Howdy everyone,

I’m in a bit of a dilemma and could really use your input.

I’m a law student in France, studying both French Law and Common Law. Next year, I need to go abroad for either an LLM or a JD as part of my degree.

I’ve been doing pretty well and am aiming for LLM programs at the Top 14 law schools. Berkeley, Duke, NYU and UCLA are probably my preferred options right now. My goal is to live and work in the U.S. long-term, but I’ve heard that it can be tough for international students to find jobs with just an LLM. It seems like having a JD makes things easier.

My school has a partnership with American University Washington for a two-year JD program that could be free or half off, which is interesting.

So, given my goals, should I go for a solid LLM or take the plunge for the JD, even if it’s less prestigious? What would employers prefer?

Thanks a bunch for your thoughts!