Im trying to figure out which exactly are the top LLM programs in the USA. its easy to find a ranking of the top 10 law schools but generally this (mainly) involves the JD program, which though obviously important re professors, is not infact entirely relevant. My point is this NYU takes on about 200 LLM's- yes their JD program is excellent but with 200 other LLM's you will not get much personal attention as oppossed to an LLM with 60 or 70. What I am thinking is that there seems to be a compromise between a great reputation NYU, Columbia and a slightly less formidable reputation Cornell, Duke but a smaller class? I am thinking in terms of one's ability to network and make friends with a view to staying in the USA and getting a job. Am i accurate? can anyone- ideally someone who has done an LLM or who knows someone who has done an LLM - say which are the best 10 LLM programs?

I think your question is simply too vague. I doubt if anyone can rank different programs. Law school rankings are usually based on the law school's prestige, the quality of its faculty, the quality of its students, and on how many SCOTUS and federal appellate court clerks it produces - not on the quality of different program themselves. The reason is simple; it all depends on what you want to achieve. With who do you want to network with? Legal philosophers? Go to Columbia or NYU. Legal historians? Go to Yale? People whose hobbies include scuba diving? Go to Miami. People who like tex-mex? Go to University of Texas at Austin. People who would like to make it to Cravath. Go to Columbia or Harvard. I don't mean to be rude or sarcastic, but the truth is: you have to decide what you want to study, with whom, in New York or elsewhwere, do you intend to apply for an associate position in New York, Chicago, or L.A. A ranking that is based on a very abstract-level criteria, won't really help you in that decision. Having said that, I would still maintain that if you are accepted to Yale, Stanford, or Harvard, do not decline their offers. These law schools have such an incredible reputation in the US, and elsewhere, that it would probably be a mistake not to go there. If you discuss these things with American students, they will probably agre with me. You don't prefer Duke to Harvard even if a friend of yours says taht Duke's program is so great. But once again, if you want to study neo-classical L & E, go to Chicago, if the history of mediaval canon marriage law, go to Kansas (where James Brundage is), and so on...

I take your point. Perhaps if I am more specific you could help me. I have been accepted into Duke and Cornell. I want to study academic subjects like Constitutional law, legal history and Jurisprudence but i also want to study Anti -trust law, tax, M&A and other business type subjects. Iwould also be interested in attending a few subjects in the business school of whichever Lw school I choose. I am acutely aware of my need to do subjects that will help me gain employment to pay the debts I will incur. I am also aware that i must pick the college that has the best prestige for the LLM program- that i have been offered- as this will help me get employed in New York or in Europe (though of course not a guarantee- im just trying to shorten the odds). I know Chemerinsky is a very good Constitutional lecturer and I hear Cox is also very good with securities (both Duke), i have no knowledge of any other lecturers. often though firms will not care what subjects you actually take- its all about the college. Hence my question where colleges stand in a ranking type situation for their LLM programs. when I spoke of networking I was refering to any chances I would have networking with people from whom I would shorten the odds of getting a job in New York- where i hope to be qualified if I have passed the NY Bar which i sat 2 weeks ago). a big LLM program (NYU) may leave me isolated without the best oppotunity to get to know all the LLM students and the lecturers. i have applied to harvard and Columbia too, I perhaps have a slim chance of Columbia but very little of Harvard. Could you or anyone else make a suggestion now? any help would be appreciated.

Unfortunately I don't know Duke that well. Duke and Cornell are both very prestigious schools, so I think either would be a very good choice. If you make it to Columbia, go there. It is located in New York, it is one of the best law schools in the world, and has a very strong faculty. In terms of gaining employment in the US, I believe it would be better that Duke or Cornell. As far as networking is concerned, I wouldn't be worried, if I were you. Both Duke and Cornell are old and prestigious schools, and consequently, they have a strong alumni network. I haven't studied in the US, so I can't say anything about networking with your class mates, but let's use some common sense. If you attend a very large program, like NYU, you will probably get to know circa 30 individuals better. If it's a smaller program, it will probably be the same. In most courses there are J.D. students also, so I don't really know whether it makes a huge difference if it's a big or small LL.M. program. In networking, the most important thing is your interpersonal communication, so be nice! This is just common-sense reasoning, but would you agree with me on this? To sum up: go to Harvard or Columbia if possible. If not, I would choose Cornell, if I were you, because it has a stunningly beautiful campus, and is highly regarded in Finland. But I have no doubt that Duke will be a great experience also.

thanks

It is important to remember that until you get the New York Bar you have nothing to trade with in the marketplace. Once you get it, you can perhaps use it as leverage alongside your LLM to obtain a job.

wise words my friend. thank you.

Many friends of mine have got a job in NYC without the BAR

how did they go about it?
contacts? did they have an LLM?

Some had an LLM, others had contacts, and others had both. What I mean is that the BAR exam is not a condition sine qua non for getting a job