Tax or International Law. I have several questions. How competitive is the program? How marketable would an LLM make me in Australia as well as in the US? What is the job market like for an American attorney in Australia?

Any help would be very much appreciated!! Thank you!

Hello,

I have tried to help you out - do double-check my info though:

How competitive is the program?

In Australia, most LLM programs will accept an applicant as long as he/she has a pass degree - in simple terms - there is unlikely to be a "quota" for entry.

How marketable would an LLM make me in Australia as well as in the US?

The LLM in Australia doesn't lead to admission or entitlement to take a "Bar Exam" so most overseas students taking it will consider using it back home. I am unsure of the recognition of a AUS LLM in US but a Sydney Uni LLM would be comparable to a T1 / T2 school in US (I might be wrong).

What is the job market like for an American attorney in Australia?

Don't think there is any demand for an American Attorney - you could look into completing some conversion courses to lead you to practice in Australia. Some universities allow the courses to be complete within the LLM but Uni of Syd is not one of them. Alternatively, you can try to get a job in US firms that have an office in Australia (e.g. Skadden) but I guess they prefer experienced hires.