Best Law Masters Programs in Illinois

The University of Chicago Law School uniquely offers the combination of a small (70–80 students) and diverse (more than 25 nationalities) LLM program with a real sense of community among the students. The rigorous and elite academic atmosphere at the Law School is part of the experience both inside and outside the classroom, and is enhanced by the urban location in one of the great cities of the world.

Northwestern University's Master of Laws (LLM) program is expertly crafted to expand legal expertise and foster specialization within distinct legal arenas. This prestigious program welcomes individuals holding a Juris Doctor (JD) from an American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited institution or an equivalent degree from a foreign university. Running over the course of nine months, the program is particularly beneficial for international law graduates, offering them an in-depth exploration of American law, international law, and comparative legal studies.

To successfully complete the LLM, students are required to accumulate a minimum of 20 credits in law-related courses. The curriculum is anchored by two compulsory courses: Common Law Reasoning, which sharpens fundamental legal skills, and a choice among American Jurisprudence, Civil Procedure, or Constitutional Law to provide a solid introduction to the American legal framework. Beyond these core requirements, students have the liberty to customize their academic journey with a diverse selection of advanced law courses.

Although the program does not necessitate a thesis, students have the option to engage in specialized Graduate Research projects on topics of their choosing. Moreover, the program offers a unique opportunity to enroll in select courses from the Kellogg School of Management, contingent on space availability. These courses, which are integral to the MBA curriculum and taught by esteemed Kellogg faculty, cover vital topics such as Accounting for Decision-Making and Business Strategy, and are credited towards the LLM degree.

The LL.M. and J.S.D. programs of graduate study in law are designed for foreign law graduates who wish to pursue advanced study and conduct independent research under the direction of the College of Law faculty. Two advanced degrees are conferred by the College of Law: the Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree and the Doctor of Science of Law (J.S.D.). Overall coordination of the graduate program is the responsibility of the Office of Graduate and International Programs, and individual inquiries should be addressed to this office. The Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) is a one-year, nonprofessional, terminal degree program designed for those who have had no legal training and who do not desire a professional law degree.

The Master of Laws (LLM) in Compliance & Enterprise Risk Management is a post-JD master's degree programme designed for attorneys looking to gain or hone a specialised knowledge in transactional law and compliance. You'll get the practical knowledge necessary to counsel business customers on industry-specific best practises.

The curriculum provides in-depth instruction in compliance, and it includes classes on corporate compliance, company planning, securities law, and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In two years, a part-time student can finish the online degree. Every year, the fall, spring, and summer all mark the beginning of the programme.

Applicants to the Intellectual Property Management and Markets program must have a bachelor degree (or equivalent). To graduate from the program, you must maintain a 3.0 grade point average.

Candidates are encouraged to submit their application online and submit all supporting documents as soon as possible. Students are admitted on a rolling admissions basis, so it is advantageous to apply early.

You will provide all information and documents as part of the online application process. You can monitor your application status in the Application Portal and with the App Tracker. You will receive emails if we are missing any application documents as well as emails updating you on your overall application status.

Note: Before beginning the online application process, we suggest that you order copies of your transcripts from all colleges universities that you attended.

Follow the online instructions and sign in using your username and password.

Student Type: On-Campus or Online (for remote applicants).

Each applicant must submit a personal statement in essay format that does not exceed 1,000 words. The essay should include discussion of your reasons for pursuing the IPMM program, the professional goals which you expect to advance, your academic background, and your relevant professional experience or related accomplishments to date.

We require two letters of recommendation from individuals who are able to assess your academic and or career achievements and potential.

Letters of recommendation must be submitted through the online Application Portal. You will input the recommender name and email address, and they will receive an electronic invitation to their email and then submit their recommendation.

You should arrange to have official transcripts of prior university study available for submission with your online application. You must indicate on the application all colleges universities you attended and provide official transcripts, regardless of whether a degree was earned or not, and even if you received transfer credit from your next institution.

All applicants who have done academic work at foreign institutions must provide original academic records and officially certified English translations of the original records. In addition, please submit official information on the grading system.

Official GRE or GMAT scores for tests taken within the past five years should be sent directly to Illinois Tech by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) or Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). For GMAT scores, please select Illinois Institute of Technology and the correct college program. If you have taken the LSAT, please include an unofficial report with your application.

GMAT information is available from the Graduate Management Admission Council.

The IELTS or TOEFL may be waived at the discretion of the Admissions Committee for applicants who can otherwise substantiate their English proficiency. Applicants who wish to have the IELTS or TOEFL requirement waived must submit a written request with their application for admission that includes an explanation of their familiarity with English and any appropriate supporting documentation.

