Top Law Schools

My boyfriend wants to do LLM in taxes at UW. He already goes to law school, but it's not a top law school or anything (just a regular law school, not anywhere in the top lists, it's not in Washington). He is already in a lot of debt from undergrad and law school, but he says if he does the LLM (which is one year after law school), he would get a good starting salary of like 80k-100k. But I don't believe him, is this true? He wants me to do more research about it, so here I am, doing research.

But I tell him, maybe he should just get a job in tax law right after regular law school? Can he do that? Or does he absolutely need this LLM? I don't want him taking on more debt, he already has a lot.

He has an almost 0 chance of getting a job in tax law from a shitty school. UW isnt the best LLM program but it should open up doors at the local accounting firms.
It's more debt, but truth of the matter once you hit a certain debt threshold, the incentive is to keep going. If his job prospects are $45k per year in shitlaw at $150k debt or $200k + debt at $75k salary, I'd choose the LLM. Not a guarantee, but really nothing to lose if his employment options suck.

If you absolutely need an LL.M., then chances are that you were not competitive for that job in the first place. Granted, a tax LL.M. may be a useful credential to have in some circumstances, and is a gatekeeper for some highly specific positions like Tax Court clerkships, but the market out there is tough.

If your boyfriend is able to find a job in tax law with only a J.D., it might make sense to do that and then get an LL.M. part-time. In addition to the sheer cost of the degree, there is also the opportunity cost to not working for a year. Doing an LL.M. program just because one is unable to find work is usually a bad idea.

Also, obligatory LL.M. flowchart (with the caveat that an LL.M. from a local school may help in smaller, insular markets):

streampaw wrote:My boyfriend wants to do LLM in taxes at UW. He already goes to law school, but it's not a top law school or anything (just a regular law school, not anywhere in the top lists, it's not in Washington). He is already in a lot of debt from undergrad and law school, but he says if he does the LLM (which is one year after law school), he would get a good starting salary of like 80k-100k. But I don't believe him, is this true? He wants me to do more research about it, so here I am, doing research.

But I tell him, maybe he should just get a job in tax law right after regular law school? Can he do that? Or does he absolutely need this LLM? I don't want him taking on more debt, he already has a lot.

I am a tax lawyer with an LLM. He has an outside chance of making $80k at an accounting firm with such a degree, but he is not being realistic.

I'd be interested to know how Northwestern's tax LLM shapes up. It seems like they've put a lot more effort into that program as of late.

twenty wrote:I'd be interested to know how Northwestern's tax LLM shapes up. It seems like they've put a lot more effort into that program as of late.

I think Northwestern will have a tough time breaking into the trinity of top tax programs. NYU, Georgetown, and Florida have a considerable first-mover advantage.

streampaw wrote:My boyfriend wants to do LLM in taxes at UW. He already goes to law school, but it's not a top law school or anything (just a regular law school, not anywhere in the top lists, it's not in Washington). He is already in a lot of debt from undergrad and law school, but he says if he does the LLM (which is one year after law school), he would get a good starting salary of like 80k-100k. But I don't believe him, is this true? He wants me to do more research about it, so here I am, doing research.

But I tell him, maybe he should just get a job in tax law right after regular law school? Can he do that? Or does he absolutely need this LLM? I don't want him taking on more debt, he already has a lot.

You should probably dump the boyfriend.

Aeon wrote:

twenty wrote:I'd be interested to know how Northwestern's tax LLM shapes up. It seems like they've put a lot more effort into that program as of late.

I think Northwestern will have a tough time breaking into the trinity of top tax programs. NYU, Georgetown, and Florida have a considerable first-mover advantage.

I think northwestern has already passed Florida everywhere that isn't Florida. Gtown still has the edge in DC but NW is closing the little gap there too.

JohannDeMann wrote:

Aeon wrote:

twenty wrote:I'd be interested to know how Northwestern's tax LLM shapes up. It seems like they've put a lot more effort into that program as of late.

I think Northwestern will have a tough time breaking into the trinity of top tax programs. NYU, Georgetown, and Florida have a considerable first-mover advantage.

I think northwestern has already passed Florida everywhere that isn't Florida. Gtown still has the edge in DC but NW is closing the little gap there too.

I think it's pretty regional. Even Florida isn't really on the map for many tax lawyers. No idea what things are like in Chicago.