WashULaw offers international lawyers the opportunity to select a graduate program that best fits their particular academic and professional goals. Our flagship program is the LLM for International Lawyers – which allows you to gain a broad understanding of US law and pursue a Certificate in a specialty area in one academic year.

We also offer specialty LLM programs

 LLM for International Lawyers

The LLM for International Lawyers is designed for students who are interested in increasing their knowledge of US or international law to more effectively practice in today’s global legal environment.  Students will improve their ability to represent clients who have business dealings in the US or with US companies and firms that conduct business abroad.

  • Join a student body drawn from diverse legal cultures and learn from faculty who are experts in both US and international law.
  • LLM students design their own curriculum to suit their own academic and career goals. This will allow you to concentrate in specialized fields such as corporate or environmental law or to select a general course of study to increase your breadth of US and international legal knowledge.
  • Strengthen your advocacy skills in moot court competitions.
  • While enrolled as an LLM students, you can earn a Certificate in a specialty area in addition to the LLM degree.
  • An LLM may permit students, as WashULaw graduates, to sit for the bar examination in several states, including the New York State Bar Exam.
  • Successful LLM students may also apply to transfer to the JD program, earning an LLM and a JD degree in three years.

LLM Certificates

LLM students have the opportunity to pursue a Certificate in one of four specialty areas.  A Certificate is optional and requires 9 credit hours in the specialty area as part of a 24-credit LLM requirement. Students may earn an LLM and one Certificate in an academic year.

LLM with a Certificate in Negotiation & Dispute Resolution

The Certificate in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution provides LLM students with a substantial foundation in conflict theory and dispute resolution, as well as hands-on opportunities to gain practical skills in the fields of business negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. Students can tailor the certificate to best fit their needs as the approved courses for the certificate draw from an extensive list of courses related to negotiation and dispute resolution. Click here for a list of representative courses in this discipline.

LLM with Certificate in Business & Corporate Law

The Certificate in Business and Corporate Law provides LLM students with an opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become well-rounded business lawyers. The approved courses for this certificate draw from the curriculum in this area which ensures that students develop a strong understanding of fundamental areas of business and corporate law while also acquiring advancing training in specialized areas such as corporate finance, law, and economics, publicly traded corporations, and taxation. Click here for a list of representative courses in this discipline.

LLM with Certificate in International Law

The Certificate in International Law will equip LLMs with a strong foundation in international law and specialized training appropriate to their practice interests. The approved courses for this certificate draw from a variety of international law courses, thus allowing students to focus their course of study on areas such as international human rights, international intellectual property, and international commercial arbitration. Click here for a list of representative courses in this discipline.

LLM with Certificate in Intellectual Property and Technology Law

The IP/TL curriculum allows students to study introductory and advanced intellectual property law and to scrutinize the politics affecting those areas of the law under the guidance of leading scholars in the field.  The approved courses for this certificate draw from a variety of IP and technology law courses including patent, trademark, and copyright issues. In addition, students have the opportunity to consider new and emerging technologies as they relate to other areas of the law. Click here for a list of representative courses in this discipline.

 LLM Application Requirements

To apply for the LLM for International Lawyers, candidates must have earned a first law degree from their home jurisdiction. (Note: If you are interested in legal study at WashULaw, but do NOT have a first degree in law, we encourage you to explore our Master in Legal Studies program (MLS) program.)

Non-native English-speaking applicants have to show proof of sufficient language proficiency.

Candidates must submit:

  1. an application;
  2. one recommendation letter;
  3. Official academic transcripts, in notarized English translations, if not provided in English by your university;
  4. Confirmation of English-language proficiency, as in a recent TOEFL, IELTS or other standardized test scores. (WashULaw TOEFL code: 6929) NOTE: Your TOEFL score must be less than two years old at the time you begin classes at WashULaw.

Once admitted, you will be required to present a letter of credit from a bank or other lending institution showing you have sufficient financial support to study in the US.

All materials must be submitted by May 15. **

**Admissions occur on a rolling basis, meaning we consider applications as they are completed. We consider candidates for admission up to 14 months prior to beginning study on campus. Therefore, we strongly recommend that applicants apply as early as possible.

Special Information Concerning the US VISA Process:

WashULaw works closely with of our admitted students to ensure timely and correct filings of visas. Be forewarned, however, that the process of applying for and receiving a US student visa is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. We urge you to get your application in early, and we promise to work on your visa documents early.

For more information, contact us by e-mail, phone, or fax for materials:
E-Mail: gradlaw@wustl.edu
Phone: (314) 935-3346
Fax: (314) 935-7961