Master of Law in the USA is a postgraduate law degree for LLB or JD graduates who want to specialize in a specific part of the law. Students can pick from different concentration areas listed below during LLM in the USA. 

• Corporate & Commercial Law
• Immigration Law
• Labour & Employment Law
• Litigation and Lawyering Skills
• Property Development / Real Estate Law
• US Legal  Practice

This degree is generally one year long and costs between USD 30,000 to USD 70,000 annually. This blog presents the basics related to LLM in the USA, like the top LLM Universities, tuition fees of a Master of Law, and career opportunities after graduation. 

Why study Master of Law in the USA?

• The best Law Universities in the world, like Harvard University and New York University, are in the USA.
• Even entry-level job positions after LLM pay around USD 60,000. 
• Many specialisations and LLM in the USA are available in environmental law, tax law, corporate law, business law etc. 
• The number of active lawyers and demand for active Lawyers is increasing in the USA, according to the report by American Bar Association (ABA)
• LLM in the USA offers global credentials to international lawyers. 

Top Universities for Master of Law in the USA

According to the QS ranking of top universities for LLM or Master of Law, these are the ten best law schools in the USA.

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List of LLM Programs in the USA

Other famous LLM programs in the USA are: 

• LLM in International Business and Economic Law
• LLM in Privacy Law and Cybersecurity
• Master of International Trade Law and Economics
• Executive LL.M. in Global Business Law
• Master of Laws in intellectual property
• LLM in American Law
• LLM in Legal Theory
• LLM in International Taxation
• LLM in Banking & Financial Law
• Master of Advanced Corporation Law (MACL)
• LLM in International Legal Studies
• LLM in Environmental and Energy Law
• LLM in Corporation Law
• LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration
• LLM in Competition, Innovation and Information Law

LLM in USA Fees

The cost of Studying Master of Law, i.e. LLM in the USA, ranges from USD 30,000 to USD 70,000 per year for international students.

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Entry Requirements for Master of Law in the USA

As an international student, you need to meet these criteria to study Master of Law in the USA: 

• A bachelor's degree in law or JD with a minimum 2.0 GPA (could be much higher as well, depending upon the university)
• Resume/ CV with your academic and career achievements, projects, experience etc.
• Letter of Recommendations (1 to 3)
• 2-3 years of experience is needed for some universities in the relevant field of specialization.
• Statement of Purpose (500 words to 1500 words depending on the university)
• Some universities ask for GRE/ GMAT scores
• English Proficiency scores (IELTS: 6.5/ TOEFL: 80) for international students from English-non-speaking countries. 

If you are wondering what you need to apply for a Master of Law in the USA, this is it. 

NYU Law School

• Course name: Master of Law
• English Language Requirements:
• TOEFL: 100 (Listening and reading 26, Speaking and writing: 22)
• IELTS: 7.0 (Listening and Reading: 7.5, Speaking and Writing 7.0)
• Academic Requirements: Applicants must complete a bachelor's degree in law (JD or LLB ) or closely related subjects with a minimum of 3.0 GPA.
• Other Requirements: 
• Personal Statement (less than 500 words)
• Resume/ CV
• 1-3 Recommendation Letters
• Official Transcripts and Class Rank Statement
• Application fees: USD 85

Duke Law School

Duke Law School offers certificate LLM Programs in Environment and Energy Law, Business Law, Intellectual Property, Science and Technology Law.

• Course name: Master of Law (LLM)
• English Language Requirements:
• TOEFL: 100 
• Academic Requirements: Pass Bachelor in Law (LLB) with a minimum of 2.5 GPA.
• Other Requirements: 
• Personal Statement- 2 to 5 pages in length
• Resume/ CV
• At least 2 Recommendation Letters
• Two years of work experience in related fields after a bachelor. 
• Official Transcripts from all previously attended institution
• Application fees: USD 80

William and Mary Law School

• Course name: LLM
• English Language Requirements:
• TOEFL: 90
• IELTS: 6
• Duolingo: 95
• Academic Requirements: Applicants need to have completed the necessary legal education required to obtain an LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws), LL.M. (Master of Laws), or J.M. (Juris Master) in a foreign country with a minimum GPA of 2.0.
• Other Requirements: 
• Personal Statement
• Resume/ CV
• Recommendation Letter
• Unofficial transcripts and academic records.

Harvard Law School

• Course name: Master of Law (LL.M. )
• English Language Requirements:
• TOEFL: 100, with 25 and better in each section.
• Academic Requirements: To be considered for the LL.M. program, an applicant must have a J.D. (Juris Doctor) or should come from a background of legal systems and professions. 
• Other Requirements: 
• Personal Statement (less than 500 words)
• Resume/ CV
• At least 2 Recommendation Letters
• Official Transcripts from previously attended institutions. 
• Application fees: USD 85
• Application deadlines: December 1 for Fall intake
• No GRE Scores or LSAT Score requirements

George Mason University/ Antonin Scalia Law School

• Course name: Flex LLM
• English Language Requirements:
• TOEFL: Minimum 90, though 100 and above is highly preferred. 
• IELTS: 6.5, 7.5, or above preferred
• Duolingo: 110 
• Academic Requirements: Pass JD or equivalent bachelor's degree in law with a minimum of 3.0 GPA. 
• Other Requirements: 
• Personal Statement. 500 Word
• Resume/ CV
• 1 Recommendation Letter
• Official law school transcripts
• Informal interview with the director of the LLM Program
• Application fees: USD
• Application deadlines: November 1 for spring and May 1 for fall. 

University of Arizona- James E Rogers College of Law

• Course name: General Master of Law (LLM)
• English Language Requirements:
• TOEFL: 79 
• IELTS: 7.0 with 6.0 or better in each module
• Academic Requirements: All LLM candidates must have earned a first law degree from either a foreign law school approved by the government or another accrediting authority in the nation in which it is located or an ABA-approved law school in the United States, as applicable.
• Other Requirements: 
• Personal Statement
• Resume/ CV- Summarize education experience, publications and achievements
• Two or more Recommendation Letters
• Official academic transcripts
• Application fees: None
• Application deadline: May 15 for fall intake and November 30 for Spring intake.

University of Cincinnati College of Law

• Course name: LLM
• English Language Requirements:
• TOEFL: 100
• IELTS: 7
• Academic Requirements: Pass equivalent bachelor's degree in law with a minimum of 2.75 GPA. 
• Other Requirements: 
• Personal Statement.
• Resume/ CV
• 2  Recommendation Letter
• Official law school transcripts
• Application fees: USD
• Application deadlines: November 1 for spring and May 1 for fall.

Scholarships for Master of Law in the USA

As you can see in the table above, the master of law is quite expensive for international students in the USA. Thankfully, there are some scholarships to help international students with this. 

• Jagdish Bhagwati Fellowship
• Fullbright scholarship
• General Merit Scholarships
• Hauser Global Scholars Program
• Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation
• UCLA Law Distinguished Scholars Program

Scope of Master of Law/ LLM in USA

After completion of LLM, graduates can engage in Optional Practical Training, also called OPT.  After this, Master of Law students can search for jobs in diverse settings in the USA. LLM graduates can find employment in a wide range of areas: 

• Consultancies
• Law Firms
• Finance
• Corporate
• Courthouses
• International Organizations such as UNO or UNICEF
• NGO
• FMCG
• Real Estate
• Banking, Retail, Manufacturing
• Insurance
• Advertising
• Pharmaceuticals
• Media and Publishing houses
• Regulatory Bodies