Which do you choose? Assuming I don't get into NYU, which program do I choose for the Tax LL.M.?

Are you a domestic or international applicant?

Domestic.

I have been told that G-town is a distant third and the the quality of education at UF is better, as good as NYU even. If you are international people might recognize g-town more, but domestically everyone knows UF is tops in tax.

The problem is, that doesn't seem to be the case. At least with large firms in Texas, I have found their tax groups to be littered with NYU and Georgetown alum, and virtually NONE from Florida. It seems to me that in the eyes of firms, NYU and Georgetown are the top 2 programs. The recruiting at UF doesn't seem to be near that of NYU and Georgetown. For example, the Tax Interview Program, held every Feburary in D.C., is limited to only NYU and Georgetown Tax LL.M. students. Florida has nothing like it. Nearly 50 employers, with 90% of them being large firms, participate in the Tax Interview Program (TIP).

Florida is ranked #2 and this is an aspect to take into account. However, I have recently read on taxtalent.com some comments made by UF alums saying that they were not happy with UF´s career services. Maybe you could take a look at that too.

Georgetown's program is structured to allow people to attend on a part-time basis (a lot of the classes are in the late afternoon and evening and only meet once a week). Additionally, most of the LL.M. faculty is adjuct; they are partners at the top DC firms, work at the DOJ, IRS, and the Hill. Both of the these factors work against the school when it comes to the ranking in US News. However, having received my LL.M. from G'town in 2006 and moved to NYC for work in September, I would say that G'town is the clear choice over UF. If your LL.M. isn't from NYU then it is from G'town - at least at every tax department in NYC (and DC).

I am a GULC LLM and concur with the above poster about biglaw tax groups being populated by GULC and NYU (rarely UF grads). TIP being limited to GULC and NYU students may contribute further to this problem. Having recently gone through TIP, firms are looking for a fast/convenient way to hire a few new associates (I did not meet a single partner or associate at any of the DC firms I interviewed with from UF). UF not being invited or not participating is a problem that firms likely see as troublesome. Also, my thoughts about the LLM at GULC: the teaching ability of adjuncts varies from spectacular to lackluster and you need to find out the best (Kafka, Sanders, Eisenberg for Corp 2, Buch for R&W, Smiley is a must, and Judge Laro). In addition, Martin Ginsburg, Ron Pearlman, and Charles Gustafson (full time profs) teach classes in the LLM division and are all great (have heard good things about Ethan Yale too). In the end, if your goal is to work in biglaw, then GULC is a better option. That is what helped me make the decision. As an aside, many of my friends are also going to B4 and a few to clerkships/gov't.

I have been advised that since most of the Tax Professors at G-town are adjuncts the quality of teaching is not as good as UF- whose Professors are all almost full time professors.
So that is something to consider.
You should also consider where you want to get employed (area-wise) after.

I am personally waiting on NYU as well, but am choosing G-town over UF, because I want a job in NY or DC after graduating.

Fair enough. I'd like to practice either in Texas, or in Georgia/Florida afterwards. Do you think that in any of those places, GT vs. UF is basically interchangable (with UF likely having the edge in in Georgia/Florida I assume).

I think if those are the places you would potentially want to practice in, I would choose UF over GT. I think the chances of you getting a better job from UF rather than GT in those regions is much more likely. Even though UF's law school is not nationally known as well as GT- most people in the area of tax know UF has a great program.

So if not NYU, I think UF would be great for you.

I heard the same thing that most of the Tax Professors at G-town are adjuncts while professors at UFare all almost full time professors. I personally perfer adjuncts over full time b/c I feel they bring in more real life experience compared to teaching straight out from the book. Granted full time professors devote more time to teaching, but from my personal experience in law school, I learned more from adjuncts than full time. just my two cents.