Monday, July 12, 2010

LL.Ms.... the wave of the future?

I have to confess ignorance on this topic. I do not know much about LL.M. programs. But this past weekend, I happened to run into a classmate of mine. She mentioned her disappointment with the recruiting options available to us and expressed a desire to enroll in one of these LL.M. programs as a way of "waiting out" the bad market. I very politely inquired as to whether she really thought one year would make such a difference. She said she didn't know, but that it couldn't hurt.

Not knowing anything about the relative job prospects for LL.Ms versus JDs, I am going to go with my instinct and say that this is just a way for schools to extract more tuition money from students. Maybe someone more knowledgeable about this area can chime in. Who knows? Maybe some day a JD without an advanced legal degree will be functionally obsolete. Until then, I am willing to bet that the person who advised her to do this is a law school employee.

12 comments:

  1. I discuss post-graduate law degrees, such as LLM degrees in my book. In the current legal economy, your employment options will increase if you arm yourself with functional skills and associated certifications (e.g., dispute resolution) than a LLM degree. Unless you have a designated career plan, practice international law, or are increasing your knowledge of a specific practice area, I don't suggest pursuing this degree.

    LLM degrees are commonly pursued by foreign students that want to sit for an American bar exam. In fact, this option is so popular, that there are three different types of these post-graduate degrees.

    The best way to ride out this tough economy is to arm yourself with functional skills and by networking your behind off. If you lay the proper foundation now, you will be prepared to make moves when the time comes. Further, opportunities are all around us, it is up to your friend to find them. Whether volunteering for a non-profit organization, loaning yourself out to established corporations, or joining the executive board of a association, there are opportunities all around us - we just have to creatively and aggressively pursue them.

    It may sound like I am looking at this through rose colored glasses (pun intended), I am actually giving my perspective on the situation. As with every conflict, some people stand and fight while others cowardly walk away. My mantra is to work smarter, not harder.

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  2. "As with every conflict, some people stand and fight while others cowardly walk away."

    Is it really the case that any J.D. who decides to leave the legal profession and do something else is a "coward?" There *are* worthwhile things to do in this life other than practice law.

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  3. Zenovia, you are a shill. Have you no shame?

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  4. LLM is just more useless shitpaper and non-dischargeable debt. There are perhaps 5 programs in the US for which getting an LLM is worthwile investment. I would hazard a guess that you are not capable of gaining admission to any of them.

    Save your money and sanity. An LLM will get you nothing that your useless TTT degree already cannot.

    Time to face that facts, bucko, it's shitlaw, doc review or bust for you. Once you embrace this, you will happier.

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  5. What in my post gave the impression that I am considering an LLM? I flat out said that it sounds like a tuition suck.

    Rose

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  6. "In the current legal economy, your employment options will increase if you arm yourself with functional skills and associated certifications (e.g., dispute resolution) than a LLM degree."

    You wrote a book?

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  7. Zenovia is just another scammed, unemployable JD who's opportunistically trying to get some publicity so that she can get ahead. Too bad she's doing it at the expense of others.

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  8. "Is it really the case that any J.D. who decides to leave the legal profession and do something else is a "coward?" There *are* worthwhile things to do in this life other than practice law."

    No, I advocate using your degree both inside and outside the legal field. I am simply saying don't be afraid to create your own idea of what your career will look like and make that happen. Don't give up on doing important things, making a difference in society, etc. just because the leading company in that field will not hire you or the industry is falling from under you.

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  9. Yes, I wrote a book on the topic. www.JDLIFELINE.com. And I am rather qualified to speak as I have done amazing things with my career and continue to do so ...

    XOXO
    Zenovia N. Evans, J.D.
    Loving every bit of my post-J.D. life, what about you?

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  10. I'm also rather qualified to speak because I shoot sparkles out of my rear end.

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  11. "Anonymous said...

    I'm also rather qualified to speak because I shoot sparkles out of my rear end."

    Zenovia's sparkles are "special"!

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  12. I graduated with a LL.M. in Taxation from NYU Law. It is the best known tax program in the country, and boasted a 90% employment after graduation record.

    Of course, I graduated in the middle of the 2004 legal recession. I couldn't find a job for love or money, and neither could >half< of my fellow classmates.

    I work in government now and earn half the salary the stat books said we newly minted grads would take home.

    I'm not sure I made the decision, and unless you are looking to get an LL.M. in either Taxation or International Trade, don't even bother.

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