Hello

I received my Danish law degree in 2005 (which included one semester at Duke University). Since then I have worked for a Danish law firm.

It is my plan to enroll in a L.L.M. program at a top ranked school in 2009. My focus in my daily work is on corporate finance, M&A, securities regulation, and general corporate law. Taking these areas of work into consideration, which of these law shools should I choose for the L.L.M.? (assuming I get admitted):

- Columbia
- Harvard
- NYU
- Stanford
- Berkeley
- Yale

What would you recommend? Are there perhaps any schools that I have missed?

Thank you in advance for your advise.

Rank:

1) Columbia (best program for Finance and in NYC)
2) Harvard (The best name, cannot deny)
3) Berkeley (Market oriented, but in California)
4) NYU (it focus is not Finance, but in NYC)

Standford and Yale are amazing ACADEMIC LL.M programs!

In Europe:

- Institute for Law and Finance (ILF) - Even with a double degree program with Aarhus and exchange with columbia;
- LSE in London.

Ciao

I agree with Mr. Lawyer.
For Corporate Finance, Securities and in general capital markets Columbia has an edge because it has the best professor like John C. Coffee, Goldschmidt, Gilson, etc... (you can check the Leiter rankings).
Harvard, Yale and Stanford are excellent LL.M. programs as well so you can't be wrong (even if less specialized in finance).
As to Berkeley and NYU I don't know except that they are very good law schools.

Sorry, but I disagree. You cant say Columbia is better than Stanford or Harvard in Corporate, Finance or Capital Markets. Coffee has an excellent book, but is a terrible professor. Gilson is also a professor in Stanford. Grundfest (former SEC Chairman) is a professor in Stanford. Lucian Bebchuk is one of the best and most recognized corporate professors in the US, and he teaches in Harvard. Leither rankings should not be considered as you are considering. Some of the best law students in Stanford and Harvard dont go to law firms, but to venture capital funds, hedge funds and private equity companies, because they make more money there. In my opinion your understanding applies to Yale, but not to Harvard or Stanford. Finally, living in NYC itself is not an advantage to study or work in corporate law. If it was, most LLMs from Columbia or NYU would be employed. But they are not, lots of them cant find a position after the LLM, which is not the same for Stanford or Harvard. If you prefer to leave in NY and them go back to your country, fine. If you want to stay in the US and not only study corporate law in the US, but work with corporate law in the US, better take one of the top 3 law schools. In this case, I would take Yale over Columbia by far.

Hey guys, i just completed my LLB and i intend to pursue a career in corporate and finance law. However the tuition fees of the top universities in the US are way beyond my means and i was thinking of going to canada as i have been told its cheaper and the quality of education is relatiely the same. Would anyone kindly advise me on the best university for corporate and finance law in canada. Am literally frustrated.

Guys, you seem to be forgetting Dean Clark, a living legend in Corp law, and Vice Chancellor Leo Strine of the Delaware Court of Chancery, both of HLS.