Hey Folks,

I'm currently making up my mind to which U.S. law schools apply to for the LL.M., my field is International Public Law and I'm currently finishing my Ph.D. at the University.
According to the U.S. News rankings for International Law the best schools are:
1 New York University
2 Columbia University
3 Harvard University
4 Georgetown University
5 American University (Washington)
Yale University
7 University of Michigan--Ann Arbor
8 George Washington University
9 University of California--Berkeley
10 University of Virginia

But I don't sincerely don't know how reliable/valuable those rankings are.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
K.

Columbia and NYU are absolutely very respected in International Law and since they have the exchange program between the two university you can take classes in both!

If I were you I will have no doubt about: try to get in one of these law schools!

Hey UnderPreassure,

I'm currently applying for an LLM as well. I think AU is my top choice though because I've heard a lot of my friends enjoyed that program. They've got a great human rights focus and have ties with awesome international orgs like IMF, WB, etc. They're flexible with deadlines which is nice b/c I applied a little late but they still accepted my application! Just wanted to share the info.

-Bea

the ranking is about international private law, not public. you should rather refer to the general ranking. Columbia, NYU and so on are great schools anyway. good luck

If you want to join WB or IMF, a LL.M is not the best graduate program. you could rather look for a MPP program at SAIS (here in DC), Harvard, Yale, Princeton...

there is no difference with International Law. the rankings do not show public/private International Law, but rather just International Law. You should decide what you want to do and apply to the program that specifically suits your interests. As for work at the IMF or WB an LLM will help. I interned at the WB two summers ago and met several lawyers (from all over the world) who held LLM degrees from all three GW AU and Georgetown.

Since you are interested in International law, I wanted to point out that Tulane Law School provides an unparalleled opportunity for both US and foreign lawyers to obtain a basic foundation in international legal practice. The international and comparative law program at Tulane emphasizes the distinctiveness of regional legal systems, national legal development, and the more traditional differences between major legal cultures.

In addition to a strong faculty with significant international experience and training and an outstanding library, Tulane's program offers students the Eason-Weinmann Center for Comparative Law. Other resources include several relevant student-edited journals as well as a faculty-edited one, student organizations devoted to the exploration of international law topics, and a student body drawn from throughout the world. With the breadth of course offerings, each student can design his or her course of study with the assistance of a faculty advisor.

I hope this helps.

The rank of the program is not important. The only relevant factor is the rank of the LAW SCHOOL.
Look at the US NEWS ranking...
trust me, in the US, only the law school's reputation is decisive!

You are wrong! the program is more important. Law school rankings are based mostly on the bar passage rate and LSAT scores; all of which have very little to do with those seeking an LLM. I did an internship at the WB last summer and the lawyers I spoke to-both domestic and international-advised me to apply to a law school with a program that excells in what I am interested in. In some cases like NYU and Harvard, it doesn matter what your degree is in; it's a great school all around. Do your research!

If you go to a great law school such as NYU or Harvard.... it does not really matter the ranking of the program, because the law school itself is highly ranked.

However, if you go to a law school which is not among the top 14-20-25, the story is different.

People are not going to ask you what the rank of your program was, they will ask you what school you went to.

Thus, if, for the sake of the argument, you did your LLM at the University of Atlantis, whose LLM program is ranked 10th and because of that you did not go to Boston University, or Georgetown or George Washington, because their LLM programs are lower ranked, then you made a HUGE mistake.

That does not mean that you are not going to be successful. That depends on you, but you just missed an opportunity to bolster your credentials.... that's it.

i agree with the point "ranking of law school is most important".
Let me put it in this way: If a veterinary college boasts they are the best in veterinary law in the States, will the students be proud of themselves for that? It does not make sense at all.
You will benefit from the credential of prestigious law school instead of a so-called high ranking program.