LL.M. in Global Legal Studies: The LL.M. in American Law for Foreign Lawyers
The LL.M. in Global Legal Studies is for prospective students with a foreign law degree. This program, in addition to offering the usual career paths, also will prepare you to work with or across from U.S. counsel in a variety of transactions or disputes.
Scholarships are available for LL.M. students.
The program allows students to build a course of study uniquely tailored to their interests and goals by pursuing a general track of study. Additionally, the program offers specialization in oil and gas law; corporate and commercial law; public law; and in legal analysis, writing and advocacy. You will work with the faculty program director to select courses consistent with your individual interests and objectives. You will take classes alongside students enrolled in the J.D. program and develop lasting relationships with future American lawyers. LL.M. students must earn a minimum of 24 credits in order to graduate. At least 12 credit hours will be comprised of electives.
Details on the LL.M. program tracks can be found under the following links:
Law Licensure (Bar Admission) Requirements in U.S. Jurisdictions
Most U.S. jurisdictions require the J.D. degree as a necessary precondition to being eligible to take the licensure exam to practice law which is called the "bar exam." However, a few U.S. states/jurisdictions permit students who are licensed lawyers in a foreign (non-U.S.) jurisdiction to take the bar exam to practice law after earning the LL.M. degree from an ABA approved law school such as Washburn. States that permit foreign trained lawyers to sit for the bar exam after earning the LL.M. degree at an ABA approved law school in the U.S. include: New York, Texas, California, Connecticut, Missouri, Washington, Alabama, Alaska, and Utah. Because licensing requirements change, prospective students should contact the Board of Law Examiners or the highest Court in the U.S. jurisdiction to confirm the requirements for licensure of foreign lawyers and/or foreign educated law graduates (those not licensed to practice law in their home country). Prospective students seeking to take a bar exam should also consult the academic dean at emily.grant@washburn.edu before enrolling. Although the LL.M. degree may be earned in one academic year, students seeking to use the LL.M. degree to qualify for a U.S. bar exam are urged to undertake two years of study to ensure adequate preparation.
Short URL for this page:
https://washburnlaw.edu/llm
Lori McMillan
Director of the LL.M. Program and Professor of Law
LL.M. student Ronald Manyiri presented "Pooling Clause: Impacts the Grant, the Duration of the Grant, and the Royalty" at Washburn Law's Oil and Gas Law Center 2015 student symposium "Mysteries of the Oil and Gas Lease." The symposium attracted a number of practicing attorneys who joined in discussions and provided a real-world perspective on issues covered by the students.