Standing Out: Why LL.M.'s Are More Popular Than Ever, Nat'l Jurist, Oct. 2012, p.28:
In the past 12 years, LL.M. programs in the United States have more than doubled, bringing the number of students seeking a Master of Law to more than 10,000. There are more than 300 programs in the U.S. today, compared to just 110 in 2000. While a large part of that growth is an increase in international LL.M. offerings, the larger factpr is a move toward specialization for domestic J.D. students. …
"Employers value and recognize that when they want to hire someone for their tax department, they want someone who has a tax LL.M.," said Michael Friel, director of the graduate tax program at University of Florida, Frederic G. Levin College of Law. …
While some graduate law programs are not driven by revenue — Duke University's programs actually lose money because of their small size and startup costs — some think the allure of LL.M. tuition dollars is behind some of the growth.
A Consumers Guide to LL.M. Programs:
- What is an LL.M.? …
- How many LL.M. programs and practice specialties are there? There are 245 LL.M. programs in 44 practice areas designed for U.S. Students. …
- Why pursue an LL.M.? …
- Does an LL.M. really improve your job prospects? …
- What are some other practice areas in which an LL.M. is preferred? Practice areas with strong specializations include environmental law, health law, intellectual property and taxation. … [A]n LL.M. is quickly becoming essential for all tax lawyers, as it is replacing the training that a law firm would give.
- Do LL.M graduates earn more than other attorneys? …
- Should you pursue an LL.M. to imrpove your chances of landing a BigLaw job? While it may seem like an additional degree could give you a second chance for a BigLaw job, by very cautious. While employers will look at your LL.M. grades, they will still consider your J.D. grades and your J.D. school. As Paul Caron, a tax law professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law wrote, "Tax LL.M. classes are rigorous and demanding. For many employers, both J.D. grades and tax LL.M. grades are extremely important. A prospective tax LL.M. student who is not genuinely interested in tax is not likely to do well in tax LL.M. classes. In addition, the potential resume boost from successful completion of a tax LL.M. is greatest when applying for tax-specific positions." In other words, don't pursue the LL.M. degree unless you are truly interested in the practice area and want to focus your career in it.
- Should you pursue your LL.M. directly after law school or wait a few years? …
- How do you know if a practice specialty is for you? …
- What are the costs of an LL.M. program? …
- Does it matter which school to attend? …
- How else should you choose a school? …
- What about online programs? …
- How do online programs teach? …
- How to choose an online program? …
For more on the risks and rewards of a tax LL.M. see:
- Paul Caron (Cincinnati), Jennifer M. Kowal (Loyola-L.A.) & Katherine Pratt (Loyola-L.A.), Pursuing a Tax LLM Degree: Why and When?
- Paul Caron (Cincinnati), Jennifer M. Kowal (Loyola-L.A.), Katherine Pratt (Loyola-L.A.) & Theodore P. Seto (Loyola-L.A.), Pursuing a Tax LLM Degree: Where?
