I have a bachelors degree in Political Science from the US. I want to receive my LLM in the UK and then go to the states and get my JD. I know that having an LLM and JD in the US starts your salary higher, but is this still the case if my LLM was earned in the UK? Is this a waste of time and money? I really would love to attend school in London, but I am not sure if I want to practice law there or return to the US.

I don’t think it is a waste of time. I will take the LLM for personal and professional reasons, however, I could continue on my job earning a good salary without the LLM. It is not pivotal as JD and bar exam.

Having a JD in a good university and passing the bar exam (I am supposing you wanna be a lawyer in US), you will certainly get a job with a good starting salary. Even if the initial salary is not good, you will get a job where you can gain some experience to take the next step.

The LLM itself will expand your networking, experience living abroad and enhance theoretical and technical skills. There is a cost. If you have funds for the LLM and the JD, the LLM is worth, but not crucial in your career.