Mitchell Hamline’s LL.M. Degree Program is designed for foreign law graduates who possess a law degree (LL.B. or equivalent) from outside of the United States. The program requires students to complete 24 credits including an introductory course to familiarize them with the American Legal System. Students may complete a master’s thesis. Most students complete the program in one academic year (fall and spring) of study during which they focus on a specialized area of law. Students choose their courses with the support of a faculty advisor. Areas of specialization include, but are not limited to, alternative dispute resolution, intellectual property, international law, business and corporate law, and health law.
Complete information about t the application process is available on the LL.M. Degree Program webpage.
Key components of the LL.M.
- Structured for students who possess an LL.B. or equivalent degree earned outside the United States.
- Most students complete the program in two full-time semesters.
- Each student is assigned a faculty advisor based on the student’s interest or area of study. Together, the advisor and student design a course of study that includes rigorous law courses and the opportunity to learn from practicing lawyers and judges. Students and advisors meet regularly throughout the program.
- Students are required to earn a minimum of 24 credits to complete the LL.M. degree.
- Students take a required introductory course and then choose from the law school’s J.D. courses. Tutors are available for LL.M. students.
- All degree-seeking LL.M. students may choose to complete a master’s thesis in their area of interest.
- Students can choose courses in specialized areas of law, such as alternative dispute resolution, intellectual property, international and comparative law, business and corporate law, health law, and others.
Benefits of an LL.M. degree from Mitchell Hamline
- Learn American legal doctrine and receive an in-depth understanding of America’s legal system and the practice of law in the United States.
- Deal more effectively with American trained lawyers on international transactions or disputes that involve American law and legal institutions.
- Provide more effective representation to clients with interests in the United States and American clients with interests in your home country.
- Take advantage of Mitchell Hamline’s broad network of practicing lawyers for practical training and in-the-field placement.
- For law faculty, learn about the American legal system and receive important grounding in the case law method and legal reasoning process at the heart of the common law tradition. Increasingly, an LL.M. degree from an American law school is recognized as an important professional credential in many educational institutions.
- Customize your own LL.M. degree with either a specialized focus or general courses. You will have the flexibility to create your own program and put together a curriculum that reflect a certain practice specialty or academic focus that is of particular interest to you.
Does completion of the LL.M. degree qualify students to take the bar exam?
The LL.M. degree is not intended to qualify foreign lawyers to take the bar exam or to practice law in the State of Minnesota, although it may enable students to take the bar exam in other states. Each state has its own regulations regarding qualification to take the bar exam. Students should do their own research regarding these regulations. The National Conference of Bar Examiners publishes a yearly guide with bar information of all individual states and additional details. If you are interested in taking a bar exam in the United States, we recommend you research these regulations before you enroll in any LL.M. program.