Top Law Schools

This may not be the correct forum, but I have been weighing my options for law school in the next 2 years, and I am considering staying in school to get an LLM. With this consideration comes a few questions that I have not found straight forward answers to. This may have nothing to do with it but let me preface by saying that I am interested in a diverse cross section of potential areas of specialty witch include Corporate Law, Constitutional Law, Finance, and I am slightly interested in Family and Elder Law.

How would an LLM help in any of those fields? Would an LLM help in eventually becoming a judge at some point? Will an LLM help get a job at a Mid-Level Midwest firm? Being in the Mid west we don't have much as far as Big Law like the west and eastern coasts do.

Is there a resource that helps you decide where to take an LLM class and how to get in an LLM program?

Thanks

jared6180 wrote:I am interested in a diverse cross section of potential areas of specialty witch include Corporate Law, Constitutional Law, Finance, and I am slightly interested in Family and Elder Law.

LL.M.s are for people who are focused.

It will be useful if you run for President, and want an invalid reason as to why you're not "a flake."

The first two posts answered just about everything you need to know.

rad law wrote:

Hilarious because it's so, so true.

This is true for about 95% of law students. There are plenty of exceptions to the rule, however. Of course, it is funnier just to assume those exceptions do not exist.

Danteshek wrote:This is true for about 95% of law students. There are plenty of exceptions to the rule, however. Of course, it is funnier just to assume those exceptions do not exist.

WHAT A SUBTLE SELF PROMOTION. TELL US ABOUT YOUR SECURITIES LLM PROGRAM, DANTE. I HEAR YOU ARE SMART AND MAKING SMART PEOPLE DECISIONS.

If the other programs are so worthless than why do people go for the degree? I understand that NYU, and the rest might be the best places to go, so what are the other schools selling?

jared6180 wrote:If the other programs are so worthless than why do people go for the degree? I understand that NYU, and the rest might be the best places to go, so what are the other schools selling?

This will come as a big surprise to you, but somebody had to get around to telling you one of these days. You might want to sit down though, because it's pretty big news:

People are stupid.

thesealocust wrote:

Danteshek wrote:This is true for about 95% of law students. There are plenty of exceptions to the rule, however. Of course, it is funnier just to assume those exceptions do not exist.

WHAT A SUBTLE SELF PROMOTION. TELL US ABOUT YOUR SECURITIES LLM PROGRAM, DANTE. I HEAR YOU ARE SMART AND MAKING SMART PEOPLE DECISIONS.

Click on my profile for some subtle self promotion.

Now I'm curious. What's so good about a tax LLM at NYU?

angua wrote:Now I'm curious. What's so good about a tax LLM at NYU?

Tax LLMs are actually useful for tax practitioners. To that end some tax practices will hire students directly out of tax LLM programs, and other tax practices will pay for their attorneys to take the necessary classes to obtain a tax LLM (via night school and the like).

NYU, Georgetown, and Florida are the truly well respected tax LLMs.

The same can't be said of really any other LLM or any other tax LLM. There are some narrow exceptions (for whatever reason a lot of judges wind up with LLMs, I still haven't pieced that one together. Some people pursue them for academic reasons) but otherwise for the most part LLMs cater to international students who need the credential and misguided domestic students who still qualify for student loans.

lbeezy wrote:

rad law wrote:

Hilarious because it's so, so true.

Er. not quite true. You can get an LLM in tax from Miami too and probably a few other schools, which will probably get you a decent job. As for other types of LLMs non-tax related)., it depends on where you are getting it. If you go to a top 10 school, it will help you get jobs. LLMs from other places might help you focus on some specialty,but generally aren't useful for getting jobs. I would only sugest gettting a non-tax LLM from a school that isn't a top 10 or so IF you already have a lock on a job, or you are trying to supplement your knowledge for your own practice. For example, schools such as Stetson,who are known for their online LLM in Elder Law might be great if you have an Elder Law practice. However, I wouldn't go to Stetson's Elder Law LLM to get a job. This is probably true for most of the non-tax LLMs from lessor tiered schools.

thesealocust wrote:

angua wrote:Now I'm curious. What's so good about a tax LLM at NYU?

Tax LLMs are actually useful for tax practitioners. To that end some tax practices will hire students directly out of tax LLM programs, and other tax practices will pay for their attorneys to take the necessary classes to obtain a tax LLM (via night school and the like).

NYU, Georgetown, and Florida are the truly well respected tax LLMs.

The same can't be said of really any other LLM or any other tax LLM. There are some narrow exceptions (for whatever reason a lot of judges wind up with LLMs, I still haven't pieced that one together. Some people pursue them for academic reasons) but otherwise for the most part LLMs cater to international students who need the credential and misguided domestic students who still qualify for student loans.

Interesting! I will have to keep that in mind if I ever want to do tax law.

What do people think of, say, Yale's LLMs? I mean, it's an elite school, but I assume some or all of its LLMs are sort of generally unhelpful for getting hired anyway.

[quote="Danteshek"]

Point taken. Overused maybe, but I still like it.

What do people think of, say, Yale's LLMs? I mean, it's an elite school, but I assume some or all of its LLMs are sort of generally unhelpful for getting hired anyway.

The Yale LLM is a specialized program that caters almost exclusively to foreign students looking to do academia.

thesealocust, will you marry me?

nealric wrote:

What do people think of, say, Yale's LLMs? I mean, it's an elite school, but I assume some or all of its LLMs are sort of generally unhelpful for getting hired anyway.

The Yale LLM is a specialized program that caters almost exclusively to foreign students looking to do academia.

Cool, thanks for the edumacation!

bk187 wrote:thesealocust, will you marry me?

* checks watch *

Yes.

rad law wrote:

True, but add Northwestern