Should I get an LL.M in Taxation Forum

[Isaac_Adelman]

I am a 2L, with a concentration in taxation. Would getting an LL.M in taxation really make a big difference to my career outlook?

Gracias

[haus]

For humor purposes only...

ETA: source: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=104400

Stealing my own comment from...
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... M#p8271289

Both threads may be of interest to you.

But perhaps you might want to look for profiles and or LinkedIn pages for attorneys at firms/companies you might be interested in, and see how many of them have earned LLMs.

[Johann]

not necessary to practice tax if you land biglaw in OCI. necessary to practice tax law for most people that dont land biglaw/big 4 in oci hiring.

[Anonymous User]

For humor purposes only...

ETA: source: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=104400

Stealing my own comment from...
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... M#p8271289

Both threads may be of interest to you.

But perhaps you might want to look for profiles and or LinkedIn pages for attorneys at firms/companies you might be interested in, and see how many of them have earned LLMs.

I'm in at Northwestern for the LLM in Taxation. Would that suffice you think?

[sawyercb]

not necessary to practice tax if you land biglaw in OCI. necessary to practice tax law for most people that dont land biglaw/big 4 in oci hiring.

I agree with this.

Also, first, it totally depends on your current grades. Are you currently at the top of your class with good job prospects post-graduation? If so, a tax LLM is unnecessary for biglaw (with the exception of a couple of firms that still insist on it for some reason). If not, consider a tax LLM to boost your resume and job prospects. Be aware that if you have bad grades from law school, a tax LLM does not fix it and will not necessary land you a biglaw tax gig.

I would not take time off from practicing to go to any school other than NYU. If you want to take night classes to help you practice tax better on a day to day basis, I think it's a different conversation. IMO, in that case, you can take night classes part time at any reasonable local school that offers a tax LLM program. I know tons of tax attorneys who have an LLM from a no-name school that they acquired at night while working full time. I think you can acquire the same information with less time & money by just attending webinars / seminars / conferences here and there, focusing on the subjects that will help you most in your day to day practice.

FWIW, I am a current tax associate at a large law firm, and lateralled from a different market where I was a tax associate at another large law firm. I do not have an LLM.

[Isaac_Adelman]

not necessary to practice tax if you land biglaw in OCI. necessary to practice tax law for most people that dont land biglaw/big 4 in oci hiring.

I agree with this.

Also, first, it totally depends on your current grades. Are you currently at the top of your class with good job prospects post-graduation? If so, a tax LLM is unnecessary for biglaw (with the exception of a couple of firms that still insist on it for some reason). If not, consider a tax LLM to boost your resume and job prospects. Be aware that if you have bad grades from law school, a tax LLM does not fix it and will not necessary land you a biglaw tax gig.

I would not take time off from practicing to go to any school other than NYU. If you want to take night classes to help you practice tax better on a day to day basis, I think it's a different conversation. IMO, in that case, you can take night classes part time at any reasonable local school that offers a tax LLM program. I know tons of tax attorneys who have an LLM from a no-name school that they acquired at night while working full time. I think you can acquire the same information with less time & money by just attending webinars / seminars / conferences here and there, focusing on the subjects that will help you most in your day to day practice.

FWIW, I am a current tax associate at a large law firm, and lateralled from a different market where I was a tax associate at another large law firm. I do not have an LLM.

I am at U of C, average grades 3.3 GPA, wrote on for Law Journal (nothing major.) I did get the JP award in my Secured Trans class and was a research assistant for one of my Profs. I also TA'ed for a semester (Contracts). I like tax a lot and applied and found out not, too long ago that I got in at Northwestern for my LLM in tax. But like your advice, too. Thanks for it.

[sawyercb]

quote]

I am at U of C, average grades 3.3 GPA, wrote on for Law Journal (nothing major.) I did get the JP award in my Secured Trans class and was a research assistant for one of my Profs. I also TA'ed for a semester (Contracts). I like tax a lot and applied and found out not, too long ago that I got in at Northwestern for my LLM in tax. But like your advice, too. Thanks for it.

Sure! Good luck, if you decide to go. Tax is awesome.

