Here is my background, I welcome any opinions or advice relevant to my situation or on Domestic LL.Ms in general:

I am a young attorney in NY and Washington D.C. and I was recently accepted into several of the nation's top LL.M programs in Intellectual Property. I developed a sincere passion for Intellectual Property late in law school, but having limited experience in the field and lacking a hard-science degree I found it very difficult to land an IP job (with law firms of all sizes). When I graduated from law school about a year ago I decided to take a job at a medium-sized general practice firm in NY. I don't see hardly any IP work there and I'm feeling dissatisfied, but I have been making every effort to focus my education and practice on IP; applying for an LL.M in IP being one example. I wouldn't classify myself as someone "looking to change fields" because I only have about a year out of law school and no real expertise or field to speak of. It is true that In some small way I am hoping to "cleanse my J.D." by attending a highly ranked school for my LL.M. However, the main reasons I am considering the degree are to (a) develop a level of expertise in the law, (b) gain relevant job and intern/externship experience and (c) network with individuals in the field.

I am very aware of the fact that "what you get out of an LL.M degree is what you put into it;" in other words, the degree will not magically land you the job of your dreams. However, I've been trying to remain optimistic despite hearing rumors on law firm animus towards domestic LL.Ms (not in the area of tax obviously).

Aside from general advice, hearing about any actual Domestic LL.M experiences out there would be extremely helpful, i.e. "getting a Domestic LL.M was a waste of time and money" stories, or "Domestic LL.M success stories."

Thanks in advance