LLM Curriculum for Foreign Law Graduates and for American Lawyers
Our Master of Laws (LLM) Program provides foreign and American law graduates with the opportunity to build upon their legal education and expertise. We accept students who have earned a law degree from outside the U.S., such as a bachelor’s degree in law (LL.B); and we also accept candidates who have earned the Juris Doctor (JD) degree in the U.S. Both types of students are fully integrated within the Richardson Law School Community and enjoy the flexibility to design their own curriculum.
LLM for Foreign Law Graduates
For law graduates coming from other countries, the LLM program remains an ideal choice, especially if you have only one year to devote to study. The LLM offers a broad introduction to U.S. and international law, and you may earn a certificate in your area of specialization during your LLM year. LLM students who do exceptionally well may be considered for transfer to the JD program if they wish to continue their law study in the U.S.
We provide our foreign LLM students with solid training in U.S. legal analysis. During the fall semester, all students take Introduction to American Law, a special course that emphasizes the distinctive aspects of the American legal system and approach to legal issues. We also offer a course on U.S. Legal Research and Writing. LLM students may also enroll in first-year courses such as Contracts and Civil Procedure, which serve as a useful, in-depth introduction to key areas of U.S. practice.
LLM students must complete 24 credits to obtain a general LLM degree. Up to six of the 24 credits may be taken as graduate level courses outside the Law School. Students have the option of pursuing an LLM Specialization certificate in addition to their diploma. We now offer LLM specializations in seven major areas: business and commercial law, conflict resolution, environmental law, human rights, criminal law, international and comparative law, and ocean law and policy.
Bar Preparation
For those planning to take the New York State Bar Examination, the Law School offers courses to meet the new requirements effective as of 2012-13. These include Introduction to American Law, Legal Research and Writing, and Professional Responsibility, so you can prepare for the NY bar examination while studying in Hawai‘i.
Student Learning Outcomes
The William S. Richardson School of Law LL.M. complies with American Bar Association standards, having received acquiescence in 2003. The Richardson LL.M. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are:
- To gain a comparative understanding of the importance of law and legal institutions in the U.S., and the role of lawyers and the judiciary in the American legal system;
- To understand the professional ethics and service obligations of lawyers;
- To master fundamental skills in American legal research, legal analysis, and legal reasoning;
- To learn to communicate an understanding of U.S. legal issues effectively both orally and in writing; and
- To develop expertise in a specialized area of U.S. or international law through successful completion of an organized program of courses in a selected specialization. (Rev. Aug. 2014)
LLM for American Lawyers
American lawyers who wish to pursue a general LLM (with the option of obtaining a certificate in a specialized area) are encouraged to apply. The Law School offers a significant number of advanced courses, as well as opportunities for supervised research projects, in the areas of: Environmental Law; International and Comparative Law; and Human Rights and Social Justice. The LLM program for American students encourages an interdisciplinary approach and thus permits students to take up to 6 of their 24 credits from graduate departments outside the Law School. The LLM for American lawyers also includes the opportunity to conduct advanced legal research and complete a substantial research project or clinical project in the student’s area of specialization.
American lawyers may elect to complete their LLM degree on a part-time basis, however, only a selection of elective courses are offered during evening hours.
American lawyers who wish to apply to the LLM should explain, in their application Personal Statement, whether they hope to obtain the LLM with a certificate in a particular field of specialization. The Admissions Committee will not accept an American lawyer into the LLM program unless it is satisfied that the student will be able to enroll in a sufficient number of advanced courses during the proposed period of study and obtain the student’s desired specialization. Some courses are only offered during the summer term or are offered in alternate academic years. Thus, American lawyers who propose to obtain their LLM over the course of three or more semesters are more likely to be able to take the full range of upper-level electives. An American LLM student may not enroll in a course that was already taken as part of the student’s JD program (unless the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs is satisfied that the law has significantly changed or that the content of the course is sufficiently different, so as to justify retaking the subject).
