Hi,
I am currently an undergraduate student in one of India's top law schools. My query is that , what are the job prospects after pursuing an LLM from any of the top US law schools. I have heard many people discouraging me from going forward with it , specifically because of the current financial climate, but since I graduate in 2015 and will apply only after two years so that I have some work experience, I want to know what are my prospects for working in a law firm in US, post my LLM.

This question has been asked and answered so many times on this blog. An LLM is considered by US JD holders as unimpressive UNLESS the LLM is in Tax from a Top 3 tax school. And, this is even WITH a USA JD degree. So, that should tell you that a non-USA law degree + USA LLM is really not going to help much.

There are exceptions. If the non-USA attorney brings something extra to the USA firm besides just an LLM and maybe the NY Bar exam. That attorney would preferably have direct access to home country clients or an in-depth knowledge of laws in their country to best advise the USA firm's USA clients who might want to enter that market.

But, do not think that simply attending a USA LLM program (even the very best ones) is a guarantee to a job at a USA law firm. You would end up very disappointed and in a lot of debt.

This question has been asked and answered so many times on this blog. An LLM is considered by US JD holders as unimpressive UNLESS the LLM is in Tax from a Top 3 tax school. And, this is even WITH a USA JD degree. So, that should tell you that a non-USA law degree + USA LLM is really not going to help much.

There are exceptions. If the non-USA attorney brings something extra to the USA firm besides just an LLM and maybe the NY Bar exam. That attorney would preferably have direct access to home country clients or an in-depth knowledge of laws in their country to best advise the USA firm's USA clients who might want to enter that market.

But, do not think that simply attending a USA LLM program (even the very best ones) is a guarantee to a job at a USA law firm. You would end up very disappointed and in a lot of debt.

An LL.M. is a money mill for law schools. If you want to use it in your home country please pursue an LL.M. The legal market in U.S. right now is dead. Graduates with J.D's from some of the top law schools in U.S. are unemployed. Top 20 law schools are reducing their J.D. intake for the first time. That should tell you something.

As a side note the LL.M. intake is the same or even going up. LL.M intake does not figure in U.S. News rankings. International LL.M.'s also gives some law schools bell curve stuffing lower percentile students. It's good business for law schools to give out admits to foreign students who don't rank that high. Some good students too get thrown under the bus by a few faculty. You will have a grade sheet with a lot of A's and a solitary D. Be very careful. Some law schools have separate bell curve for LL.M's. So spend wisely.