Can I gain 2nd LL.M. in the top notch (especially HLS) after the first LL.M. at Berkeley?

Hi, my question, which I am sure will also be their question, is why? If you do well at Berkeley (a "top notch" school) and can justify doing another LL.M., I guess it is possible. If you're sticking around for another year, why not stick around for two more and get a JD?

I concur with the previous comment, why would you want to? Receiving an LLM from Berkeley is already a great achievement and is certainly a 'top notch' university.

Hi AAAAAstar,

Very important detail:

Practically all top tier law schools don't grant admission to LL.M. candidates who already hold or pursue an LL.M. in the United States!

(see:
http://www.law.berkeley.edu/5654.htm under "Master of Laws" program and
http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/gradprogram/llm/eligibility/index.html under "Eligibilty Requirements")

So have to carefully weigh your options, you can only apply to an LL.M. once in the United States, otherwise you can try to transfer into a J.D., but only a few universities grant LL.M. to J.D. transfers, Berkeley for example doesn't allow transfers. And other universities usually only do if you have a GPA over 3.7.


Or you can apply for a J.S.D, but this is basically for people who want to go into academia. And furthermore, most universities (e.g. Harvard) recruit J.S.D's among their own LL.M. students, so it's very hard to get in with a LL.M. from Berkeley for example.

(see: http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/gradprogram/sjd/eligibility/index.html under "Eligibility Requirements)

Hope this could help

Hi, my question, which I am sure will also be their question, is why? If you do well at Berkeley (a "top notch" school) and can justify doing another LL.M., I guess it is possible. If you're sticking around for another year, why not stick around for two more and get a JD?

I concur with the previous comment, why would you want to? Receiving an LLM from Berkeley is already a great achievement and is certainly a 'top notch' university.

Hi AAAAAstar,

Very important detail:

Practically all top tier law schools don't grant admission to LL.M. candidates who already hold or pursue an LL.M. in the United States!

(see:
http://www.law.berkeley.edu/5654.htm under "Master of Laws" program and
http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/gradprogram/llm/eligibility/index.html under "Eligibilty Requirements")

So have to carefully weigh your options, you can only apply to an LL.M. once in the United States, otherwise you can try to transfer into a J.D., but only a few universities grant LL.M. to J.D. transfers, Berkeley for example doesn't allow transfers. And other universities usually only do if you have a GPA over 3.7.


Or you can apply for a J.S.D, but this is basically for people who want to go into academia. And furthermore, most universities (e.g. Harvard) recruit J.S.D's among their own LL.M. students, so it's very hard to get in with a LL.M. from Berkeley for example.

(see: http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/gradprogram/sjd/eligibility/index.html under "Eligibility Requirements)

Hope this could help

Hi AAAAAstar,

I get your priorities and I understand that you want to get into YLS and HLS (don't forget Stanford with its SPILS program which leads to a career in academia).

I don't know what law schools you did get into or what you did in between the 3 years in which you graduated (you mentioned it in the other post)?

Since you say that an LL.M. is an investment for you (especially since your parents are helping you out and money seems to be a very crucial point), and you have certain doubts about Berkeley, you have several options.

Th best in my opinion seems in your situation to request a deferral from Berkeley, so you have one more year to gain precious work experience (and money). You could also use that period to improve your English for a new TOEFL test (which is essential in getting into HLS).

You could simultaneously reapply to YLS, HLS, Stanford, Columbia, Chicago (and NYU), if graduating from a top5 law school is that important to your future plans.

This way, you will be sure to have a place next year while at same time increasing your chances to get into HLS or YLS.

It is still up to you, but given that you are still uncertain, I would say that the amount of money in question (+70000$ for an LL.M. at Berkeley) is simply to high (from my point of view) to have doubts about your choice because you will always wonder "what if...?"

Good luck though with whatever choice you make

Once I asked NYU the same question, their response is "yes". maybe u can contact NYU to check it.

The HLS Admissions Committee has just told me that HLS is rarely able to accept the 2nd LL.M. but it is --POSSIBLE--

(I think it is unsuitable for most American law school graduates thinking of a second degree. Exceptions may be made for American law graduates whose research interests strongly correlate with those of a member of the faculty, and for whom graduate studies at this law school seem to be particularly appropriate, as Chicago said clearly on its website)