Monster Holiday, thanks for the info. Im reading for a Commercial LLM, focused on International Litigation and Arbitration. Heard any comments for such programmes?

What you choose and whether or not the rankings matter to you depends totally on what you want out fo the LLM. If you are going into academia, want to teach in a particular area, or want to get into a PhD program in a particular area then the rankings dont matter a whole lot. What matters are the academic strengths of the program you are choosing, and the whether or not the Uni has a good rep in that particular field. Thus, Oxford for Jurisprudential type fluff, Cambridge for International Law/ Commercial, LSE Human Rights, UCL Commercial/Finance/Banking etc.

However, if, like me, you are going into the workplace after the LLM, then whether its a good or a bad thing, its the name and rank that counts more. Obviously, when choosing between the top five or six there isnt really gonna be that huge of a difference in quality. But at the end, especially if you intend to practice at the bar, what you are paying for is the BRAND. Everyone KNOWS Cambridge, Oxford and LSE. Everyone THINKS (whether rightly ot wrongly) that if you went there you are bright. The brand, in practice, puts you in a different league. Its up to you from there whether you take advantage of this byt working damn hard, but the Brand makes starting off easier. It opens lots of doors that would otherwise be closed.

So, in short, if academia or further research is your thing, then the rankings dont matter, choose the program on its strengths. If you want to practice, go to the highest ranked Uni you were admitted to.

Well said!

I agree with Irishguy23's observations that if you are looking to actually work as a lawyer after graduating, the brand name and rank of the university becomes very important.

However, I disagree with his classification of Oxford, Cambridge and LSE in England. In my view, at undergraduate level, Oxbridge are one notch above on prestige, with about 7-8 schools (LSE, UCL, King's, Durham, Warwick, Bristol, Nottingham) equally regarded just below Oxbridge. Since there is no separate ranking for LLM programmes, most UK law firms tend to extrapolate the undergraduate rankings.

If you want to be a barrister, Oxford's BCL is clearly on top, followed by the Cambridge LLM, and then the three London LLMs equally (LSE, UCL, King's). It is untrue that LSE is perceived any higher than UCL or KCL by the legal profession in England (whether barristers or solicitors).

Of course, outside England, LSE does have a better international reputation than the other two London colleges, but this is not a reflection of quality at all.

Apologies for not mentioning the other Uni's, oversight on my part. And I'm not entirely au faix with what the London firm's perceptions or the London Bar's perceptions. Branding advice was really for people who are going back after their LLM. Obviously the English legal profession would know more about their own programs. But as far as other countries' professions are concerned, it's the brand, and the programs that have the brand are Cambridge, Oxford and LSE, again, whether thats fair right or wrong is beside the point. Maybe it is different in other countries, but in Ireland those would be the top three to aim for if you were applying and intended to practice after and were basing your decision soley on perceived prestige. And again, just to stress this part, my comments in that part of my post AND in this post are not based on the quality of the programs, nor are they intended to be a comment on them.

I agree. I have worked in law firms in NY and in London and my perception is that among the US firms LSE, OXFORD and CAMBRIDGE have the better brand name. In London firms definitly preffer UCL, OXFORD and Cambridge because thet have a better brand name locally, at least regarding finance and corporate law issues (where I work at).

Here in London LSE is perceived as a great law school for human rights, law and development, and economic law (in terms of global regulation.

Finally, I have decided Cambridge for a Commercial LLM, after analyzing the subjects and lecturers it was my first choice and also the quiet and relaxed atmosfere was a deciding point for me.

Does anyone have an idea what studies at LSE are like in terms of atmosphese and pressure?

Hi,

I went for an open day at the LSE and I can't say I was much impressed by the atmosphere. I'm doing Human Rights and Media Law and opted for UCL.

Maybe its just me but I can't understand why the LSE is perceived as better by firms in the US. I acknowledge the people who say that it is possibly linked to the number of famous US citizens (eg. the Kennedys) who went there and the nobel prize winners. But that one stumps me - what on earth does the reputation of a nobel prize winner in Economics or Peace or literature do to enhance the reputation of a LAW school.

I'm not knocking LSE it has a wonderful reputation and is obviously one of the best schools in the country but UCL has a tremendous and longer history in terms of Law teaching. Plus the LSE doesn't take part in the Intercollegiate degree anymore - so it could be argued that one's choices are limited - unless you are interested in Human Rights or International Law.

Excuse my ignorance but the reputation thing baffles me a little!!