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Hi all -

I am going to be attending a low cost tier 2 for my JD degree and then subsequently getting an LLM in taxation. After obtaining your JD, how much does it matter where you get the LLM from? I have mostly been focusing on JD schools but now that the cycle is over I want to try and have a clear idea of what to expect after 1L in preparation for an LLM. For example, NYU is the best option for a tax LLM but I do not know how selective it is, and if i would have to be x rank to obtain admission, or need to graduate from a t1 for consideration. And does your JD school matter when it comes down to job searching if you have an LLM from a different, higher ranked/known school?

IBTLLM Flowchart

Just cause you asked for it

Your JD school is more important than your LLM school. In general, people from T14 schools in my LLM class did much better in the employment market than people from lower-ranked schools. Frankly, planning on a 2nd tier JD and a 1st tier LLM is doing it backwards. If you get can get biglaw from your JD program, your firm will probably pay for the LLM. Moreover, if you went to a T14 school and work in a large firm, you are an autoadmit for NYU and GULC LLM programs.

As for admissions, it's not nearly as hard as JD admissions, but NY/GULC are still relatively competitive if you went to a lower ranked school. You would need to be at least top 1/3ish (maybe higher) with good grades in tax classes.

Haha thanks for the flow-chart, made things easy. I figure I already have the CPA so I may as well get the LLM. In terms of doing it backwards, my UG gpa sucks so I took the money, if it came down to taking 150k of loans I wouldn't have gone to law school and stayed in public accounting instead.

I figure I already have the CPA so I may as well get the LLM.

If you are already a CPA, see what that can get you in terms of jobs. No need to commit to a LLM now.