I was recently admitted at NYU and CLS for their 2014-2015 LLm program. I am interested in International arbitration. I really like both universities, and I am not sure which one should I choose. Any suggestions?

Both great schools, congrats, you cannot go wrong either way.:)

If financial conditions are irrelevant, I would go for Columbia.

Higher rating, international brand, great job prospects, smaller LL.M class than NYU, Ivy League. I am no expert in international arbitration but it seems Columbia has a special center:

http://web.law.columbia.edu/center-for-international-arbitration

I agree with LegalEagle on this one completely. If money makes no difference and your finances do not depend on any possible offer by one of the schools then go for Columbia. As someone who specialized in arbitration, I would suggest Columbia if you focus on International Commercial Arbitration and ADR in general. Prof. George Bermann is one of the world leading experts in the field and an amazing teacher.

However, one of the leading authorities in foreign investment law and investment arbitration, prof. Jose Alvarez is in NYU - I had a chance to be a member of his class at the Hague Academy for International Law and he is amazing. Truly amazing.

The choice really boils down to what you want to specialize in. If commercial arbitration is your focus, go for Columbia if you prefer investment arbitration, well, NYU is a place... This really goes into nuances, but in any event, if you still have no clear view as to particular specialization in terms niche arbitration, go for Columbia :D

Hope this helped...

I am not in the field of international arbitration, but Professors Bermann, Laird and Sauvant are among the group of well-renowned experts who are at Columbia. And if it's any consolation, Prof. Alvarez's (who by the way taught at Columbia before he was appointed Director of NYU's International Legal Studies program) class on international organisations is available to Columbia students for cross-registration. I am unsure whether this is also true with his investment class (or whether he still teaches this). But I guess a simple Google search should give you the answer. Also, the very successful International Arbitration Day at Columbia Law School was well attended by scholars, experts and practitioners from different parts of the world, including representatives of institutions like the PCA, law firms, and Prof. Alvarez himself.

Additionally, the Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable International Investment is an amazing institution that works on various projects that touch on international investment. Their clientele includes states, private entities and intergovernmental institutions, among others. They also have research and publication opportunities. Internships are available to Columbia Law students. Might also be interesting to note that Jeffrey Sachs is Co-Chair of the Center. Hope that helps.

Thanks a lot, I truly appreciated your insights guys!! :)
Looking forward to few more opinions on the same subject to help me choose the right one.