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Let's say I graduate around top 35% at a T1. Employment isn't exactly guaranteed. Would an LLM from Columbia increase my chances of employment (labor and employment law)? Seeing as how US firms care about prestige, wouldn't this help?

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They wouldn't care about it anymore than they would care about hiring you if you earned your MSED from Columbia. They like prestige, but prestige within their frame of reference.

zomginternets wrote:

^That.

The LLM isn't BONUS LEGAL POINTS YEAAHHHH! It's a highly specialized degree that by and large is used by foreign-educated attorneys to get a foothold in the U.S. Some other small niches exist, most obviously the tax LLM, but if you don't know why you think you need an LLM the odds are it won't help.

Generally, an LLM teaches practicibg attorneys specialized knowledge in a niche field. Only get an LLM if:
A) you're a young attorney working in that field and want to get more in depth knowledge
B) you're an attorney who wants to change specialization
C) you're a practicing attorney from another country, looking to learn US law
D) Tax

dingbat wrote:Only get an LLM if:A) you're a young attorney working in that field and want to get more in depth knowledge
B) you're an attorney who wants to change specialization
C) you're a practicing attorney from another country, looking to learn US law
D) Tax

Fixed.

Also, that chart is 5 years old. Florida's Tax LLM is pure garbage from an employment standpoint since they got dropped from the big tax OCI fair 2 (?) years ago.

Really, it should say something more like:

Is the Tax LLM at NYU? If yes, proceed with caution. If no, lolpullripcord.

IrwinM.Fletcher wrote:

dingbat wrote:Only get an LLM if:A) you're a young attorney working in that field and want to get more in depth knowledge
B) you're an attorney who wants to change specialization
C) you're a practicing attorney from another country, looking to learn US law
D) Tax

Fixed.

Also, that chart is 5 years old. Florida's Tax LLM is pure garbage from an employment standpoint since they got dropped from the big tax OCI fair 2 (?) years ago.

Really, it should say something more like:

Is the Tax LLM at NYU? If yes, proceed with caution. If no, lolpullripcord.

I meant A and B to acquire knowledge, whereas C and D are for furthering a career. For example, if you fall into estate planning, there's a chance you might not otherwise get exposure to, and therefore learn about, all the different options for structuring and funding a trust. It won't help you break into the field, and you can be successful without knowing the intricacies of a non-grantor intergenerational split dollar legacy trust, but if you have clients whose irrevocable life insurance trust is subject to generation skipping transfer tax, it could save them money.

Education isn't just about getting a job. It an also be useful for getting better at said job

dingbat wrote:

IrwinM.Fletcher wrote:

dingbat wrote:Only get an LLM if:A) you're a young attorney working in that field and want to get more in depth knowledge
B) you're an attorney who wants to change specialization
C) you're a practicing attorney from another country, looking to learn US law
D) Tax

Fixed.

Also, that chart is 5 years old. Florida's Tax LLM is pure garbage from an employment standpoint since they got dropped from the big tax OCI fair 2 (?) years ago.

Really, it should say something more like:

Is the Tax LLM at NYU? If yes, proceed with caution. If no, lolpullripcord.

I meant A and B to acquire knowledge, whereas C and D are for furthering a career. For example, if you fall into estate planning, there's a chance you might not otherwise get exposure to, and therefore learn about, all the different options for structuring and funding a trust. It won't help you break into the field, and you can be successful without knowing the intricacies of a non-grantor intergenerational split dollar legacy trust, but if you have clients whose irrevocable life insurance trust is subject to generation skipping transfer tax, it could save them money.

Education isn't just about getting a job. It an also be useful for getting better at said job

Still highly unlikely to be worth $47,000+ in tuition when you can learn the exact same information through CLEs. I knew what ya meant, I just think you are wrong.

There may be some uber rare exception where flushing full pop for a non-tax LLM may be worth it in a weird 1 in a million scenario, but virtually everyone who pursues those things (even practicing attorneys) are suckers.