JD worth it for non-Americans? Forum

[applepiecrust]

I've been reading a lot of horror stories about how being a non-American student pursuing a JD can mean absolutely no job prospects whatsoever.

From Anna Levy's blog --LinkRemoved--(quoting a student at a T-10 school):

In fact, it is even worse for the [non-US] students. Many of them (including my friend from this year) get NO offers at all. In fact, he not only got no offers, he got no callbacks after the initial interviews. And he has a B average from [top law school], which is not far off the curve, and he has a business degree from [deleted], one of the top business schools in Europe. That apparently means nothing to the "international" firms. Most of the interviewers didn't even believe that he was getting a JD. They kept saying, "Wait, so, you're getting an LLM?"

This, coupled with how the law is supposed to be a conservative profession in general, makes the prospect of getting a JD as a non-American student a very scary idea indeed.

Does anyone have opinion/advice regarding this? Or what have your experiences/friends' experiences as JD students been like? (I'm not really asking other 0Ls but their opinions are welcome as well).

[lawls]

I've been reading a lot of horror stories about how being a non-American student pursuing a JD can mean absolutely no job prospects whatsoever.

From Anna Levy's blog --LinkRemoved--(quoting a student at a T-10 school):

In fact, it is even worse for the [non-US] students. Many of them (including my friend from this year) get NO offers at all. In fact, he not only got no offers, he got no callbacks after the initial interviews. And he has a B average from [top law school], which is not far off the curve, and he has a business degree from [deleted], one of the top business schools in Europe. That apparently means nothing to the "international" firms. Most of the interviewers didn't even believe that he was getting a JD. They kept saying, "Wait, so, you're getting an LLM?"

This, coupled with how the law is supposed to be a conservative profession in general, makes the prospect of getting a JD as a non-American student a very scary idea indeed.

Does anyone have opinion/advice regarding this? Or what have your experiences/friends' experiences as JD students been like? (I'm not really asking other 0Ls but their opinions are welcome as well).

I read the article and the quotation you cite is specific to the dual-JD program to which the student is referring. This would help explain the confusion of interviewers as well. Also, the article as a whole is critical of international law, not necessarily of international students who get a JD in the US and want to practice in the US.

That said, I'm not well versed on how well international students do in US markets (Europe? Mexicans and Canadians have the benefit of NAFTA provisions that make it easier to work in the US as a lawyer).

Also, what schools offer a dual-degree with a civil law country, and are top10? Just curious.

[applepiecrust]

Right, the majority of the quote is about his trouble with the dual law degree, but just the specific part I quoted is about a classmate who is presumably an international student pursuing a JD.


And I'm pretty sure the school in question is Cornell (but it's not T10): http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/intern ... master.cfm

Though just out of curiosity, why would prospective employers look less favorably at someone that also has knowledge of civil law? Is it because they might consider that that applicant doesn't have as rigorous an understanding of common law (specifically, US law) as other applicants?

[romothesavior]

From now on, will post this article in every thread where international law comes up. Thank you.

[lawls]

Right, the majority of the quote is about his trouble with the dual law degree, but just the specific part I quoted is about a classmate who is presumably an international student pursuing a JD.


And I'm pretty sure the school in question is Cornell (but it's not T10): http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/intern ... master.cfm

Though just out of curiosity, why would prospective employers look less favorably at someone that also has knowledge of civil law? Is it because they might consider that that applicant doesn't have as rigorous an understanding of common law (specifically, US law) as other applicants?

But the specific part is also about the dual-program; the context of the quotation indicates his friend is pursuing the dual-degree as well. Hence why some interviewers are confused.

The problem isn't knowing civil law, it is that a dual-law degree makes you a serious flight risk/questions your commitment to the US system. This would be particularly true if the unnamed international is French (and in the Sorbonne/Cornell program).

[applepiecrust]

But the specific part is also about the dual-program; the context of the quotation indicates his friend is pursuing the dual-degree as well. Hence why some interviewers are confused.

.

Ah, yes, now that I look at it again, it does seem to be specifically about the dual degree. RC fail.

[sophie316]

Ask me after OCI.

But really it depends where you're coming from, what you've done before and what you want to do with it afterwards.

[lawls]

But the specific part is also about the dual-program; the context of the quotation indicates his friend is pursuing the dual-degree as well. Hence why some interviewers are confused.

.

Ah, yes, now that I look at it again, it does seem to be specifically about the dual degree. RC fail.

I don't know anything about the Cornell program but I admit it doesn't sound tempting. The problem I see is that you are only minted with a US JD two years after your final degree of US study; that seems like a huge liability. In any event, I just wanted to press the point as I think you shouldn't read too much into this particular instance. As for internationals in the US, I really don't know. I suspect the main thing is convincing firms you'll be a "long-term" (at least for this profession) fit.

[tome]

I know a woman on a green card who went to a top six school. She started out in the LLM program but switched to the JD after a year. Because she got a year credit from the LLM and another year from her old degree program, she only was enrolled in the JD program for one year. She did OCI before her third year, and so never summered anywhere. Still, she managed to get a job in the appellate group of one of Chicago's top few firms--and an federal appellate clerkship. So it seems that being foreign does not mean you are automatically fucked. I am about to do OCI next month, so I will probably have a better idea then

One thing she did say was that if you have a green card, say so on your resume. Interviewers are not allowed to ask, and it makes a world of difference. She actually sad telling interviewers she wanted to do appellate work was more of a turn-off than being foreign.

[legalease9]

I think you will be ok as a foreigner with two things in mind...

1. Are you planning to work in America? There are very few legal jobs in other countries because foreign nations aren't as legally focused as America.

2. How are you going to pay for LS? Do you have access to the Federal Loan program?

Read this to find out...
http://finaid.ucr.edu/Receiving+aid/Cit ... ements.htm


If not, you will have to ensure that you can fork out the bill through private loans/ school assistance, and that the higher risk associated with private loans is worth it to you.

I think these are your larger concerns rather than whether firms will hire you or not (that will be dependent on your LS and grades).

[Sheenam123]

Hello I am sheenam.I am hoping to study law (JD) from the U.S. Can anyone tell me about the job prospects after that, for international students? Also about the visa issues? Please help I desperately need some!

[Nomo]

Well you can't do federal clerkships anymore as a foreigner (at least you can't get paid to do them).

I'm not expert, but my impression is that the biggest firms are the most willing to support a visa application (though they might see it as an annoyance). Smaller firms are less likely to be willing to deal with you.

[Nomo]

Also, plenty of people at top schools with median grades and citizenship don't get offers from large law firms. So that part isn't unusual.

[Sheenam123]

Also, plenty of people at top schools with median grades and citizenship don't get offers from large law firms. So that part isn't unusual.

Actually I am in a dilemma between getting a LLB from the U.K or JD from the states.I want to work either in England or in the U.S. Do you know which is better in terms of job prospects and visa issues? I don't wanna live and work in my country.Please Reply.