Top LL.M. Programs for Alternative Dispute Resolution 2024

The Geneva LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement arms graduates with a range of skills that are significant to resolving disputes in fields like international commerce, investment and the protection of the environment. For those looking to see how international dispute settlement works in the real world, Geneva, home to many international organizations, is a great place to be.

Aimed at working professionals, Osgoode Hall’s Professional LL.M. in Dispute Resolution is designed for those looking to build or expand on a practice in dispute resolution. It’s also open to some non-legal professionals who either consult in the field, or work as part of a dispute resolution team inside an organization. The school is home to the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution, one of the few such centers in Canada. 

USC’s LL.M. in Alternative Dispute Resolution, as well as its related Master of Dispute Resolution programs are poised to help students transition into the ADR field. Students in both programs have access to experiential learning through initiatives like a Mediation Clinic.

Ohio State offers an LL.M. concentration in Alternative Dispute Resolution, which addresses dispute resolution in employment, arbitration, international dispute resolution and a host of other important issues. The school is currently ranked at the top of the Dispute Resolution ranking from US News and World Report; its faculty members have published hundreds of books and articles in the field.

The University of Missouri hosts a number of relevant initiatives, including the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution, which publishes research, and a mediation clinic. Launched in 1999, the school’s LL.M. in Dispute Resolution is evidently the first such program offered by a US law school.

The school offers an International Arbitration LL.M., which combines theoretical courses in dispute resolution topics with hands-on components. Specifically, students have the opportunity to take on a legal externship with the schools International Arbitration LL.M. Practicum program. The LL.M.’s curriculum addresses many topics in international arbitration, from a class on Investment Arbitration to one on Complex International Negotiations, among others. For those who wish to take a US bar exam, the school also offers LL.M. students the chance to take preparatory bar exam courses.

KCL’s International Dispute Resolution LL.M. helps arm students with tools that will help them enter the field of international dispute resolution. The program covers topics such as international commercial arbitration and international investment arbitration, not to mention dispute resolution in the EU, which continues to be valuable, even years after Brexit. The school also hosts the King’s Forum on International Dispute Resolution, which puts on a variety of relevant events each year

Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution offers various law programs, provides training in dispute resolution and puts on relevant conferences. Pepperdine’s LL.M. program in Dispute Resolution allows students to delve into specific aspects of the field, with concentrations in Mediation, Arbitration and Litigation. The school is currently ranked as one of the top schools for Dispute Resolution in US News' Best Law Schools ranking.

Besides an LL.M. concentration in Conflict & Dispute Resolution, the University of Oregon also offers a Master’s program in Conflict & Dispute Resolution. The school is currently ranked as a top-15 law school for dispute resolution by US News.

Students in Cardozo’s LL.M. in Dispute Resolution and Advocacy can get hands-on dispute resolution experience by participating in one of the school’s relevant clinics, including a Divorce Mediation Clinic and a Securities Arbitration Clinic. The school is currently ranked as a top ten law school for dispute resolution by US News.