Thinking about an LLM in Securities/ Banking/ Financial Reg Forum

[mm7276angie]

Im currently a 3L and im thinking about applying for an LLM in Financial Reg/ Securities/ Banking. Do employers truly value this type of masters in law? Im also unclear about what program would be better (GULC or GW). GULC's Securities & Financial Reg LLM Program is only taught online & part time. Any suggestions or thoughts?

[QContinuum]

My understanding is that U.S. J.D.s generally get little/no value out of doing a non-tax LL.M. (tax LL.M.s are a different story, but even then only the top three tax LL.M. programs are generally considered valuable: NYU, Georgetown, and UF, in that order). Instead of doing a LL.M., probably better for career prospects to clerk.

[Jmart082]

My understanding is that U.S. J.D.s generally get little/no value out of doing a non-tax LL.M. (tax LL.M.s are a different story, but even then only the top three tax LL.M. programs are generally considered valuable: NYU, Georgetown, and UF, in that order). Instead of doing a LL.M., probably better for career prospects to clerk.

U.S. JD with a non-tax LLM here. Can confirm that everything just said here is accurate.

[LawGrad16]

My understanding is that U.S. J.D.s generally get little/no value out of doing a non-tax LL.M. (tax LL.M.s are a different story, but even then only the top three tax LL.M. programs are generally considered valuable: NYU, Georgetown, and UF, in that order). Instead of doing a LL.M., probably better for career prospects to clerk.

U.S. JD with a non-tax LLM here. Can confirm that everything just said here is accurate.

Not sure if my question was posted. Could you elaborate on your the U.S. JD with a non-tax LLM topic? Did you find that this benefit your career or professional development in any way? What was the motivating factor in getting the non-tax LLM in the first place? Thanks. I'm asking because I am considering the same.

[Jmart082]

My understanding is that U.S. J.D.s generally get little/no value out of doing a non-tax LL.M. (tax LL.M.s are a different story, but even then only the top three tax LL.M. programs are generally considered valuable: NYU, Georgetown, and UF, in that order). Instead of doing a LL.M., probably better for career prospects to clerk.

U.S. JD with a non-tax LLM here. Can confirm that everything just said here is accurate.

Not sure if my question was posted. Could you elaborate on your the U.S. JD with a non-tax LLM topic? Did you find that this benefit your career or professional development in any way? What was the motivating factor in getting the non-tax LLM in the first place? Thanks. I'm asking because I am considering the same.

It was solely to make myself more marketable to biglaw by getting a credential from a T-14 and at the same time carving out a clear focus for my practice. I got a little bit of the latter, but none of the former. They'll only hire through OCI/Summer Associate placements.

[RedGiant]

I did a concurrent JD and LLM in Banking and Financial Regulation, mostly because I like finance and some of the law school classes were super-litigation based or ivory-towerish, and the profs in the Banking program were real-world practitioners (and not all of them lawyers). It didn't really help my job prospects other than that the Banking program was a GPA-booster if you were a non-foreigner (as there were some language barrier issues). There was not a ton of recruiting for biglaw out of my program (BU) but people did get excellent compliance jobs or returned to decent careers they already had. I got my job through JD recruiting, which was wholly separate. Outcomes varied greatly depending on your work eligibility/foreign status. I think bank regulatory work is super-interesting (I worked at Wells during the Wells-Wachovia merger) and less boring than folks might imagine. Don't do a program like this if you think it will "cleanse" prior bad JD grades or a low-ranked program. It will not.

[Lawschool2021]

Does anyone know about the employment stats for those who graduate from the Georgetown Law LLM Program in Securities and Financial Reg?

[ninthcircuitattorney]

Several years ago, I inquired directly from GULC. I was told that, out of about 12 recent LL.M. grads, one reported being in a fellowship and all the other ones reported returning to their prior positions or being unemployed. In other words, not a single one reported getting a new law firm job. Needless to say, I decided against pursuing the program.

[CanadianWolf]

The value of a non-tax LLM degree varies by one's situation.

The school should have employment statistics & placement information available for prospective students to examine & to assess how it may align with their goals.

Do not expect an LLM degree of this sort to erase one's less than stellar JD background regarding grades/class rank and/or school. Nevertheless, if it complements one's background or practice, it may be of more value to some than others.

@ninthcircuitattorney: Of the remaining 11 of 12 graduates of that LLM program, it would be helpful to know if it was a part-time or full-time program and, more importantly, how many returned to their current employers and whether or not their current employers paid/reimbursed them for the LLM program costs.

[CanadianWolf]

Just looked over Georgetown's online, part-time LLM in securities & financial regulation. Seems clear to me that this is primarily an offering for those already practicing in this area as per Georgetown's website. This suggests that recruiting graduates from this program will be minimal at best. Good for continuing education credits.

GWU's program has more course offerings including several courses focused on drafting legal documents in this area.