[Anonymous User]

Sort of off topic, but would a tax LLM be a complete waste of time if I will have taken Fed Income, Corporate, Partnership, International, and Exempt Orgs by the time I get my JD? Is there anything I'd actually be missing?

[Anonymous User]

Sort of off topic, but would a tax LLM be a complete waste of time if I will have taken Fed Income, Corporate, Partnership, International, and Exempt Orgs by the time I get my JD? Is there anything I'd actually be missing?

I feel it might get your foot in the door, especially if the LLM Tax program is at a highly regarded program i.e. NYU, Northwestern etc.

[Anonymous User]

not necessary to practice tax if you land biglaw in OCI. necessary to practice tax law for most people that dont land biglaw/big 4 in oci hiring.

I agree with this.

Also, first, it totally depends on your current grades. Are you currently at the top of your class with good job prospects post-graduation? If so, a tax LLM is unnecessary for biglaw (with the exception of a couple of firms that still insist on it for some reason). If not, consider a tax LLM to boost your resume and job prospects. Be aware that if you have bad grades from law school, a tax LLM does not fix it and will not necessary land you a biglaw tax gig.

I would not take time off from practicing to go to any school other than NYU. If you want to take night classes to help you practice tax better on a day to day basis, I think it's a different conversation. IMO, in that case, you can take night classes part time at any reasonable local school that offers a tax LLM program. I know tons of tax attorneys who have an LLM from a no-name school that they acquired at night while working full time. I think you can acquire the same information with less time & money by just attending webinars / seminars / conferences here and there, focusing on the subjects that will help you most in your day to day practice.

FWIW, I am a current tax associate at a large law firm, and lateralled from a different market where I was a tax associate at another large law firm. I do not have an LLM.

I am at U of C, average grades 3.3 GPA, wrote on for Law Journal (nothing major.) I did get the JP award in my Secured Trans class and was a research assistant for one of my Profs. I also TA'ed for a semester (Contracts). I like tax a lot and applied and found out not, too long ago that I got in at Northwestern for my LLM in tax. But like your advice, too. Thanks for it.

If you're median at U of C you probably really don't need it. I'm a tax associate at a band 1 chicago tax firm and almost no one has LLMs. With that being said I took every substantive tax elective I could and I feel like its helped with the learning curve, but I don't think getting an entire LLM is necessary as no one really expects you to be substantively knowledgeable coming in.

[Mullens]

not necessary to practice tax if you land biglaw in OCI. necessary to practice tax law for most people that dont land biglaw/big 4 in oci hiring.

I agree with this.

Also, first, it totally depends on your current grades. Are you currently at the top of your class with good job prospects post-graduation? If so, a tax LLM is unnecessary for biglaw (with the exception of a couple of firms that still insist on it for some reason). If not, consider a tax LLM to boost your resume and job prospects. Be aware that if you have bad grades from law school, a tax LLM does not fix it and will not necessary land you a biglaw tax gig.

I would not take time off from practicing to go to any school other than NYU. If you want to take night classes to help you practice tax better on a day to day basis, I think it's a different conversation. IMO, in that case, you can take night classes part time at any reasonable local school that offers a tax LLM program. I know tons of tax attorneys who have an LLM from a no-name school that they acquired at night while working full time. I think you can acquire the same information with less time & money by just attending webinars / seminars / conferences here and there, focusing on the subjects that will help you most in your day to day practice.

FWIW, I am a current tax associate at a large law firm, and lateralled from a different market where I was a tax associate at another large law firm. I do not have an LLM.

I am at U of C, average grades 3.3 GPA, wrote on for Law Journal (nothing major.) I did get the JP award in my Secured Trans class and was a research assistant for one of my Profs. I also TA'ed for a semester (Contracts). I like tax a lot and applied and found out not, too long ago that I got in at Northwestern for my LLM in tax. But like your advice, too. Thanks for it.

If you're median at U of C you probably really don't need it. I'm a tax associate at a band 1 chicago tax firm and almost no one has LLMs. With that being said I took every substantive tax elective I could and I feel like its helped with the learning curve, but I don't think getting an entire LLM is necessary as no one really expects you to be substantively knowledgeable coming in.

I'm guessing U of C here doesn't mean University of Chicago since they have a different grading system.