Preface of LL.M. Roadmap
A. Birth of LL.M. Roadmap
In August 2009, I gave a presentation in Nairobi to Kenyan students departing to study at universities across the United States. U.S. officials were discussing what the students should expect at their U.S. visa interviews, what to do when passing through Immigration and Customs, and how to stay warm when encountering snow for the first time.
The students had spent months under the tutelage of U.S. State Department EducationUSA Advisors, who advised on choosing the right school, navigating the application process, and securing financing.
I talked about higher education in the U.S. generally, and then about studying law in the U.S. I shared a Powerpoint presentation I had prepared titled “American Legal Education—Do You Want To Study Law In The U.S.A.?”.
I had recently shared my Powerpoint with international students, advisors, law professors, government officials and others in a dozen countries on five continents. As in other countries, the Kenyan discussion revealed how much international students did not know about U.S. legal education, and wished they had known before embarking on their overseas study quest—and also how much more U.S. educational advisors would like to know as they advise students about a U.S. law education.
The officials said something like, “Your Powerpoint can help Kenyan students learn a great deal about studying law in the U.S. Why don’t you publish it?”
A. Birth of LL.M. Roadmap
In August 2009, I gave a presentation in Nairobi to Kenyan students departing to study at universities across the United States. U.S. officials were discussing what the students should expect at their U.S. visa interviews, what to do when passing through Immigration and Customs, and how to stay warm when encountering snow for the first time.
The students had spent months under the tutelage of U.S. State Department EducationUSA Advisors, who advised on choosing the right school, navigating the application process, and securing financing.
I talked about higher education in the U.S. generally, and then about studying law in the U.S. I shared a Powerpoint presentation I had prepared titled “American Legal Education—Do You Want To Study Law In The U.S.A.?”.
I had recently shared my Powerpoint with international students, advisors, law professors, government officials and others in a dozen countries on five continents. As in other countries, the Kenyan discussion revealed how much international students did not know about U.S. legal education, and wished they had known before embarking on their overseas study quest—and also how much more U.S. educational advisors would like to know as they advise students about a U.S. law education.
The officials said something like, “Your Powerpoint can help Kenyan students learn a great deal about studying law in the U.S. Why don’t you publish it?”
Though my Powerpoint was comprehensive, it was just a standard Powerpoint—with dozens of slides containing bullet points, charts, photos and flashy graphics and lots of lists. The presentation wouldn’t work as a stand-alone publication. So I decided to convert it into a book: a guide to U.S. legal education for international students, describing and fully examining how they can reach their academic and career goals.
I wrote LL.M. Roadmap. I was reminded of Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison’s remark that “If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
Below are a few words about the four most common issues international students have about pursuing an LL.M. in the U.S.: (1) choosing the “best” LL.M. program; (2) getting admitted; (3) paying for the LL.M.; and (4) getting a great post-LL.M. job, or otherwise reaching career aspirations.
1. Choosing among over 100 U.S. LL.M. programs. Discerning which is “best” for me.
About 6,000 students enroll each year in LL.M. programs at over 100 U.S. law schools. That’s fewer than 50 LL.M. students per school. Larger LL.M. programs have around 200 students per year, a few schools have even more, and the smallest have 5 or fewer. Not all international students can attend all schools. Not every LL.M. program is suitable for every international student. LL.M. Roadmap identifies and analyzes 218 criteria you can consider as you decide what school is “best” for you. Some schools may not offer the concentration you want, may not be in a city or region you desire, may require TOEFL scores higher than yours, or may be too expensive. LL.M. Roadmap will help you find the right school for you.
2. How do I get admitted to a U.S. LL.M. program?
LL.M. Roadmap offers tips on how to make your application as strong as possible to maximize your chances of getting accepted to the “best” U.S. law school for you.
3. How do I pay for my LL.M.?
LL.M. Roadmap summarizes hundreds of LL.M. funding sources, including scholarships, fellowships, grants, loans and temporary employment. U.S. legal education is expensive. But thousands of students from around world have received U.S. law degrees, and many were paid for in ways LL.M. Roadmap describes.
