Is choosing a Law School based on the strengths of the specialty area a sensible criteria? Should one decline an offer from a top 10 law School, if a top 25 law school is stronger on one area of the law. Let's say, for example, that i'm interested in concentrating on Business and International Law, should i attend GWU instead of NWU, because the former sharply stands out on this specific field of legal studies.

Hi,
who says that GW is better than NW?
Did you apply to the kellogg/llm?

No. I applied to the LL.M. You just have to look at the GWU International Law Curriculum and compare it to NWU and you'll probably see that it is more developed. Further, a great many GWU International Law Professors have held most relevant posts in US Government.

For a JD-student that would be an idiotic choice.

For a foreign LLM returning to his home country and wanting to practise the said specialty area of law, It could make sense.

Thank you for your input. I certainly wish to get back to my country but not as soon as i'm finished with the LL.M. I'm also keen on earning some US Work Experience in order to enhance my Knowledge of US Law and thereby raise my profile in my country.

since llm only takes 9 months. i dont think the course design will matter that much. if you want to improve your profile, you'd need to check how the schools are regarded in your country. which one has better reputation etc. etc.

Thanks a lot, Roberto. I thought your question is quite helpful. Actually, this question also bothering me these days...

envy you guys

while the question has been bothering me these days is: i'm ready to say no to those have admitted me but the one that i'm ready to say yes has not said you are admitted yet :P

What about some third or fourth tier law school which have very high rank in specific law?

What about some third or fourth tier law school which have very high rank in specific law?

Thanks a Million for sharing your outlook with us!!!. I think your stance will help me in puzzling out this dilemma. I'm still perplexed, though. If anyone has anything else to argue about this topic, please, don't hesitate and feel confident enough to express it. Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

I believe one should be really careful in making that kind of a decision. Let's assume I would have applied to both Virginia and Chicago. If I would have been accepted to both, I would have chosen Virginia, even though Chicago is more prestigious. In my view this would have been a sensible decision, because I'm interested in constititutional history, and in that field Virginia is the better school. Additionally, both are T14 schools. I also believe that an LL.M student can choose Chicago over Yale, if, for instance, he/she is mainly interested in L&E, and aims to be a scholar. But I think no one should prefer GWU to Yale or Chicago, even if their IPR program is very strong. My rule of thumb would be "you don't turn down a T14 school for a second-, or third-, or fourth-tier school". This may sound a bit dogmatic and some might argue that I'm obsessed with rankings, but this is how I see it. For those who disagree, let me ask you a question: would you choose Thomas M. Cooley over Stanford or Yale if they would have a single strong program in your area of interest? If not, where do draw the line.

"where to draw the line", good question. I think we can classify the schools into different categories. Within one category we don't concern ranking too much but focus on speciality.

Thank you for your arguments. That's very kind of you. Therefore, one ought to be more flexible regarding general rankings, which means one should seriously consider enrolling at a slightly less ranked law school when this law school is better specialized in a specific branch of the law; but, nonetheless, it would not be a smart choice to select a better specialized law school holding a ranking spot that is glaringly distant from another one, let's say that you shouldn't pick up Cardozo for IP Law over Michigan? am i catching up?

let's say that you shouldn't pick up Cardozo for IP Law over Michigan? am i catching up?

I have a question for you and would appreciate to get your opinion.

What about choosing between Georgetown and Harvard for someone interested in International Law.

First, anybody would say Harvard for sure.

However, when we thing that many international organizations are in Washington DC (the city where Georgetown is located) and that Georgetown are contacts with those (this school offers you 2 credits in exchange of doing an externship with an international organization), it is not so evident.

My point is how to decide between a brand name as Harvard and Georgetown which helps you to have contacts in the international field.

Everyone knows contacts are one big factor (if not the biggest factor) to land a job in the United States after a LLM. Everyone knows that it is very hard to find a job in the US after a LLM. Then if a school can get you contacts in your field (international law), is it not a better option to go with this school (Georgetown) and not with THE brand name school (Harvard)?

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is a question on which I could not find an answer.

1. our discussions in the thread have been on the assumption that you are to go back to your home country, which is partly the orginal idea of the LL.M. program. as far as i understood, it's designed for foreign lawyer to familarize with the us leagal system. so if you want to get a decent job in the states you better take jd not llm.
2. there are various factors when you choose a law school. what you have to do is to give each of these factors the right weight. in you case if you desperately want a job in the states you are free to go for georgetown but that's your personal call. i don't have too much to share with you in this regard as i do not plan to work in the states.
3. if we introduce all the factors into this thread, it's gonna be endless:-D

Go to Harvard. Period.

Could you please elaborate, Mandingo.

I know that I must weight each factor.

I must maybe precise that some people do a LLM with a concentration on International Law and not US Law. In that case, they can land a job in the US in the international field (including job in international organizations - like the World Bank - where many non-Americans work). In the international field, you do not use American Law, but International Law.

1. Harvard hardly "sucks" at international law, so you will receive exellent tuition there.

2. The brand. There are two kinds of people in this world: those with a Harvard degree and those without one. Obnoxious but true line..