I've just recently been offered a place on the general LLM at durham. I'm interested in hearing from anyone else who has recieved an offer. Furthermore I'm entering the LLM without any real work experience ( just various schemes) and just an LLB. I wondered if there was anyone accepted to durham after simply an LLB and would also like to hear general comments of the utility of such an LLM.

I didnt apply to Durham, hence this post wouldnt be aimed at me but anyway Id like to butt in

Ive said before in other posts that I think LLMs are quite useless for people without real working experience. My opinion is based primarily on the fact that you cant make a grounded judgement of what path youd like to follow over your LLM if you dont have practical knowledge of how things work outside law school.

How can you be sure that you want to study commercial or corporate law (or any other kind of law for that matter) if you havent experienced how the daily activities of a commercial or corporate lawyer are?

I say this for a fact, cause I wouldve wasted my money if Id gone and pursued an LLM fresh off law school I wouldve chosen all commercial, financial and corporate law modules possible only to learn a few years later that its not what a want to do for the rest of my life

I know youve been already accepted and have probably taken Durham up on their offer, but I felt urged to post this advice once more.

Anyway, thats my opinion and Im sure therell be loads of people wanting to tell you otherwise.

Best of luck at Durham.

I've just recently been offered a place on the general LLM at durham. I'm interested in hearing from anyone else who has recieved an offer. Furthermore I'm entering the LLM without any real work experience ( just various schemes) and just an LLB. I wondered if there was anyone accepted to durham after simply an LLB and would also like to hear general comments of the utility of such an LLM.

Hi all! I want to support Beicon's point about gaining some work experience before LLM. Or put it broadly, work experience helps to learn what part of law a person finds most interesting eventually.
Of course, general LLM has it's own advantages, especially if you study it abroad, in a different legal system. It will help you see "a bigger picture" of the legal world, meet some great lawyers from all over the world. But over time, most probably, lawyers tend to specialize in some specific areas of law and in order to make this, it would require doing another LLM in this specialisation, to have the edge in this area of law.
Although, If it certainly feels like you want to do a general LLM now, it can be a good start for a legal career as well.

Thanks for the insightful comments biecon, pali and summerfield.

It seems the consensus is against pursuing a masters immediately after an LLB.

Bearing that in mind I feel that although for someone highly sure of the area they'd like to work in (for me commercial law) , it can be something to differentiate myself from other candidates, especially as I eventually foresee myself working internationally ( the focus of durham's LLM).

However your comments have made me think a little harder about how useful the LLM might be. So , as I haven't accepted the offer , I think a wise option would be to defer any LLM offer and paralegal or gain experience etc in the interim; If I fail to find such experience I think I will go ahead and accept Durham's offer.It is after all a reputable school/LLM. How bad can a little more (rigourous) education be ...?

I'm glad my words have enlightened you to some extent...

Durham is a great university no doubt about that... and if you decide to pursue an LLM after gaining some working experience, I'm sure you will learn a lot at Durham.

Best of luck.

Hey guys,

I have created a group on Facebook- "University of Durham LLM 2010-2011".. :)

Lets all join and get to know each other more out there...

Cheers!!!

It is actually absolutely irrelevant whether you have experience or not. An LLM is just to boost your cv, learn how to write academically, get research skills and get familiar with Anglo-saxon databases. Enjoy your LLM, that's the only thing I can say. Do the modules you fancy regardless is your area of expertise, etc. You will become a good lawyer working, not holding a LLM. I am almost oever my LLM in Durham. There were people without experience, with experience...I don t recommend Durham. Is shit. Maybe for a undergraduate is very good, no for postgraduate.

So shit that it got me a training contract.....but each to their own

Colorado,
In your earlier posts, you mentioned that Durham is a nice univ, and now u saying that Durham is shit!
Please do not confuse us (Its a humble request). Its Sept now, most of us have already decided where to study. I suggest you get your thoughts straight, and be positive. U will also get a great job.
:)

Indeed Pali, you are absolutely right, however, please note that when I posted my comments about Durham I did not even start the LLM or I just started the LLM. I am bound to say that I am very disappointed with the Law School. I did my Erasmus programme at Sheffield University, and I find much better Sheffield than Durham, albeit the former usually appears ranked far bellow than the latter.