4. Can I achieve my career goals after I finish my US degree?
Some international students want to work in the US post-LL.M. Others want to return to their home countries or move to a third country to become law professors, judges, non-profit attorneys, or United Nations lawyers. LL.M. Roadmap explains how LL.M. graduates can reach career and personal goals.
B. Who should be interested in U.S. LL.M. programs?
LL.M. Roadmap is helpful for international students and professionals, including:
1. You—The next generation of overseas-trained law students in the U.S. LL.M. Roadmap is the perfect guide for a foreign-educated lawyer, international law student, judge, law teacher, government law professional, or foreign law graduate who is considering studying for an advanced law degree, and who will consider law school in the U.S. You may be a U.S. permanent resident or citizen who received your first law degree overseas. LL.M. Roadmap is the A – Z guide from application, to admission and beyond: the visa process, enrollment, exam-taking, graduation, and on to achieving your educational, personal and professional career goals.
2. Law firms, corporation counsel offices and other legal practitioners in the U.S. and overseas. Lawyers play a critical role in transnational deals involving U.S. and overseas law firms, corporations, governments, and entities and individuals of many nationalities. Even simple international deals require transnational lawyers. U.S. legal work is increasingly “out-sourced” to India and other countries, making it important for non-U.S. lawyers to have U.S. legal training. Small, medium-sized and large law firms in the U.S. can benefit from accepting international interns enrolled in U.S. LL.M. programs, particularly if the firms have clients, or want clients, in the interns’ home countries. It’s a great way for a U.S. law firm to establish a network among the legal elite of foreign countries, which will be helpful if the U.S. law firm ever needs the services of a non-U.S.-educated lawyer to help with deposing witnesses or otherwise gathering evidence abroad; service of process abroad; locating assets hidden abroad; or litigation in foreign courts.
3. Foreign Government Education & Scholarship Ministries & Embassies in the U.S. Just as the U.S. government grants Fulbright and other scholarships for U.S. students to study overseas, many other countries offer their citizens scholarships to come to the U.S. to study law.
I wrote LL.M. Roadmap. I was reminded of Pulitzer Prize winner Toni Morrison’s remark that “If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
Below are a few words about the four most common issues international students have about pursuing an LL.M. in the U.S.: (1) choosing the “best” LL.M. program; (2) getting admitted; (3) paying for the LL.M.; and (4) getting a great post-LL.M. job, or otherwise reaching career aspirations.
1. Choosing among over 100 U.S. LL.M. programs. Discerning which is “best” for me.
About 6,000 students enroll each year in LL.M. programs at over 100 U.S. law schools. That’s fewer than 50 LL.M. students per school. Larger LL.M. programs have around 200 students per year, a few schools have even more, and the smallest have 5 or fewer. Not all international students can attend all schools. Not every LL.M. program is suitable for every international student. LL.M. Roadmap identifies and analyzes 218 criteria you can consider as you decide what school is “best” for you. Some schools may not offer the concentration you want, may not be in a city or region you desire, may require TOEFL scores higher than yours, or may be too expensive. LL.M. Roadmap will help you find the right school for you.
2. How do I get admitted to a U.S. LL.M. program?
LL.M. Roadmap offers tips on how to make your application as strong as possible to maximize your chances of getting accepted to the “best” U.S. law school for you.
3. How do I pay for my LL.M.?
LL.M. Roadmap summarizes hundreds of LL.M. funding sources, including scholarships, fellowships, grants, loans and temporary employment. U.S. legal education is expensive. But thousands of students from around world have received U.S. law degrees, and many were paid for in ways LL.M. Roadmap describes.
4. Can I achieve my career goals after I finish my US degree?
Some international students want to work in the US post-LL.M. Others want to return to their home countries or move to a third country to become law professors, judges, non-profit attorneys, or United Nations lawyers. LL.M. Roadmap explains how LL.M. graduates can reach career and personal goals.
