Hello everybody,
i would like to do an LLM in International trade and i would like to know which University offers the best programme.
Thanks

Lil

(1) M.I.L.E., Bern; (2) Georgetown, D.C.

Thanks

Hi,

I am completing my LLM program in International Trade Law at University of Arizona James Rogers College of Law.

It's a wonderful program, although not the top US law school. Here are some advantages of the program:

1. Small group of students, 10-15 every year, which means you get a special attention and wonderful treatment from the faculty, unlike 100 LLMs at Gergetown. Each LLM student has its own desk and a small office space where he/she can study, read, whatever.

2. It is located in a sunny city of Tucson, just 60 miles north from US/Mexican border. Tucson is a nice place to live in and you have a pretty long list of cool places to travel if you have a break. I've been to San Diego, LA, San Francisco and also had a very interesting trip down to Mexico.

3. Since Tucson is nice and warm place, Law School benefits from a number of high profile professors, who used to teach in US top law schools, but moved to Tucson (probably because of the weather). International Trade Law itself and Commercial Law, and perhaps Intellectual Property Law is taught by a VERY good professors, well known in their respective areas.

4. Tuition is much lower comparing to top law schools. Probably twice or more lower.

So, please let me know if you need an additional information and I would be glad to provide it.

Best,

I am presently considering applying to the MILE programme. However there is paucity of information on the programme. I would therefore welcome any information or thoughts from anybody on the programme. How good is the programme? what are the chances of being admitted to the programme and all sundry comments will be welcome. Bjorn, i will especially welcome your contribution from you, since you first mention the programme.thank you in advance

Hey guys am looking forward to a career in World Trade Law, preferably in the WTO Dispute Settlement Body. Can anybody please guide in the right direction as to the courses/llm subjects I should pursue and from which universities? Where can I get further information on the same? I will be graduating this year from a law school in India.

Hoping u can help..

Rahul

Hey guys i am applying for LLM course in international trade and business law in University of Arizona , the problem is i have no clue about the Statement Of Purpose.I wil be very gratefull if any one helps me.

Like what they expect ? or What should be written ?etc

Hello, I´ve been admitted to NYU´s Trade Regulation program, Georgetown´s International Economic and Business Law program and IELPO´s International Economic Law and Policy program....Which one do you think is the best?

I would go to Georgetown....Did you apply to AZ..?

Hello, I´ve been admitted to NYU´s Trade Regulation program, Georgetown´s International Economic and Business Law program and IELPO´s International Economic Law and Policy program....Which one do you think is the best?

Yes, it is true that NYU is better ranked that Georgetown. However, NYU's curriculum doesn't have as many international trade law courses as Georgetown.
Additionally, Gtown has the Institute of International Economic Law, directed by Mr. John Jackson...
I don't know about the number of LLM students in Gtown, but I've heard that NYU admits an awful lot of them...
There are pros and cons for both, and I just can't seem to make up my mind with any of them...

did you think about the uni of arizona????

No, not at all....I didn't even know that Arizona had an LLM in international trade law....
In any case, and with all due respect, I don't think it can be half as good as any T-14 university such as Georgetown or NYU....

Dierome, it is quite ovious NYU has the better program, don't be fooled. 5th (NYU) in the rankings v 14th (G'Town) in the rankings-there is no comparison. Any half-smart person in your position would choose NYU.

Yes, you are absolutely right...
Taking that into account, would NYU be then a bad choice for someone interested in international trade law?
The truth is that NYU has looked far more appealing to me than Georgetown, for reasons than aren't necessarily academic...LOL

I am sure the NYU program is perfectly good - was mostly saying that if you liked the GT program better, you shouldn't decide against it only because of rankings. And I definitely understand the "non academic" considerations, as New York is definitely a great city and NYU is in a great part of town. Just be aware that New York is *very* expensive, so a year at NYU will probably be a lot more expensive than one at GT, even if tuition is about the same.

Dear Liliane,

I faced the exactly the same question that you are facing today with exactly those two universities. I also had an interest in international trade and chose NYU over Georgetown for both financial (NYU offered more money than Georgetown) and non-academic reasons (living in NYC was a once in a life time opportunity!). The irony is that Fulbright asked me to take the Introduction to American Law in Georgetown, so ended-up having a pretty good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of both programs. So these are the five issues that I would advise you to consider (for whatever is worth).