Due to the amount of private messages about my opinion of Durham, I will explain in detail why I have changed my mind:
First of all, out of 100 students 60 were Chinese. With the due respect to that Community, but for me, this is too much. Moreover, I was very excited about the fact that I would find people with an outstanding backgrounds, however, the students were very average. Of course, some exceptions were there. Furthermore, Chinese community do not give the shit about the other and they do not interact with the others let alone with the Russians and those fellows from Kazhastan and Uzbekistan. They did not even participate at the seminars making the atmosphere very poor.
Secondly, Professors are quite unknown (except of Spravenza who is a mainstream in EU law). They do not write books nor journals.Who knows them? Fuck nows!
Thirdly, the treatment from the Law School towards the students is quite bad. Just for instance, they did not even update the online services where you access to the info of the modules, assessments, etc.. Why Do I have to see documents from 2008???
Fourth, the module International Banking Law, was suppose to be given in 1 year (30 credits) but was given in only one term! and by a Professor whose interest is Commercial Law! It had to do anything with Int.Banking, it was exclusively about UK Banking!
Fitfh, for some essays, we got first the mark and after one month the feedback! How can you explain that?
Six, Collegiate System? For two months is very nice, but be ready for rumors and gossiping. People will comment every move you make and forget about privacy in Durham. You go for a date, you will meet 50 people in the way. You will always meet the same people wherever you go. You will spend your free time in the same bar, same ''nightclub'.
Seven, British people do not interact too much with international people, at least according to my experience. They say hello, how are u? essays done? That s it.
Eight, a KEY POINT. Library is SHIT. One copy per item and when u get a book, after 5 days is recalled...buffff that made me sick, although electronical sources provided by the university are good, but the library is really shit.

To conclude, i must say that you may think that this is just an opinion of a guy who had a bad experience, but I can assure you that I can share my opinion about Durham with the vast majority of the class. This LLM does not worth 5600 pounds. Thus, If I had the choice again I would never come to Durham. I do not care about he rankings anymore. Forget about the rankings. You should check Porfessors and If you can go to the city you check it out.

It goes without saying that Durham Law School is famous for its undergraduate not for its postgraduate. The LLM is a question of money and to attract international people.

With very best wish,

Colorado.

Hey Colorado,
Thanx for the info..
Good Luck!

Pali and Phantro

Since you are enrolling this year, please lets us have your views as well of the course.!!

Wheretogo,
Sure, will let every1 know..

Colorado,
I was thinking about your post, n wanted to ask you why you came up with this conclusion so late.. You could have posted this, say 3 months or max 6 months after the course started.. I'm sure thats enuf time to decide whether a 1 year course is good or bad.. U telling us all this when u have only a few days left, and we about to start.. I appreciate your concern, but I think the timing is not right.. These are my views, n I hope you will understand..
:)
Cheers!

Isn't this obvious? The professors from Durham might be reading the forum messages. Why would anyone risk his/her grades reporting this mid-year, after the course is finishes there is a limited risk

Isn't this obvious? The professors from Durham might be reading the forum messages. Why would anyone risk his/her grades reporting this mid-year, after the course is finishes there is a limited risk

Whatever said and done, I am glad and positive about going to Durham, and I am sure I will have a lot of positive things to say about my course at the end of it :)
Good Luck to every1 going to Durham this year!
Cya thr..
Cheers!!!

I do not give a dam if Professors are aware of those messages. Moreover they will never came to know that it it me who is writing and after all I m disclosing the truth. I am not making up anything.

Indeed, you are right, I could have posted my message before but I was maintaining my hopes high and I waited until the last second to see any improvement.

I wish you have a wonderful year and I hope that you can not share your experience with mine, because If so, it will means that your are satisfied.

The truth hurts, for me, the easiest thing would have been to post something like '' Durham rocks, you wont regret!'' but I am not like that.

Good luck.

Isn't this obvious? The professors from Durham might be reading the forum messages. Why would anyone risk his/her grades reporting this mid-year, after the course is finishes there is a limited risk