Hi everyone,

I have just finished my basic law degree and am considering doing an LLM in Tax. I wonder if anyone knows if this could limit my future employment options. Would having the LLM basically restrict me to only applying for tax jobs from then on?

I am keen to do tax, but I am worried that if I can't immediately get a good tax job after the LLM I might end up 'stuck' if the LLM discourages employers from considering me for positions in other areas of law.

Also, my basic degree was a double degree in law / accounting. Would having an LLM make it harder for me to get a job with an accounting house / Big 4 if I later chose to go down that route?

Any help would be appreciated!

Let me start off by saying that I am going to get my LL.M Tax starting next year

With that said, I know COUNTLESS people that have gotten their LL.M in Tax and I would say 3/4 have gone on to doing straight Tax Works. Others have gone to Accounting work while two went into Banking. So, to answer your question of whether it "limits" you....the answer to that is no, imo. Especially if you are young like me (I am 25) and have plenty of time to try and settle on a career but still move around here/there. If anything, the LL.M allows you to expand and hell, even if it does NOT help, how could it hurt? Just shows you went through the deep end of Tax work and came out on top.

Some may find it worthless and at times, I would agree as one of my friends who went to UF struggles finding GOOD work even with it. But, he is slightly lazy so I think that has more to do with it.

Hi

I wish I could answer your question but I can't. I am actually considering the LL.M in Tax at Cambridge and would looove some advice from either of you.

Is Cambridge the best option for the LL.M? I would prefer somewhere in the UK, to say a US Law School. Also I have a first class law degree from a Uni in the Caribbean as well as various publications, some activities and experience in a top tier law firm. I dont know what my chances are to get in.. and to probably get a scholarship?


Any info would be great!


Thanks,

Cambridge isn't known for it's LLM in tax - in fact, I don't think it teaches many tax courses. You'd be better at Vienna or Leiden, or London colleges.

Thanks alot cowboyblues.

Might I suggest that you look at the MA in Taxation at the IALS, London University. (But, I have to admit that I am biased).

Philip Baker

Mr Baker

Since you are a Lecturer and the person heading this programme at IALS, I wanted to ask you:

There are so many Universities offering MA in Taxation programme (and at much cheaper tuition fees than IALS) & moreover, why would lawyers & law students want to pursue a MA in taxation at IALS when reputed Law Colleges like LSE and Queen Mary etc in London are offering a LL.M in Taxation.

In fact, LLM in Taxation at LSE is world famous so please could you enumerate some advantages of IALS MA in Taxation over let's say LSE LLM in Taxation?

What I am trying to say is what is so unique about this MA in Taxation at IALS ( as it is not even a LLM degree) that Lawyers or Law Students should prefer this degree instead of a LLM in let's say LSE or Queen Mary.

No.2 Has IALS made any special provision to offer a LLM instead of a MA degree to those law graduates wanting a LLM degree instead of a MA after completing this programme?

(One final thought: Have you considered the possibility, however remote, that in your strategy of attracting & pleasing both law & non-law graduates in this taxation programme, IALS may end up pleasing neither law nor non-law students i.e. since IALS is primarily a Institute of Advanced 'LEGAL' studies, non-law graduates may be reluctant to join a Institute which they may view as an Institute that is primarily geared for Law research while law graduates may stay away from this taxation programme as they may want a LLM instead of a MA in Taxation at the end of the programme).