Hi all,

I have just finished submitting the last of my applications to the LLM! I currently live in Manchester, England which is where I grew up. I just wanted to see how many other Brits are out there applying for the LLM and what your backgrounds are like!

I've applied to Berkeley (I must be a sadist), UCLA, USC, UC Hastings and Chapman University (I like the look of their advocacy program).

I have just graduated my LLM LPC with a high commendation (still awaiting my dissertation grade, hoping that may boost it to a distinction) ranked 21/208 of my year group. I've interned over two summers in America on separate occasions, once was at the Public Defender's Office in Savannah GA which was where I fell in love with American trial advocacy!

Look forward to hearing from any of you.

I've applied to Berkeley (I must be a sadist),

Because I am highly doubtful I will receive an admission!

Don't be so down on yourself. You sound like you have excellent credentials :)

Well the last time I posted someone said if I got into Stanford they would buy themselves a lottery a ticket. Albeit they don't know I graduated top ~10% of my class or know I now work for an international firm with offices in San Francisco and LA... Still knocked my confidence slightly considering I've never applied for a degree in the states.

Take those comments with a grain of salt. Its easy for others to knock people down. I'm sure you'll do great and prove them wrong :). I wish you the best.

If you want to work in the US, don't bother with Chapman. No brand recognition (which matters). If you like trial advocacy, why not consider some of the best known schools for that discipline, for example: Stetson (Florida) is #1 and GW. But, it appears that you have your heart set on SoCal, Good luck.

The reason I am applying to schools in SoCal is because I'm moving their with my American partner who has good job prospects lined up there. And family!

We went to visit all of these schools over summer and they were all pretty fantastic. That's a shame about Chapman I liked it there. I'm having difficulty finding a mid teir school in the LA area. It's like you get into UCLA or USC or you're screwed. How's Pepperdine's reputation? Or Loyola?

Well I have just been offered admission to Berkeley's professional track so that's positive.

Take those comments with a grain of salt. Its easy for others to knock people down. I'm sure you'll do great and prove them wrong :). I wish you the best.

Take those comments with a grain of salt. Its easy for others to knock people down. I'm sure you'll do great and prove them wrong :). I wish you the best.

I just got an admitted to Berkeley's professional track! You were right, thank you for the positivity.

I just got an admitted to Berkeley's professional track! You were right, thank you for the positivity.

I just got an admitted to Berkeley's professional track! You were right, thank you for the positivity.

Hi emily717, congratulations on your offer! That's a really early offer, so you must have a strong profile and in with a good chance at all your other choices.

I'm also going to apply to Berkeley (regular track) in the coming weeks and was wondering about your background? If you don't mind sharing - where did you do your law degree and what is your work experience? I completed an LLB at City Law School, London. Also, I assume you'll be looking to take the California bar?

Thank you! I appreciate your congratulations. The professional track decisions are on a rolling basis but I suppose it is still quite early, it has definitely taken the pressure off my other applications! After I complete the LLM I will be taking the California bar. I'm lucky that my partner is American and we have future plans to stay together in the US, should help to avoid the visa dramas.

I'll quickly tell you a little about my background;

Education - I completed my LLB at Sheffield Hallam University. I spent a year at the Université Paris-Est Crèteil in Paris during my four year course. I graduated with a 2.1 (67%) in 2014. During my time at Hallam as part of their International Law in Practice program, I interviewed for a placement in the US and I attained an internship at the Public Defender's office in Savannah, GA. I received an award for my study and work on the internship for the highest grade achieved on the Law in Practice module for the 2014 graduates.

Earlier this year I completed the LPC at The University of Law in Manchester. I averaged a low distinction for the LPC and I am currently waiting for the results of my dissertation which is contributing towards an LLM in professional practice which I'll receive in January. Whilst studying at UoL I was the president of the Amnesty International society and Class Charity Representative.