B. Who should be interested in U.S. LL.M. programs?
LL.M. Roadmap is helpful for international students and professionals, including:
1. You—The next generation of overseas-trained law students in the U.S. LL.M. Roadmap is the perfect guide for a foreign-educated lawyer, international law student, judge, law teacher, government law professional, or foreign law graduate who is considering studying for an advanced law degree, and who will consider law school in the U.S. You may be a U.S. permanent resident or citizen who received your first law degree overseas. LL.M. Roadmap is the A – Z guide from application, to admission and beyond: the visa process, enrollment, exam-taking, graduation, and on to achieving your educational, personal and professional career goals.
2. Law firms, corporation counsel offices and other legal practitioners in the U.S. and overseas. Lawyers play a critical role in transnational deals involving U.S. and overseas law firms, corporations, governments, and entities and individuals of many nationalities. Even simple international deals require transnational lawyers. U.S. legal work is increasingly “out-sourced” to India and other countries, making it important for non-U.S. lawyers to have U.S. legal training. Small, medium-sized and large law firms in the U.S. can benefit from accepting international interns enrolled in U.S. LL.M. programs, particularly if the firms have clients, or want clients, in the interns’ home countries. It’s a great way for a U.S. law firm to establish a network among the legal elite of foreign countries, which will be helpful if the U.S. law firm ever needs the services of a non-U.S.-educated lawyer to help with deposing witnesses or otherwise gathering evidence abroad; service of process abroad; locating assets hidden abroad; or litigation in foreign courts.
3. Foreign Government Education & Scholarship Ministries & Embassies in the U.S. Just as the U.S. government grants Fulbright and other scholarships for U.S. students to study overseas, many other countries offer their citizens scholarships to come to the U.S. to study law.
Because foreign citizens ask their own governments about general law education programs in the U.S., those government officials can use LL.M. Roadmap as they advise their students about U.S. legal education opportunities.
4. U.S. and overseas law professors. U.S. law professors teach international LL.M. students at over 100 law schools. These professors might benefit from learning about the process international students undergo in getting admitted to U.S. LL.M. programs, and from learning about the reasonable expectations that international LL.M. students have about their LL.M. programs. Overseas law professors may wish to advise their students on the study of law in the U.S., and the professors may want to come to the U.S. for an LL.M. or S.J.D. themselves, or perhaps come to the U.S. for a short-term law-related experience without enrolling in a degree programs (as discussed in Chapter 31).
5. U.S. State Department EducationUSA Advisors. The U.S. welcomes foreign students through “public diplomacy”, in which the U.S. promotes its national interests by seeking to favorably influence foreign citizens (students). The U.S. hopes foreign students will have positive experiences with our people and institutions, and return home with an understanding and openness that will further U.S. interests abroad. The U.S. promotes education through its U.S. State Department EducationUSA Advisors, at 450 Embassies, Consulates and other centers around the world, who advise students on studying in the U.S.
6. U.S. Congress. Congress enacts laws regarding student visas and their terms and conditions, including visa length, student employment, and student minimum course credit hours. Congress might examine hurdles foreign students face in achieving their U.S. law educational goals, and also come to better understand the challenges schools face in complying with U.S. immigration law.
7. U.S. law school administrators, librarians & other staff. The U.S. has many excellent LL.M. programs in which LL.M. administrators, faculty (including librarians) and staff understand and meet international LL.M. students’ reasonable expectations. Some law schools, however, appear not to have clear ideas of LL.M. students’ reasonable expectations, and problems consequently arise. LL.M. Roadmap helps identify what international LL.M. students typically expect (or should reasonably expect). Schools can decide which expectations it deems reasonable, and whether to meet those expectations. If schools fail to meet LL.M. students’ reasonable expectations, LL.M. programs will develop poor reputations, and evaporate. LL.M. Roadmap discusses ways in which schools can help ensure that LL.M. student voices are heard. U.S. law school librarians, in particular, may want to read LL.M. Roadmap since prospective and current students, faculty, and staff turn to them for information. Indeed, LL.M. Roadmap is a helpful good read for anyone on campus involved with international law students.
8. Academic advisors and teachers at universities, law faculties, and secondary schools around the globe. With globalization, educators around the globe are increasingly advising students on overseas law study. The U.S. is often a first choice. In every single one of over two dozen countries I visited in recent years, I have been asked about international students coming to the U.S. to study law. The questions came from those involved at the secondary school (high school), university and graduate levels. LL.M. Roadmap addresses and answers many of those questions.
