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I've been accepted to this program and at the moment it is one of my top choices. My wife is French. She has a good job here and will likely be offered a 2-year leave for our time in Ithaca. My concern, however, is that the dual degree may limit my employment prospects. If the goal is BigLaw in a Paris office, is this program (and the similar track at Columbia) the best track for getting it? What's the path? Anyone with any experience or anecdotal evidence they could share are welcome.

Anyone have experience outside of this program making the jump overseas with a JD?

If your goal is to work in Paris as a lawyer, why are you getting a J.D. in the US? Seems risky, expensive and unnecessary.

Teoeo wrote:If your goal is to work in Paris as a lawyer, why are you getting a J.D. in the US? Seems risky, expensive and unnecessary.

Because the salaries are higher in financial services for lawyers with an anglophone education. Do you have any knowledge of the market or are you here to flame?

The dual degree won't limit your employment prospects because you get to do AJF before you go; my biggest concern is that, and correct me if I'm wrong, as of this year, all new JD/Master en Droit students have to take on sticker debt for the entire program. Is that not the case? In any case, the degree seems highly unnecessary to me, although I know of people who've had heavy pre-existing ties to Paris nabbing Paris biglaw callbacks

runinthefront wrote:The dual degree won't limit your employment prospects because you get to do AJF before you go; my biggest concern is that, and correct me if I'm wrong, as of this year, all new JD/Master en Droit students have to take on sticker debt for the entire program. Is that not the case? In any case, the degree seems highly unnecessary to me, although I know of people who've had heavy pre-existing ties to Paris nabbing Paris biglaw callbacks

Thanks for your input.
I don't know about changes in price. I do know that the 2 yrs at the Sorbonne are charged at half tuition, so three years at Cornell is the same as 4 years at Cornell and the Sorbonne, less any difference in the half-rate of the yearly tuition increase.
JD/master en droit candidates receive scholarships too.
The program also has the added benefit that for French residents health care is covered during their time in Paris.

I am interested in your bold type. What is a heavy pre-existing tie? Have the people you've known done this or another program? Do they work as lawyers or in an advisory capacity on US legal matters?

Having been a student at Paris for a year, I'd say that French healthcare (for students at least) cost about 200 EUR per year, so this benefit shouldn't add anything to your consideration, assuming that the French policy remains the same.

There are so few people who do this program you are unlikely to find any on here. I'd ask the school for the contact information of a few recent alumni. If they don't help you out, PM me and I'll get on their asses.

Thanks Lincoln.

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