Hello, I've got a MS in pharmacology and been studying the first law degree which will be finished next year. I'm planning to apply for LL.M. especially skilled in intellectual property.

I only attained 247 in TOEFL by now and screened top 30 law schools in U.S. by reviewing the professors' introduction and picking the ones who had bio background as I did.

Here are my choices: Berkeley, Duke, UCLA, Vandy, UMinnesota, BU, UWashington, UWisconsin. The TOEFL requirements of these schools are also qualified below 250 or conditionally qualified if slightly below 250.

Will anyone give me a recommendation about my selection?

Dear Seraval,

I read your post today and would like to give a suggestion.

I would suggest you try to do JD rather than LLM, if working in a US law firm is your goal. I can not speak about all law firms in US but my firm has a strong IP law practice and every allttorney is a JD (you can check out www.shearman.com).

What I would also suggest is - check out some of the other big law firms in NY. Check their websites. Call them up (if possible). If not, send an e mail. You will get an idea about the acceptance chances of a non JD.

The reason I write this is because I see a lot of people on this site wanting to work in US with an LLM degree. Most of them would end up disappointed and in a financial hole of US$ 60-80k.

But the above is true if and only if your goal is to work in the US. If not, then you must have other reasons to do an LLM and then there would not be any disappointments. In that case , I would suggest you go to the best school you can get into (Berk, Stan are good for IP). I wish you the very best!!

Come on lawpartner. A partner of Shearman would not have the time to post 10 messages on this board. And he would definitely not call himself "lawpartner".