[blindlaw] Questions about universities in the US

Sun Jan 13 23:49:09 UTC 2013

Does a non-US law graduate have to do an LLM in order to sit the New York Bar?

On 1/13/13, Paul Wick <wickps at gmail.com> wrote:
> Marcos,
>
> Yes, the JD degree is the only law degree U.S. students must have
> before taking a bar examination. Generally speaking this must be
> preceded by a bachelor's degree in any subject. unlike most other
> countries there is not generally a mandatory period of apprenticeship
> (except I believe in Delaware and Vermont), so upon passing the bar
> exam and satisfying the particular state that you possess good moral
> character and making the prescribed  oath or affirmation you are
> entitled to practice law.
>
> Best,
>
> Paul S. Wick, Esq.
>
> On 1/13/13, Marcos Rodrigues <mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Thanks Paul.
>>
>> Things work a little bit different here, the bachelor takes five years to
>> be
>> completed.
>>
>> After finishing the JD, can US students take the bar exam?
>>
>> Regards.
>> Marcos Rodrigues
>> mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>> Em 13/01/2013, às 00:50, Paul Wick escreveu:
>>
>>> Marcos,
>>>
>>> No problem, the JD (Juris Doctor, or Doctor of Jurisprudence) is the
>>> first degree granted by U.S. law schools, it takes 3 years full-time
>>> study or 4 years part-time. This degree was simply a re-naming of the
>>> former Bachelor of Laws degree by American law schools in the 1960's
>>> to make the degree seem more prestigious. Historically the JD had been
>>> granted by some schools following a research dissertation (in place of
>>> the LLM.) The highest law degree (i.e. doctoral level) which very few
>>> have is the SJD (Scientiae Juridicae Doctor, or Doctor of Juritical
>>> Science.)
>>>
>>> Hope this helps.
>>>
>>> Paul S. Wick, Esq.
>>>
>>> On 1/12/13, Marcos Rodrigues <mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi Paul:
>>>>
>>>> This LLM in American Law is exactly what I am looking for, I will check
>>>> Golden Gate.
>>>>
>>>> SF is a very interesting city to live for one year, so it is worth
>>>> checking
>>>> schools there (I think Stanford and UC Berkley are very hard for me to
>>>> be
>>>> accepted, so Golden Gates or UC Astings might better options).
>>>>
>>>> Let me ask another question that may look like stupid but it is
>>>> something
>>>> that I really don't know: what is the difference between Law school
>>>> graduation (which I think takes four years in the US and five here in
>>>> Brazil) and this JD program that you and all the schools website talk
>>>> about?
>>>> Is this JD something like a masters in law or something different (I
>>>> don't
>>>> think we have this in Brazil).
>>>>
>>>> Regards.
>>>> Marcos Rodrigues
>>>> mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Em 12/01/2013, às 22:34, Paul Wick escreveu:
>>>>
>>>>> Adam,
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm a 2010 grad of a fourth-tier (Golden Gate University School of Law
>>>>> in San Francisco) and I had a similar excellent experience with
>>>>> accommodations in law school versus undergrad. I'm very fortunate to
>>>>> be working part-time doing Social Security Disability appeals, but I
>>>>> am (with the encouragement of my boss) looking for other options. It
>>>>> has also been my experience that there just aren't any jobs out there,
>>>>> and those that exist require experience I don't have.
>>>>>
>>>>> Marcos,
>>>>>
>>>>> My law school (of which I'm very proud) has several LLM programs, but
>>>>> the only ones that might be worth your time or money are the LLM in
>>>>> Taxation (which is more well-regarded than our JD) and our U.S. Legal
>>>>> Studies LLM, which is primarily for those from civil law countries who
>>>>> want to sit the California Bar (also New York.) I had a few of these
>>>>> students in my classes, and they were really interesting people.
>>>>>
>>>>> As for funding, I'm not sure but I would doubt there is any. An LLM
>>>>> costs about $36,000 as I recall. A professor of mine suggested I do
>>>>> their LLM and I said to him that thanks to the federal government and
>>>>> scholarships, I had borrowed less than the LLM tuition over the 3
>>>>> years of law school which I think is about the proper cost of a legal
>>>>> education. I said that I just didn't think the cost-benefit analysis
>>>>> made it worth pursuing. This was followed by total silence on my
>>>>> professors’ part.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just my thoughts.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best,
>>>>> Paul S. Wick, Esq.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 1/12/13, Marcos Rodrigues <mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>> Hi:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I want to take a general LLM focused on the American Law.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I do not plan to teach in the near future but want to take the New
>>>>>> York
>>>>>> Bar
>>>>>> Examination after the LLM if everything work out the way I am
>>>>>> planning.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Regards.
>>>>>> Marcos Rodrigues
>>>>>> mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Em 12/01/2013, às 18:23, Fred Wright Lopez escreveu:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> There are many LLM programs of study, but the starting question is
>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>> do
>>>>>>> you envision doing with a LLM degree?   Are you interested in an
>>>>>>> academic
