I am!
I'm from England. I want to do International Legal Studies and probably the WTO certificate thing.
I'm not doing Foundations.
Who else is going?

May I ask you why you do not do the Foundations.

I posted a thread on this. I know that some people said it is fun to do it (meeting foreign lawyers who go to other law schools...). However I need a little bit more to be convinced (as it is not free!)

Thanks.

I'm not doing it because although it looks interesting, I don't feel that it's necessary for me. Lawyers educated in civil law countries have to take a course - I think it's called Introduction to US Legal Methods - either in the fall term or in the Foundations course. As I'm from a common law country I wouldn't need to do this anyway. The other stuff on the course, about American legal education, the methods used, etc, doesn't really interest me and again, as I'm from England, I don't think it would be that useful for me as our systems are quite similar.
With all that in mind, it just seems like a bit of a wasted expense for me, and then I don't know what I would do between Foundations and the beginning of term - would I come home after Foundations and then go back again? (probably, because I wouldn't have anything to do in DC - but that's more expensive)
Finally, it begins just a couple of days after my school finishes at home and to be honest, I'd like a holiday and to spend time with friends & family who I won't be seeing for a while!

Thank you for your answer!

It makes sense!

Cindy, I graduated from the Georgetown LLM program summer 2005. I didn't do the foundations course because I am a common law trained lawyer and I didn't want to spend the money. It is a good chance to meet people though. Basically, I don't think they students learnt anything but they had parties every night and got to know each other. So if you want to do that and can afford it, go to Foundations. If not, you certainly won't be at a disadvantage if you don't go to Foundations.

If you have any other questions about the program, I would be happy to help.

am going to Georgetown. I, too, study at a UK law school (but am not from there).
For similar reasons as pointed out above I am not going to do the foundations-one personal reason is that I need some time for personal things.
I haven't decided yet whether to pursue the WTO or the national security law certificat...
I know that there is still time, but how about housing-are you all looking into it once you arrived in DC or befor that?
Cheers,
Dom

I thank you all of you for your answers!

Is there anyone on this board who will do Foundations?

I am from a civil law country and I wonder if I really need to do this program. To meet people is fun but I won't put the money only to have fun. The LLM year is enough expensive for me!

i emailed them and they said that all LLMs will have to take a course in us legal methods as well as one us law module. Therefore I don't really see the purpose of doing foundations.
I inquired specifically with regard to waivers in case you do foundations and they told me that the two modules above are obliagtory nevertheless...

I did not understand that.
I thought that we won't have to take US Legal Discourse course during the fall, because it is part of Foundations. We cannot take twice the class! Are they 2 different courses but under the same title?
If there are some current students, please help!

Maybe, it is better to know how to use the library and how to do search before beginning our selected courses, and not to learn this skill at the same time as taking our courses. It is just a thought.

I think it's that ALL international students, common law or civil law educated, whether or not they have been on Foundations, have to take US Legal Discourse.
Additionally, all civil law educated lawyers have to take US Legal Methods, either in the fall term, OR on Foundations.
Finally, if you want to take the NY bar exam, you have to take at least 2 courses classified as "basic" - there's a list of approved Georgetown courses here:

http://www.law.georgetown.edu/international/documents/CoursesapprovedforNYBarExamEligibility.pdf

Both of the two courses above fall into that category, but if you didn't take US Legal Methods (because you're common law educated) then you'd have to take something else, but as you can see the list is quite long, so you might be taking those courses anyway.

Hope this helps!

Hi All, This is to all of us whose been admitted, thinking about applying, or went to GULC. I am facing a tough decision whether to accept my place and therefore I would like to know how is the Georgetown LLM is viewed among employers and practicioners. According to my understanding it is viewed as a top university with a top LLM program but does anyone know how employers look onto it in the US or internationally compared to other LLM programs?

Hi everyone,

I am going to Georgetown (still thinking about doing the Foundations!) Does anyone have any suggestions on where to find housing that is not expensive (but not cheap, too!) and is (preferrably) within walking distance to our campus? I am not putting much hope in the dorm which I think is reserved for the JD's. Thanks!

to Neem518:
Hi, am facing the same question about housing. I think I am just going to go there a bit earlier (around 20 August) and find a place then...
any other suggestions?

Cheers,
Dom

Hello all,

I just got an offer too which I am accepting. Will be seeing you guys there!

Good to know that there are some other Brits going - where in UK are you guys from? I will be keeping up the good name of Ealing in West London!

Naz

p.s. not made any plans about accommodation yet either. will be interested in any info that anyone comes across re where, when and how to get a place sorted out.

I am an admitted (US JD) student and am weighing whether to attend this fall.

I am concerned about Georgetown's continued extension of the deadline for applications; does this mean they can't seem to attract enough deposits? If so, is an LLM from GT really that valuable???

Also, respectfully, does anyone know of ANYONE who has ever been rejected by G-Town?

PLEASE REPLY!

Cindy, I graduated from the Georgetown LLM program summer 2005. I didn't do the foundations course because I am a common law trained lawyer and I didn't want to spend the money. It is a good chance to meet people though. Basically, I don't think they students learnt anything but they had parties every night and got to know each other. So if you want to do that and can afford it, go to Foundations. If not, you certainly won't be at a disadvantage if you don't go to Foundations.

If you have any other questions about the program, I would be happy to help.

To ABBA123

Hi,

I think you'd rather not measure the quality of the GULC LLM by the extension of the application deadline. It can happen in any school in any year that the admissions committee does not find that many applicants who would fulfill their expectations...Of course its another question how does the school handle this situation...A extends the deadline or B they defer to the smaller LLM class size. Nevertheless we must always keep in mind that LLMs are cash cows for all law schools ...
I think GULC has a very strong reputation, both in the academia and among employers.
As to the question of rejections, you can check out the "waiting list post"...

Hi guys,

I am from a civil law country (Bulgaria) and I am wondering about taking Foundations because of the money. Is there anyone from civil law country who is not planning to take it?

I am from Ukraine and I am going to attend it. However, my situation is a bit different from yours since I am a Fulbright grantee and the IIE will pay for the Foundations.

@ Mariya

I am from a civil law country too (Austria) and I will not attend Foundations because of two reasons: First, I will quit my job in end of June and will need a rest. Second, I have attended some legal courses about the US legal system at my university. Therefore I think I know the very basics.

Hi guys,

I am from a civil law country (Bulgaria) and I am wondering about taking Foundations because of the money. Is there anyone from civil law country who is not planning to take it?