Hi!

I am interested in doing a tech LLM and have received offers from Cornell Tech (LLM in Tech, Law and Entrepreneurship), Berkeley, UPenn and King's, where I will be opting for the tech/IP specialisations if I choose to go. Have also applied to Georgetown a couple of weeks ago but have yet to hear back.

A little bit about me - I'm extremely interested in tech law, and just tech in general. I have explored coding, and I even founded an AI startup. I'm leaning towards Cornell Tech because of its interdisciplinary environment, but I'm interested in hearing from others who are also choosing between these options and understanding their thought processes.

I regret not having applied to Stanford, but I have come to terms with my decision since the chances of my admission were abysmally low anyway :p

Thanks!

Hi!

I am interested in doing a tech LLM and have received offers from Cornell Tech (LLM in Tech, Law and Entrepreneurship), Berkeley, UPenn and King's, where I will be opting for the tech/IP specialisations if I choose to go. Have also applied to Georgetown a couple of weeks ago but have yet to hear back.

A little bit about me - I'm extremely interested in tech law, and just tech in general. I have explored coding, and I even founded an AI startup. I'm leaning towards Cornell Tech because of its interdisciplinary environment, but I'm interested in hearing from others who are also choosing between these options and understanding their thought processes.

I regret not having applied to Stanford, but I have come to terms with my decision since the chances of my admission were abysmally low anyway :p

Thanks!

I am also interested in Law and Tech but more from the policy and regulation perspective. I work at a digital rights NGO and I'm interested in the intersection between human rights, law and tech.
So far, I got into UCLA, UPenn Law, Georgetown, Berkeley, Columbia and NYU. Waiting to hear back from Harvard and Stanford, though they are longshots. Personally, I am undecided between UCLA, Georgetown, Penn and NYU. I have a bias towards the east coast due to the policy networking opportunities that Washington/NYC can offer me.
I think that if you are interested in developing your AI start up, California is possibly better for you regarding networking and job opportunities. Berkeley has an amazing program that can be more in tune with your interests.
Additionally, did you get scholarships from such schools? If you did, that's a huge factor to consider because those cities are quite expensive.

Considering my personal taste and taking into account the historical reputation aspect, I would choose Berkeley. I didn't apply to Cornell Tech because if you want to be eligible for passing the US bar, you need to do an additional semester, and the total tuition is much more expensive. Also, many of us will try to pass the bar in the July session, so if you go with Cornell Tech, you are in the midst of your semester while preparing for the bar, or you do the bar the year after. I don't want to spend too much time preparing for my bar exam. If this is not an important factor for your decision because you are already eligible for the US bar without an American LLM nor has the intention to obtain it, then it may not be important for you. But I pursue an LLM primarily to qualify for the US bar exam, so it's crucial for me.



Another reason for choosing Berkeley would be its significance in the tech industry. While it's true that many companies are moving to the Sun Belt (southern US states like Texas, etc.), San Francisco remains the hub. Although New York is very attractive, the innovative startup scene and laid-back IT company culture still thrive in California. Additionally, Berkeley traditionally boasts a strong faculty in IT and tech-related laws.



I think UPenn is also strong in IP, but not as much as Berkeley in terms of Law and Tech. You didn't mention Columbia, but Columbia stands out due to its name value and general ranking. However, I personally didn't like the vibe as it seemed very corporate law-focused. So, in terms of law and tech, my choices narrow down to Stanford and Berkeley. There are other well-known higher-ranked schools such as Yale and Harvard, but I believe they are extremely academic in terms of the program!




In summary, I believe Berkeley offers a good combination of international exposure, proximity to the tech hub, excellent faculty in tech law, a laid-back IT culture in California, and superb weather. I would love to settle in California for some time if I can secure a job there. However, this is my point of view and subjective preference. Ultimately, you should decide based on your preferences. Nonetheless, all the mentioned schools are fantastic options, so we won't regret our choice!

[Edited by LSTEsperanza20242025 on Mar 13, 2024]