Is it the right time to study for an LLM in this recession or should we be looking for work placements.

In the UK there is a great problem in finding training contracts, and law graduates are just jumping in the pool of competition for a minimum level of training contracts.

I am due to start my LLM in International Law in one week!!! But I am tempted to defer the year or even cancel the course!!!

Reason being, I have heard far too many times that the LLM is a waste of time and money in this recession!
Please tell me what the best option is for people in my situation.

I have just completed my LLB and should have went on to fulfil the LPC, but I have avoided that for now due to the economic climate and the lack of training contracts in the UK.

To LLM or not to LLM?

Pragmatically, LLMs are not really career enhancers. So if you're worried about the pragmatic stuff - jobs, money, paying bills etc - then you should just do the training contract.

This is not to say an LLM is useless; there are other reasons besides purely career enhancement to do a LLM. But career wise, I personally think the supposed capacity of an LLM to open doors is vastly over-rated.

If you are a british law graduate - I would never consider to do an LL.M. at least not in the United Kingdom.

The courses are mainly constructed for foreigners / international students to get a short insight into common law jurisdictions - and for the universities to raise money. Many universities offer only two courses per term, what is a joke - if you are a native speaker.... familiar with common law. The knowledge that you will gain is superficial and too broad, because the courses are adjusted for non-native speakers from all over the world (also from low level jurisdictions)... If you are a British graduate, you should go for an LL.M. in France, Spain, Italy, Germany or even China.

I had very few British students in my UK LLM program, and they were mainly hanging around, because they were mothers with a child or for some other reason unemplyoed and had nothing else to do...

In the last two years I have actually noticed a sharp increase in the number of English background LLMs. This is a generation of LLB graduates who were caught in the big squeeze of TCs a couple of years ago, but are otherwise qualified, capable and motivated. They do an LLM within the legal specialisation they aim to practise in order to improve their chances of getting a TC and while I don't know if it's the LLM or their persistence or something else that's opening the doors, as far as I can tell it seems to be working. I can't say the same for pupillages though, that entrance seems to be as narrow as ever.

If you are a british law graduate - I would never consider to do an LL.M. at least not in the United Kingdom.

The courses are mainly constructed for foreigners / international students to get a short insight into common law jurisdictions - and for the universities to raise money. Many universities offer only two courses per term, what is a joke - if you are a native speaker.... familiar with common law. The knowledge that you will gain is superficial and too broad, because the courses are adjusted for non-native speakers from all over the world (also from low level jurisdictions)... If you are a British graduate, you should go for an LL.M. in France, Spain, Italy, Germany or even China.

I had very few British students in my UK LLM program, and they were mainly hanging around, because they were mothers with a child or for some other reason unemplyoed and had nothing else to do...

Some excellent responses!! Thank you.

Overall, I believe the legal profession is in a mess for prospective graduates on the LPC course unless they have a TC.

LLB grads have been taking the LLM route to develop their interests in an area and hoping for that to shine in applications for TCs.

In my opinion, LLM is a good way forward for UK grads to pursue alternative legal careers such as academia, NGO's and so on. However, the downside is that its very expensive, especially if you have not completed the LPC.