Hi everybody. Just discovered this forum a few days ago, and I have to say it's made interesting and, at times, surprising reading. Other people's dilemmas can be fascinating!

And on to my dilemma. I've been offered an LLM at both Kings College London (where I'm doing my LLB at the moment) and London School of Economics. I am planning to specialise in Public International or Legal Theory (or a combination of the two), but most probably Public International. Afterwards I'd like to do a PhD - but I've always wanted to go to the US to do my PhD. Which of the two LLM's would carry the most weight when applying to the top American law schools - specifically the ones that excel in public international or legal theory (whichever ones they may be)? I know neither of them will carry the weight of an Oxbridge LLM/BCL (both of which are no longer an option for me given that I didn't apply due to my crippling lack of self-confidence at the time :-S), but will they give me a good chance at a PhD at a good American law school (and eventually a career in academia and/or working for NGO or government think tank). Given that I'm heading for a first in my LLB, I'm quite sure I'll be able to excel in my LLM if I really get my head down and work.

Thanks for any help!!

Hi Fleur, as a KCL alumnus I have to tell you that LSE is much better known in the US than King's.

LSE has an extremely strond department in this area. Professor Christopher Greenwood is a well known academic an others such as Christine Chinkin also have a good reputation. If I were you I would go for LSE.

Probably neither - most of the US schools will make you do another US LLM before you go on to you PhD (S.J.D/J.S.D.) unless you are an exceptional candidate. As such, you will have to apply for their LLM program and the US schools will query why you want another LLM if you already have one from a UK institution. I have just finished my LLM at Columbia and they have an exchange program with Kings, however, I think LSE is generally more well known here. I recommend applying directly for an LLM in the US if that is where you ultimately want to do your doctoral work. As a warning though, the US doctorate is law is still in its infancy stage in the US and the faculty and institutional support is almost non-existent. Most of the faculty haven't heard of doctorates in law and if they have still prioritise the JD (LLB) students over you. I did my LLM at Columbia but am (hopefully) doing my law doctorate in the UK.
I hope that helps.
fg.

Probably neither - most of the US schools will make you do another US LLM before you go on to you PhD (S.J.D/J.S.D.) unless you are an exceptional candidate. As such, you will have to apply for their LLM program and the US schools will query why you want another LLM if you already have one from a UK institution. I have just finished my LLM at Columbia and they have an exchange program with Kings, however, I think LSE is generally more well known here. I recommend applying directly for an LLM in the US if that is where you ultimately want to do your doctoral work. As a warning though, the US doctorate is law is still in its infancy stage in the US and the faculty and institutional support is almost non-existent. Most of the faculty haven't heard of doctorates in law and if they have still prioritise the JD (LLB) students over you. I did my LLM at Columbia but am (hopefully) doing my law doctorate in the UK.
I hope that helps.
fg.

Well it is both - the good US schools (eg: Harvard, Columbia, Yale) very rarely take people who have not done their LLM. This is because the J.S.D. class size is very small (they only took about 4-6 people the year I was at Columbia) so why would they take a chance on someone who does not have a track record at their institution. In addition, it is much hard to get someone to supervise your J.S.D. if you haven't already built up a relationship with them (eg: through being a student in their LLM class). That is not to say you can't do a doctorate straight from a UK LLM but you probably wouldn't get into one of those three schools (in fact, the Yale and Harvard websites expressly say that). You might have a better chance at some lower ranked schools though but then the chance of you getting a job (in the U.S. at least) with a degree from one of these schools is lower. A good option might by NYU - I know they take people from outside their LLM programme more readily and it is a good school for Public International Law.
Hope that helps.

Well it is both - the good US schools (eg: Harvard, Columbia, Yale) very rarely take people who have not done their LLM. This is because the J.S.D. class size is very small (they only took about 4-6 people the year I was at Columbia) so why would they take a chance on someone who does not have a track record at their institution. In addition, it is much hard to get someone to supervise your J.S.D. if you haven't already built up a relationship with them (eg: through being a student in their LLM class). That is not to say you can't do a doctorate straight from a UK LLM but you probably wouldn't get into one of those three schools (in fact, the Yale and Harvard websites expressly say that). You might have a better chance at some lower ranked schools though but then the chance of you getting a job (in the U.S. at least) with a degree from one of these schools is lower. A good option might by NYU - I know they take people from outside their LLM programme more readily and it is a good school for Public International Law.
Hope that helps.