Hi,
I am in a Tier 3 Law School as a 1L. I would like to do a LLM at Harvard after I complete my JD. As I see the information on this website, it looks like majority of the LLM positions at Harvard are for International Law graduates.

Does anybody have an insight into what options an American JD might have to get into the Harvard LLM program? Any idea on how many people apply vs how many get admitted? I am not sure if the admissions process for the LLM is the same for American and International Law graduates. Anybody with any info, please share. I looked online - all over the place, but could not find any suitable info. Any info here would be highly appreciated.

Thank You.

Have a look at the application materials - you can download them as pdf file from Harvard's website. Here's what it says re applicants from US:

"For LL.M. Applicants from the United States

For students (regardless of citizenship) who hold a J.D. from a law school in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, the LL.M. degree is intended as preparation for a career in law teaching. The strongest candidates will have had at least two or three years of experience beyond law school and will have demonstrated a commitment to law teaching. In the admissions process, the Committee focuses primarily on applicants who have excelled in their basic law school studies, who elicit strong letters of recommendation from law school teachers and others familiar with their work, and who have spent at least two years working as a law school teacher, judicial clerk, or practitioner in a public agency or private practice. A strong publication record and graduate education in a field other than law would also be significant. Weight will be given to materials demonstrating the applicants interest in, commitment to, and capability for a career in law teaching. The Committee also may consider the occasional applicant who is not primarily interested in a teaching career but who makes a strong case for study at Harvard as contrasted with other schools, based on the applicants area of specialization or other similar factors."

Thank you for the response. So, it seems like a fresh out of JD candidate has almost no chance at a Harvard LLM?? Agree??