9. Education agents & consultants, U.S. law schools, international students. Education agents and consultants help U.S. law schools recruit international students, and help students get admitted to U.S. law schools. LL.M. Roadmap provides information for agents, schools and students, to help students get enrolled in the best U.S. LL.M. program for them. International LL.M. graduates may want to read LL.M. Roadmap to learn how to become an education agent or consultant in their home countries.
10. Parents. Parents often play a major role in determining whether their son or daughter will study for an advanced law degree, whether they will study abroad, whether they will study in the U.S., which school they will attend, and even which substantive area of LL.M. concentration they will choose. LL.M. Roadmap guides parents on these important U.S. legal education issues
C. Key to reading LL.M. Roadmap
LL.M. Roadmap is the sort of guide that you likely would not pick up and read cover to cover in one sitting. It is more like an encyclopedia—a resource tool that you can turn to whenever you seek guidance on a particular phase or aspect of the LL.M. process. You might read and re-read different chapters at different times, depending on whether you are choosing schools to apply to; deciding how to prepare once you are admitted; applying for a U.S. student visa or scholarship; or applying for a job in the U.S. after you graduate.
Related sections of LL.M. Roadmap are cross-referenced to help direct you to areas of the book that might be pertinent to issues that interest you. You may want to flip between chapters to capture all the information you need. Some repetition is inevitable, desirable and indeed necessary in a comprehensive guide.
D. Visit LL.M. Roadmap Website – www.LLMRoadmap.com
The www.LLMRoadmap.com website contains tables and charts with further information about U.S. law schools and LL.M. programs, and tools to help you choose the best law study opportunity for you in the U.S. You can also find links to U.S. government web pages that provide additional information about U.S. student visas, visa regulations, and working in the U.S. Information can also be found regarding international students graduating from U.S. LL.M. programs and then qualifying to practice law in the U.S. The website also contains information about “famous” international graduates from LL.M. programs in the U.S., specializations offered at different schools, and an assortment of other interesting and helpful information.
E. LL.M. Roadmap as an information source: Does not endorse, criticize, rank or assess the reputation of LL.M. programs or law schools
LL.M. Roadmap does not endorse or criticize any particular law school or LL.M. program, and does not rank or comment on schools’ reputations. LL.M. Roadmapmentions numerous schools and programs in the context of discussing principles, policies or practices. The absence of a mention does not constitute a non-endorsement. Nor does inclusion or mention imply endorsement. Rather, LL.M. Roadmap seeks to provide straightforward information based on research. It offers examples drawn from publicly available information, from communications with students, graduates and administrators, and from personal experience. LL.M. Roadmap does not recommend any particular school, nor seek to dissuade anyone from attending a particular school. Each prospective student will assess his or her own criteria for choosing a U.S. law school for his or her LL.M. or other graduate law degree. There are many excellent graduate law programs in the U.S., where you as a student will likely be able to reach your goals. LL.M. Roadmap provides important information. There is no good substitute for comprehensive, transparent and accurate information gleaned directly from LL.M. program administrators and from program up-to-date program websites.
F. Conclusion
To uproot from one’s home country to study in the U.S. calls for a dramatic commitment in time and energy, and financial, physical and emotional resources. But an overwhelmingly majority of international graduates of U.S. law schools I have met are immensely grateful for their U.S. law school experiences.
4. U.S. and overseas law professors. U.S. law professors teach international LL.M. students at over 100 law schools. These professors might benefit from learning about the process international students undergo in getting admitted to U.S. LL.M. programs, and from learning about the reasonable expectations that international LL.M. students have about their LL.M. programs. Overseas law professors may wish to advise their students on the study of law in the U.S., and the professors may want to come to the U.S. for an LL.M. or S.J.D. themselves, or perhaps come to the U.S. for a short-term law-related experience without enrolling in a degree programs (as discussed in Chapter 31).
