Hi guys,

If you were to specialize in International Law, were would you pursue your LLM studies? Columbia or Georgetown? Thanks for sharing your insight!

Columbia is higher ranked and more prestigious with a gerat international law program. At the end of the day one applies to an LL.M. degree abroad to jump-start his legal career (as either an academic or practicioner). You need to pick the school that will best help you achieve that.

Georgetown has a great international law program but it does not come with the same "wow factor" as Columbia Law. I honestly think Columbia will be the better choice.

Of course geography, money, personal ties - play additional factors, but thats for you to look into :-).

Great insight! Thank your for your time!
However, please note that in the following international law ranking, Georgetown is placed on third place and Columbia in fourth:
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/international-law-rankings

Hi!

First congratulations! Both are great programs for international law! Are you interested in any special field of international law? That could help your decision.

I am particularly interested in International Investment Law, but would also like to train myself to become a litigator in the international arena: ICJ, regional court of human rights, arbitration proceedings, etc.

Great insight! Thank your for your time!
However, please note that in the following international law ranking, Georgetown is placed on third place and Columbia in fourth:
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/international-law-rankings

overall CLS is slightly better than GTown. With particular regard to the LLM program, bear in mind than GT's is double the size of CLS'... both are pretty crowded though...

Thank you HopefulCandidate and Stagista!

Anyone else care providing insight? Thanks!

Hmm in Georgetown you could maybe do an externship in ICSID? Are you interested in doing that?

Hmm in Georgetown you could maybe do an externship in ICSID? Are you interested in doing that?

US News Rankings for 2015 were released today. Here's the rankings for IL: http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/international-law-rankings

In addition, Professors George Bermann and Karl Sauvant are highly regarded both in international investment law and investment as well as commercial arbitration. They teach at CLS, and are also with the Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable International Investment, which accepts interns for various investment and sustainable development issues. Professor Sabahi (Arbitration Partner at Curtis in DC) travels to Columbia to teach investor-state arbitration, and Professor O. Johnson (judge at Iran-US Claims Tribunal) teaches International Investment Law as well. In the fall, the Vale Center sponsors a 2-day conference that talks about current international investment law issues (for free to students, full price to practitioners), and in the spring, a conference on arbitration (for a minimal fee to students, full price to practitioners). CLS has an existing fellowship at the ICJ, and an ongoing UN Externship Program, managed by Professors L. Johnson (former UN Asst. Sec.-Gen.) and Rashkow (formerly with the UN Office of Legal Affairs, now Senior Legal Adviser of the US Mission to the UN). I also posted more information about the IL program at CLS in the Columbia thread. It may be good to get some insights from LLMs from Georgetown as well. Hope that helps.