>>>>>>> / teaching career?  If so, in the United States or elsewhere?   If
>>>>>>> so,
>>>>>>> than I would argue that the reputation of the school and it's LLM
>>>>>>> program
>>>>>>> will most assuredly factor into the hiring process.   If you want an
>>>>>>> LLM
>>>>>>> in tax law than it may not count as much but would still factor in
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> hiring and promotional opportunities.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> By way of background, I attended UCLA and UC Berkeley as an
>>>>>>> undergraduate
>>>>>>> and UC Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall) for my JD degree.  Although I
>>>>>>> graduated
>>>>>>> many years ago did not purse an LLM I am familiar with the LLM
>>>>>>> program
>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>> Berkeley Law School.  The LLM program at Berkeley is world renown
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> highly competitive.   Many of the LLM students who come to Berkley
>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>> interested in teaching, technology / business or judicial
>>>>>>> administration
>>>>>>> careers.   Several LLM students are on foregin government or US
>>>>>>> State
>>>>>>> Department sponsored programs.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Although lost my vision several years after graduating from Boalt
>>>>>>> Hall
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> remain in close contact with the University on issues of disability
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> access for students.   The law school has had previous JD students
>>>>>>> who
>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>> blind and visually impaired.   There are great support systems for
>>>>>>> students on campus and in the community at large.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> An additional aspect of any LLM program is not just course
>>>>>>> offerings,
>>>>>>> but
>>>>>>> access to professors and the make up of the LLM class.  Basically,
>>>>>>> will
>>>>>>> you make the kind of  contacts in an LLM program that will benefit
>>>>>>> you
>>>>>>> throughout your legal career.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I hope these commens of of some assistance.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Federico (Fred) Wright Lopez
>>>>>>> Boalt Hall "79
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Jan 12, 2013, at 11:43 AM, Marcos Rodrigues wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> thanks Adam, I will search tis school.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Enviado via iPhone
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Em 12/01/2013, às 17:06, Adam Zimmerman
>>>>>>>> <adam.zimmerman719 at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>> escreveu:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Marco,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Certainly a good question. With an LLM the rank of the law school
>>>>>>>>> matters far less than it does for a JD. I base that statement on
>>>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>>>> background as a legal recruiter working externally with large
>>>>>>>>> firms
>>>>>>>>> prior to law school. I attended Suffolk University Law School in
>>>>>>>>> downtown Boston which has a highly regarded international LLM
>>>>>>>>> program
>>>>>>>>> though the law school is ranked in the third tier by US News. I
>>>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>> lousy undergrad experience with respect to accommodations for
>>>>>>>>> students
>>>>>>>>> with visual disabilities at a prestigious liberal arts school that
>>>>>>>>> does
>>>>>>>>> not have a law school and I was thoroughly amazed at the quality
>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>> attentiveness of the Office of Disability Services at Suffolk Law
>>>>>>>>> provided. I could not have asked for better partners in my legal
>>>>>>>>> education. They went above and beyond on a regular basis to ensure
>>>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>>>> all my books in digital format and worked with me to deal with any
>>>>>>>>> concerns professors might have had. As a result of Suffolk Law's
>>>>>>>>> experiences with me as a law student I am proud to say they have
>>>>>>>>> had
>>>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>>>> least one blind or visually impaired student matriculated in every
>>>>>>>>> graduating class from 2010 to the present 1L class of 2015.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I hope that's helpful.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Adam B. Zimmerman, Esq.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Jan 12, 2013, at 1:01 PM, Marcos Rodrigues
>>>>>>>>> <mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Hi listers:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I am thinking about taking a LLM in the US next year and would
>>>>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>> know about good law schools in the US.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I also would like to know (if you do not mind answering) in what
>>>>>>>>>> law
>>>>>>>>>> school did you take your law course degree and post graduation
>>>>>>>>>> degree
>>>>>>>>>> or LLM?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Cheers.
>>>>>>>>>> Marcos Rodrigues
>>>>>>>>>> mrodrigues81 at hotmail.com
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
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