5. U.S. State Department EducationUSA Advisors. The U.S. welcomes foreign students through “public diplomacy”, in which the U.S. promotes its national interests by seeking to favorably influence foreign citizens (students). The U.S. hopes foreign students will have positive experiences with our people and institutions, and return home with an understanding and openness that will further U.S. interests abroad. The U.S. promotes education through its U.S. State Department EducationUSA Advisors, at 450 Embassies, Consulates and other centers around the world, who advise students on studying in the U.S.
6. U.S. Congress. Congress enacts laws regarding student visas and their terms and conditions, including visa length, student employment, and student minimum course credit hours. Congress might examine hurdles foreign students face in achieving their U.S. law educational goals, and also come to better understand the challenges schools face in complying with U.S. immigration law.
7. U.S. law school administrators, librarians & other staff. The U.S. has many excellent LL.M. programs in which LL.M. administrators, faculty (including librarians) and staff understand and meet international LL.M. students’ reasonable expectations. Some law schools, however, appear not to have clear ideas of LL.M. students’ reasonable expectations, and problems consequently arise. LL.M. Roadmap helps identify what international LL.M. students typically expect (or should reasonably expect). Schools can decide which expectations it deems reasonable, and whether to meet those expectations. If schools fail to meet LL.M. students’ reasonable expectations, LL.M. programs will develop poor reputations, and evaporate. LL.M. Roadmap discusses ways in which schools can help ensure that LL.M. student voices are heard. U.S. law school librarians, in particular, may want to read LL.M. Roadmap since prospective and current students, faculty, and staff turn to them for information. Indeed, LL.M. Roadmap is a helpful good read for anyone on campus involved with international law students.
8. Academic advisors and teachers at universities, law faculties, and secondary schools around the globe. With globalization, educators around the globe are increasingly advising students on overseas law study. The U.S. is often a first choice. In every single one of over two dozen countries I visited in recent years, I have been asked about international students coming to the U.S. to study law. The questions came from those involved at the secondary school (high school), university and graduate levels. LL.M. Roadmap addresses and answers many of those questions.
9. Education agents & consultants, U.S. law schools, international students. Education agents and consultants help U.S. law schools recruit international students, and help students get admitted to U.S. law schools. LL.M. Roadmap provides information for agents, schools and students, to help students get enrolled in the best U.S. LL.M. program for them. International LL.M. graduates may want to read LL.M. Roadmap to learn how to become an education agent or consultant in their home countries.
10. Parents. Parents often play a major role in determining whether their son or daughter will study for an advanced law degree, whether they will study abroad, whether they will study in the U.S., which school they will attend, and even which substantive area of LL.M. concentration they will choose. LL.M. Roadmap guides parents on these important U.S. legal education issues
C. Key to reading LL.M. Roadmap
LL.M. Roadmap is the sort of guide that you likely would not pick up and read cover to cover in one sitting. It is more like an encyclopedia—a resource tool that you can turn to whenever you seek guidance on a particular phase or aspect of the LL.M. process. You might read and re-read different chapters at different times, depending on whether you are choosing schools to apply to; deciding how to prepare once you are admitted; applying for a U.S. student visa or scholarship; or applying for a job in the U.S. after you graduate.
Related sections of LL.M. Roadmap are cross-referenced to help direct you to areas of the book that might be pertinent to issues that interest you. You may want to flip between chapters to capture all the information you need. Some repetition is inevitable, desirable and indeed necessary in a comprehensive guide.
D. Visit LL.M. Roadmap Website – www.LLMRoadmap.com
The www.LLMRoadmap.com website contains tables and charts with further information about U.S. law schools and LL.M. programs, and tools to help you choose the best law study opportunity for you in the U.S. You can also find links to U.S. government web pages that provide additional information about U.S. student visas, visa regulations, and working in the U.S. Information can also be found regarding international students graduating from U.S. LL.M. programs and then qualifying to practice law in the U.S. The website also contains information about “famous” international graduates from LL.M. programs in the U.S., specializations offered at different schools, and an assortment of other interesting and helpful information.