1. Number of Ll.Ms / regional orientation: In Georgetown you will have around 100 Ll.M with a big emphasis on Latin-American countries and few Europeans/Asians, whereas in NYU is really massive: more than 400 of them, mostly from Europe/Asia, very few from Latin-America. My impression after having being there is that NYU uses the Ll.M.s as a cash-cow and the more they can get, the better. Georgetown probably does the same, but you don't feel it in the way they treat you or other JDs perceive you (in NYU you are invisible to them). The regional connections that you make will be very important in your professional future, so consider carefully whether this is important for you or not. If you go back home to a law firm that deals with a certain region, choosing one might help you more than the other. Something silly but true: if you are a Spanish speaking person, chances are your English will not improve much in Georgetown as you will not be able to escape it. Some of the Europeans didn't like this, as they often felt "left out" from the social scene.

2. The city and the cost: DC is not bad overall, but it has nothing to do with New York in terms of having a nice living experience (bars, restaurants, Washington Square!!!). That is, if you have the financial means to enjoy it. Yes, you can survive with little money eating a falafel sandwich and a ramen soup here and there, but trust me on this one: it is not fun to be without a penny in NY or to be the only one who cannot join the group of classmates going out to the nice nightclubs. If you are tight on money , go for the University that gives the best financing.

3. The type of life you expect to have: it is completely crazy to try to find an apartment in NYC (unless you are rich), so most people live in one of the two main dorms sharing with one or two other students (a cell in D'Agostino for those in a small budget, or a small room in Mercer for those with better financial means). The main benefit of this is that get to know a lot of people from all over the World, and you save yourself the hassle of having to rent a place (a couple of friends tried, and it made their life miserable as it implied long commuting and being out of where 90% of the people were). One gender issue to consider: most of the guys endup being good friends, but for some reasons most of the girls tend to fight with each other. Why? I have no idea, but it was widely the case when I was there.

In Georgetown it is completely the opposite. Almost nobody lives in the dorm (which is located in a pretty bad area and far from where people live) and most of the students end-up living in the same building in certain buildings or neighbourhoods. This means you will need to find an apartment and arrange things by yourself, which is good if you like independence or do not like the idea of living with somebody else.

4. Quality of professors: Don't be fooled by the rankings on this one. You will always find good and bad professors no matter where you go.

5. Making a career in international trade: I left this one for last on purspose, because you have to be pretty convinced to try to get into this highly competitive field. If this is THE main factor in your decision, then Georgetown is your best option. NYU is a great place for International Law in general, but it is simply no competition for Georgetown when it comes to international trade. Not only does Georgetown get the right professors with the right experience (remember, trade practitioners live in DC, not NY) but they represent your best chance of having the right connections for getting a job later. Professors in Georgetown and often associate professors who work in, or are closely related to, the only places where you can work on international trade: international organizations and specialized law firms. Impress the right professor and you will definitively have a better chance of landing a job in those places than presenting your NYU Ll.M. credentials. And Professor Jackson is the God of International Trade. He has unmatched connections in the right places and, also trust me on this one, he can really open doors for people. NYU has Wiler, but he has far too many other interests (European Law, governance, etc.) and he is not as respected as Jackson.

If you only have a marginal interest in international trade and getting a job at a law firm in general is more important, then forget about Georgetown and go to NYU. The only thing that matters for them are the general rankings from US News, where you come from and the business potential they see in you.


The irony of my story is that I manage to get a job in an international organization dealing with international trade. Probably what did the trick for me was my past working experience as a government official dealing with trade issues, but I do not feel the NYU degree helped in any way. In hindsight, I believe I would have gotten a better academic preparation at Georgetown.

Now, do I regret my decision to attend NYU? Well, not really. Living in NYC was one of the best experiences I have had in my life and I would not change the friends I made in there for anything. But I also made good friends in Georgetown so I am sure the living experience would have also been nice in DC (though more Latin in nature).

I hope this helps, and good luck with your decision.

what do you guys think about the uni of arizona?????

Is there anyone going to Arizona? ???

what do people do once they graduate from such a program...in other words, whats it good for?
thanks