Dear All,

this post to find suggestions and advises on LL.M. program I should attend for 2009-2010.

At this stage, I received an offer letter from London School of Economics and Northwestern University / Kellogg and I am waiting a reply from HLS, YLS, SLS, NYU, Cornell and UC Berkeley.

Assuming that I have only LSE and NU/Kellogg offers, I will not be sure to go to the US, due to the scary tuition fee of NU/Kellogg program...Somebody knows if it is worth $62,000??? On the other hand LSE has an highest reputation, maybe greater that Northwestern University...and considering that LSE tuition is about £10,000, for 2010 - 2011 I could spend another year for an MBA.

Considering also that, I am a business lawyer (banking and finance specialist) 2PQE...already working in international law firm (top tier).


All my doubts would be dissolved if I will receive an offer by HLS, YLS (and, maybe, SLS).

I look forward to receive your suggestion and advise.

Thank you very much,

FD

FD, have you estimated what your living expenses would be if you decide for LSE? Friends who have studied in the UK always complain about how high the cost of living in the UK is. That is what discouraged me from applying to UK law schools. Aside from that, NU/kellog program is a very good one, although NU's Law School isn't as well regarded as YLS, HLS or CLS. I recommend that you spend some time reviewing the curriculum and faculty staff of both law schools to see which one fits better your needs or maybe wait to see if you get an offer from YLS or HLS.

Personally, I'd opt for NYU or HLS. But, ultimately it depends on your chosen specialism and the jurisdiction you wish to continue practicing in. I believe the LLM at YLS is very much directed at scholars wishing to pursue an academic career rather than practice (although I may have this wrong!).

I am even surprised that you are comparing all those law schools with LSE!!!

All top 10 schools in the US beat LSE by miles.... just read a little bit!!! You won't be asking this question...

According to a friend of mine, a US lawyer (with a JD at UC Berkeley and with lectures at Cornell), LSE has a terrific reputation in US.

On the other hand, I believe that for an European US universities (and America itself!) have a great great attractiveness...I mean that accademically speaking an LLM in UK (in a top tier University such as LSE and Oxbridge) is equivalent to an LLM in US (in a top tier Univerisity); the great upsize to do LLM in US is related to the fact you live one year in US (as a student), discovering US culture that, as you know, is quite different from European culture.

For an European an LL.M. in US is - first of all - an experience of live.

This is the point.

Having said that, if I could choice between HLS or YLS or SLS and LSE I'll go to US...but at this stage I have serious doubts to spend about 75,000 $ to award an LLM/K at Northwestern and, consequentely, I could choice London to award a specialism LLM, in banking and finance.

Any other suggestion?

Couldn't agree more with francisdrake.

francisdrake makes many interesting points.

An American law school is attractive to those from outside the US, just as a law school in the UK is attractive to an American. Part of the attraction is the exposure to a different culture and method of thinking.

However, I would not overestimate the reputation of LSE's law program in the US. I spoke with several law school professors, and not one of them was familar with LSE's law program. In the US, LSE is famous for its economics and social sciences programs, not law. Conversely, the respective legal programs at Cambridge and Oxford are viewed as truly outstanding, world-class, and in the same category as schools such as Yale.

As we all know, though, reputation does not inherently translate into a good fit for a particular individual; therefore, although it is fun to discuss reputational issues, in the long run, individuals may receive outstanding educations in many institutions and ultimately will be judged on their own respective merit in the legal world.

Northwestern is a good choice. Although it is not Yale, Chicago, or Stanford, it is a fine school, and I would be proud to earn a degree from that institution. In the areas of banking and finance, though, the interdisciplinary nature of LSE's program and its strength in economics might tip the scales in LSE's favor.

In this abysmal legal market, I hope you are not angling for a job with an American firm with a banking law practice. With a few exceptions, banking and finance practices presently are bloodletting associates; on the bright side, many banking/finance attorneys whose projects have all but dried up have found a temporary home in their firms' bankruptcy practices. Proof that flexibility is of value...

To the original poster:

If you can go to UC Berkeley, don't think twice and go!!!!!!! It is an amazing law school with an incredible reputation....