E. LL.M. Roadmap as an information source: Does not endorse, criticize, rank or assess the reputation of LL.M. programs or law schools
LL.M. Roadmap does not endorse or criticize any particular law school or LL.M. program, and does not rank or comment on schools’ reputations. LL.M. Roadmapmentions numerous schools and programs in the context of discussing principles, policies or practices. The absence of a mention does not constitute a non-endorsement. Nor does inclusion or mention imply endorsement. Rather, LL.M. Roadmap seeks to provide straightforward information based on research. It offers examples drawn from publicly available information, from communications with students, graduates and administrators, and from personal experience. LL.M. Roadmap does not recommend any particular school, nor seek to dissuade anyone from attending a particular school. Each prospective student will assess his or her own criteria for choosing a U.S. law school for his or her LL.M. or other graduate law degree. There are many excellent graduate law programs in the U.S., where you as a student will likely be able to reach your goals. LL.M. Roadmap provides important information. There is no good substitute for comprehensive, transparent and accurate information gleaned directly from LL.M. program administrators and from program up-to-date program websites.
F. Conclusion
To uproot from one’s home country to study in the U.S. calls for a dramatic commitment in time and energy, and financial, physical and emotional resources. But an overwhelmingly majority of international graduates of U.S. law schools I have met are immensely grateful for their U.S. law school experiences.
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Who will be most directly affected by LL.M. Roadmap?
What do these international students want? How LL.M. Roadmap serves international student goals? Why do international students want a U.S. law degree? When do international students need information contained inLL.M. Roadmap? |
Thousands of international students who want a U.S. law degree. International students’ advisors, professors, scholarship providers. US Embassies & Consulates who advise international students. Wall street and small town lawyers. In-house counsel and government lawyers. Many others around the globe.
To receive a U.S. law degree. LL.M. Roadmap informs international students:
Many reasons. To prepare for the globalized marketplace. To become a professor or judge. To get a better job or earn more money. To specialize. To better represent foreign clients in the U.S., or U.S. clients in foreign countries. To take a U.S. bar exam and practice in the U.S. To be better able to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. Now. And in the foreseeable (and unforeseeable) future. |
Many international students, including my own students, have told me they wish LL.M. Roadmap had been available when they were considering law study in the U.S. Many LL.M. students and graduates have reviewed this manuscript, and offered suggestions and comments, which are reflected herein. Also reflected are comments by professors and administrators of many different U.S. and overseas law faculties and LL.M. programs, U.S. State Department employees and affiliates, and foreign government officials.
U.S. law schools are motivated by many factors when they decide to offer LL.M. degree programs for international students. International students are motivated by many factors when they decide to pursue an LL.M. in the U.S. Foreign governments are motivated by many factors when they supply scholarships to their students to study in the U.S.; and the U.S. government is motivated by many factors when it offers scholarships to international students to study here under the Fulbright, Muskie and other programs. All stakeholders involved can achieve their goals through transnational education—students learning in another country’s educational system. Importantly, transnational education can help students reach their academic, personal, professional and career goals. Irrespective of motivations, cross-cultural education promotes the exchange of ideas across borders, cultivates mutual understanding among disparate peoples, and encourages recognition of the universal characteristics of members of the human family. Students studying law in other countries promote the greater goals of international peace and security and the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms around the globe. We are all better off because of overseas education. I dedicate this book to international students and graduates for whom the study of law in the U.S. is, was, or will become a reality. I have heard from so many people around the world that studying law in the U.S. is an extremely positive and rewarding experience for international students, and I hope this is true for you and for everyone you touch in your personal and professional lives after you receive your U.S. law degree. Any thoughts or insights our readers have on graduate law study in the U.S. are welcomed, and I invite you to share them with me so that I may pass them on to others. I look forward to including some of your apt and illuminating thoughts and insights in the next edition of LL.M. Roadmapor on www.LLMRoadMap.com. Please send comments via e-mail (LLMRoadMap@yahoo.com) or via website (www.LLMRoadMap.com) |
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Professor Edwards is donating all personal profits from sale of the first edition of LL.M. Roadmap to the International Law Students Association (ILSA) (www.ILSA.org), which administers the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (White & Case) in 500 law schools in about 100 countries on 6 continents.
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