I know there's a recession underway and job prospects are poor in any case but, as I am taking an LLM and a bar exam as perhaps my only chance of getting work in the US, which LLM is most likely to be attractive to potential employers?

Fordham - IP and IT Law

University of Texas at Austin - US Law for Foreign Lawyers (with option to focus on a specific area of US law)

George Washington - General US Law (with option to specialize)

Boston University - General US Law

It was my intention to try and practice law in NY as English lawyers can take that bar exam but I am quite happy to practice in Texas (now I have realized that foreign lawyers can practice after completing an LLM).

I just want to know which university would put me in the best position with US law firms (either NY, TX, CA, LA or any other state that would allow me to practice - I'm that desperate to live in the US).

Hey Durham,

Texas bar is a hard one! You also need 5 years of experience on your own country, which I assume you have. If you want to practice in Texas, UT is your best bet. But opportunities in Texas expand more in the energy industry so you would want to focus more on Energy law, oil and gas all that. The bar in Texas itself has Family law, Oil and gas, business organizations and so forth so as you can see is very specific and a hard one.

George Washington is a great law school! Fordham has a huge reputation and would put you in a huge position to get a good job.

The job market in Texas is limited to Houston and Dallas, again a lot of oil and gas and some Environmental Law.
The Washington metropolitan area is very very opened to lawyers with your credentials and NY as well.

I would personally head to either Fordham or George Wash. UT would be a good option for the energy sector and remember if you want to compete in every state any degree from the NY and Washington area is a very good bet! UT is a great school and the campus is amazing!!!

Thank you for your reply Pedrinus, there was a lot of very helpful information there. I have two further related questions if you're able to answer them.

1) Would UTexas at Austin look better to a NY or CA law firm than GW or Fordham (because it is higher in the US News ratings)?

2) Would an LLM from UTexas called 'US Law for Foreign Lawyers' with a specialism in IP look bad on a reume because of its title - I want to do IP law in either NY or CA and Fordham's LLM is specifically in IP/IT?

UT is good anywhere but remember, a degree from either GW of Fordham would without any doubt put you in a very good position.

Most UT graduates tend to stay in Texas or head towards California because it is very respected there. UT is part of two job fairs and with IP being the main type of work in the Bay area, you would also be in a good position. Remember, you still would have to compete with UC Berkeley and UCLA for IP.

Fordham's concentration sounds more appealling to me!!! and it's reputation across the legal profession in both England and in the United States is very very good.

Either of the Schools would be good! Austin is a small city but amazing and the campus is fantastic, but then again if you really want to settle down here, go to NY where you have the center of all and all the contacts are there! People that graduate from Austin, don't stay in Austin normally, they move to the large metropolitan areas such as Washington and New York as well as the SF bay area, but because they have a JD programme it is easier for them to get a position than an LLM from Austin.

In Fordham you will develop a huge amount of contacts and you will be in the huge metropolitan area that will help you to remain in NY. The rankings of all three schools are very very similar.

If you really are aiming to stay, go to the place where you want to settle down and develop contacts there, that is NY or Washington.

If you want to have a good time in a nice campus go to Austin.

Thanks again. I really do appreciate your taking the time to reply in such detail.

It always sounded like Fordham was the best option (as NY appears to be my best bet for finding IP work in the US) but until I was able to canvass opinion on the other two universities and their reputations, I still harboured doubts.

It's ok!!!

Just be aware of all the factors when you make a decision as important as this.

Even Boston (that I completely forgot) is a great law school! You are very lucky as all of the schools are very good!

Good luck!!

I would say that Texas is the better university, in rankings. And you should probably choose that one. Then BU. The advantage of Fordham would be that it's in NYC, but still not that a great advantage. GW only for patents / human rights.