Hello, does anyone have views on which would be a better place - Oxford or NYU?

hi bala,
methinks oxford is a better option, esp for public law. also bcl is more respected from what i can gather. also apparently job opportunities are better...(source akila, who was making the same decision)
aparna

Depends, Bala, on what you intend to do with your degree and where you wish to end up working. I disagree that job opportunties and "respectability" gives Oxford the edge. If you intend to focus, for instance, on Taxation, then NYU is the better option. And there is no shortage of jobs for NYU LL.M.s. Really depends on what you intend to focus on and where you plan on working. Both programs are very well respected in their respective countries.

well... if money are there... why not to do both...defer one that already possess and pursue another... be flexible ~~!

i m not sure the 2 "compete" against each other. they are so different. main difference is one is in the US, the other one in the UK. depending on your background and aspirations for your career, I believe that this difference should lead your choice (for a big part).

I had similar choice between Cambridge and Columbia, and after talking to lecturers and barristers and I was given the following advice:

"1) If you want to work in the US, then no questions asked Columbia is the number one choice. I dont want to work in US.

2) If you want to become an academic; Go to Columbia to do LLM and come back to do PhD in Cambridge or Oxford. Columbia LLM is far more rigorous academically and much more rarified because there are so few people from Ireland or UK who get in. If I did LLM in Columbia I was told that I would sail into a research program in UK and it would look much better on resume for University jobs. Unfortunately, if I was being realistic about it I do not want to teach. It would be great for a year or two, but the novelty would wear off and i would get restless and bored doing the same thing over and over again. This is my second year teaching tutorials and I have found that this is the case.

3) Practice at the bar: Even though Cambridge would be far less rigorous than Columbia, it is goldust for practice in London or Dublin. People in the know i.e. academics know about Columbia's reputation, but everyone knows about Cambridge and you cant beat that. If my aim is to go into practice immediately in London or Dublin then there is no question, Cambridge is the option."

You also have to bear in mind that if you are specialising in International law then NYU would be a much more sensible option.They have links to numerous international organisations and regularly organise internships for their LLM graduates. Also, if you wanted to doa doctorate after, NYU doesnt charge fees for the SJD, which is another factor to take into account.
Another thing to consider is that the Oxford BCL is, in my understanding, very very rigorous. Tutorials and essays every other week and an awful lot of work. Cambridge different, just lectures, so when reading above post you would have to bear that in mind as well.

Anyway, you have probably already made your decision at this stage. Hope all goes well wherever you decide to go

By the way, any idea about who won the Felix scholarship?

Hi IrishGuy,

I understand from reading your post on the trinity site (jaysus) that you went to ucd. Did you have to have a first to be accepted at NYU and/or Cambridge? Did you apply to Oxon? Am thinking of applying to these 3 programmes for 2007...currently finishing up LLB at --don't judge me-- trinity.

Interesting to hear your summary of other people's advice, i find it's often as confusing as enlightening.

Oxford has the better global reputation but NYU is very good for international law.