Hello, I am a LLM student. I wonder whether I should look for a job or pursue a JD degree. My question is without a JD degree, is it possible to develop well in an American law firm? Is JD degree a prerequisite to develop in US firms?

Any suggestion or comment is welcomed.

Thanks.

Graduate with your LL.M, get licensed and look for a job. I assume you have at least a LL.B from a foreign university, so it seems to me that a J.D. program would be duplicative and a waste of time. I would not recommend it unless the state in which you intend to practice requires a J.D. California and New York do not. You don't need a J.D. to work in a law firm. Look at all the attorneys all over the world who are working in law firms with only a LL.B. degree.

Hi, thank you very much for your reply. But even I can find a job with my LLM degree, can I be treated as the same with JD students?

Thanks again.

I think so. Once you are hired I think the only thing that will matter is your work performance.

Sorry but I disagree. Very few LLMs are partners in US firms. After a couple of years in a US firm, most LLMs end up doing a JD. I would consider a part-time JD program though.

Paul,

My understanding is that the LL.M year would not count toward the J.D., so if you are correct and a J.D. would eventually be necesssary, why waste a year getting a LL.M at all.

Richard,

Unfortunately, this is the reality. I don't know many LLMs that really made it in a US law firm (became partners) without getting a JD. You are right, I think you should not get a LLM if your goal is a permanent position in the US.

BTW, some schools do count the credits of your LLM if you decide to get a JD. Columbia is one of them.

Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but very few foreign LLM grads even get jobs as associates in law firms. If you are already qualified in your own country, have a few yrs experience in international corporate law and/or speak a second language, then you may stand a good chance of getting a job. But an LLB grad (UK) who then goes straight to the US to do an LLM will have a hard time getting a job, I am a UK LLB who did just that. I was able to transfer my 26 LLM credits toward the JD program and graduated in 3 yrs like everyone else, though it meant one intensive semester of 20 credits - which interestingly was my best graded semester (funny how that works, my 12 credit semester was my worst).

Anyway, even with the JD in hand, I was still in the same position as every other JD grad in the country, and the top firms are looking for top 10% from top 10 schools and law review. I was top 50% from a top 50 school and moot court, so settled for a small firm on graduation - 4 attorneys - but, got and still have a lot of responsibility, though the pay is absolutely crap.

In sum, either (1) be a qualified lawyer w/ big firm corporate experience in your own country, (2) be an LLM grad with sought after fluent language skills, like chinese, or (3) get a JD from a top 10 school, graduate in the top 10%, and get onto law review (at least for big law).

Underemployed,

What you are saying is true, even for US students. If you want to work for a mega firm you will need to graduate from a top 10 or 15 law school and graduate at the top of your class. I graduated in the middle of my class from a top 15 law school and as such was not a mega firm candidate. This was fine with me as I had no desire to work for such a firm. After graduating from law school I worked for a mid sized law firm and for a large insurance company. I am currently a government lawyer. I have not made the huge dollars but have lived a comfortable life without working ridiculous hours. Most of my classmates who began their careers at a mega firm only lasted 2 to 3 years.