Work experience - I did a one week mini-pupillage at St John's Buildings Chambers in Sheffield. The internship at the Public Defender's Office in Savannah, GA. I started working part-time at a personal injury solicitors as a paralegal in my last year of the LLB and worked there for a year and a half. This summer I interned at a private criminal defense practice in Virginia (my partner studies at Virginia Tech). I am now working at a large international insurance law firm in Manchester.

For my letters of recommendation I had:
1. Senior lecturer at UoL - I managed a high distinction for advanced criminal and she attested to my study + passion (I want to be a public defender)
2. Private criminal defense attorney
3. Public defender at the office in GA
4. Chief Public Defender who now works at Sheffield Hallam and provided a pretty fantastic recommendation for me.

I hope that provides you some background! Hopefully it should give you some faith that you can get in. I really thought that the fact I had gone to a low ranked school for my LLB would hold me back in my applications - but it doesn't seem it has! As long as you can show your passions in some way.

How are you set for your work experience?

To pass the California bar you have to be either a foreign practicing attorney or you must have an American LLM in addition to a qualifying undergraduate LLB. So unfortunately I wouldn't be able to sit it right now (passing the LPC doesn't qualify as practicing because of training contract requirements etc), but even if I could, I want to take the opportunity to study American law anyway.

I know it is possible to take the NY bar with my English LLM. But when I spoke to the Chief Public Defender at the office, he said that he would be extremely reluctant to give a job to someone who did not have a degree in American law. I have heard similar accounts from other students who have had difficulty finding a job after passing the bar. The difficulty is the competition with every other American student who has a 3 year undergrad and 3 years of law school... Unfortunately we wouldn't really stand a chance.

Your work experience sounds great though! It's rare that you find people that are interested in criminal law these days. One of the reasons I'm not too keen to accept my position on the professional track at Berkeley is that they are offering less courses than the traditional track, and one of the courses not on offer is criminal procedure... The program which I am actually most interested in is the David J Epstein Public Interest law program at UCLA - the courses sound fantastic. Although I would be very happy to accept a traditional track placement at Berkeley if one is offered.

Hi Emily,

Drawn to your post as a fellow English applicant... Congratulations on your wonderful offer!

Hi Emily,

Drawn to your post as a fellow English applicant... Congratulations on your wonderful offer!

Hi Emily,

Drawn to your post as a fellow English applicant... Congratulations on your wonderful offer!

Thank you! That's kind. Unfortunately I have declined the offer. I would rather have a full time experience and the course selection was a bit smaller on the professional track! Even if I don't get into Berkeley main track I think I'd rather get into UCLA. I just got into USC with a large scholarship as well so having a back up made the decision a bit easier, sad nonetheless though :( just couldn't spare the deposit.

Where abouts are you applying? How come you've decided to study in the US :)

Hi Emily,

Drawn to your post as a fellow English applicant... Congratulations on your wonderful offer!

Thank you! That's kind. Unfortunately I have declined the offer. I would rather have a full time experience and the course selection was a bit smaller on the professional track! Even if I don't get into Berkeley main track I think I'd rather get into UCLA. I just got into USC with a large scholarship as well so having a back up made the decision a bit easier, sad nonetheless though :( just couldn't spare the deposit.

Where abouts are you applying? How come you've decided to study in the US :)

Well done on USC as well, then! Please could I be cheeky and ask how much scholarship you were awarded? Perhaps percentage wise? It's just interesting to know as I have no real starting point as to what is good/not so good!

I totally know what you mean about having the full experience so fingers crossed for UCLA.

I have stuck to the East Coast, so NYU, Cornell and Columbia, with Boston Uni and Brooklyn as well. I just received an offer from the latter with scholarship which is fantastic (and is hence why I asked about your scholarship amount!)

I was actually fortunate enough to study abroad in the US during my LLB. This made me realise where I wanted to base my career and, well, my life really: NYC! I had a read over your background - you've got some really interesting stuff there.

So when are you expecting to hear from UCLA?

Hi! Am not a Brit but I did my law degree in England. Congratulations for the offers and the scholarship from USC!