Students may apply for admission to the Joint JD+LLM Program at the time of application to the JD Program (Direct Admission) or at any time prior to the last semester of the completion of the JD Program.

Applicants admitted directly to the JD+LLM Program must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.80 at the end of their first academic year to continue their enrollment as a JD+LLM student. These students may reapply for admission to the JD+LLM Program after raising their cumulative GPA to 2.80 or higher.

College of Law students enrolled in the JD Program may apply for admission for the JD+LLM Program at any time prior to completion of the JD Program. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.80 and submit the joint JD+LLM application form and required essay indicating their reason(s) for applying to the program. Upon admission, the student will receive a letter of admission to the JD+LLM Program and the student program plan will be changed to JD+LLM.

JD students admitted to the Joint JD+LLM Program in their final year may not be able to complete all program requirements within three years. Students electing to delay their anticipated JD program degree conferral for an additional semester to complete the requirements of the LLM will not receive certification to sit for the bar examination until the end of the semester in which they receive the Joint JD+LLM degree.

JD+LLM students must complete all program requirements of the JD Program and the specific LLM Program to which they have been admitted. Traditional JD students must complete 86 semester hours. Traditional LLM students must complete 24 semester hours after earning a JD degree. Students admitted to the joint program will be permitted to simultaneously apply 9 semester hours of qualifying courses toward both degrees. Therefore, in addition to the 86 hours required to earn the JD, Joint JD+LLM students must earn 15 semester hours to complete the LLM. With Summer enrollment, the JD+LLM may be completed in three years.

Students completing the course requirements for the JD+LLM must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 in order to earn the JD+LLM.

To receive the joint degree, students must complete the requirements of both degrees in the same semester and in the same academic year. Credits that can be applied to both degrees will be applied only after the student concurrently completes both programs. A student who graduates from the JD Program without having been admitted to the Joint JD+LLM Program prior to graduation must apply for traditional admission to the LLM Program and complete the 24 semester hours required for graduation.

Careers Law and Public Service Pathway Leadership Team.

Law and Public Service Career Pathway Leader: Jennifer Lazarus, JD.

Jen graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Jen also directed the Juvenile Diversion Restoration Program, dedicated to reducing juvenile recidivism and helping at-risk youth avoid criminal prosecution.

There are many people interested in contributing to the Career Pathways than will be able serve on Leadership Teams at any given time, and supporters who want to be highly involved, but are not serving on a Leadership Team may elect to join the Career Pathways as affiliate members. Privileges and responsibilities for affiliates include:.

Check out the Law and Public Service Career Pathway.

NIU offers an accelerated law degree program for high-achieving students. Accelerated programs are available in nearly a dozen majors and through the University Honors program. Applications for the accelerated law degree program should be received by April 1.

All students in good standing in the University Honors program are eligible to participate in the accelerated degree program.

When you are accepted into the College of Law pursuant to the provisions of this program, you will matriculate in the College of Law in the fall of your senior year. The final two years of the program will follow the standard College of Law timetable.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the School of Art and Design as an Art History major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

When you are accepted into the College of Law pursuant to the special provisions of this program, you will matriculate in the College of Law in the fall of your senior year. The final two years of the program will follow the standard College of Law timetable.

The six-year integrated sequence leads to both the B.S. in Business Administration and J.D. degrees.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the Management as a Business Administration major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You must complete all the requirements for the Business Administration B.S. degree as well as all general education requirements (90 credits in total) by the end of your junior year.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the Economics as an Economics major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

The six-year integrated sequence leads to both the B.S. in engineering and J.D. degrees.

General education and engineering requirements fill the schedule during the first three years of the program. When you are admitted to the program, you will need to take a minimum of six semester hours of engineering courses in the summer following your third year and up to six additional semester hours of engineering courses in the summer following your fourth year.

Beginning with the first semester of your fourth year, you will be completing your B.S. degree and will begin taking classes at the College of Law. The final two years of the program will be comprised only of College of Law courses.

When admitted to the integrated Engineering and Law program, you will receive up to nine semester hours towards your B.S. degree technical elective requirements as a result of successful completion of your first-year law courses. In addition, up to six semester hours of 400-level engineering courses will be counted towards your law degree.

To be eligible to continue in the program, you must receive your B.S. degree no later than December of Year 5 (the second year of law school).

The six-year integrated sequence leads to both the B.S. in engineering technology and J.D. degrees.

General education and engineering technology requirements fill the schedule during the first three years of the program. When you are admitted to the program, you will need to take a minimum of six semester hours of engineering courses in the summer following your third year and up to six additional semester hours of engineering courses in the summer following your fourth year.

When you are admitted to the integrated Engineering Technology and Law program, you will receive up to nine semester hours towards your B.S. degree technical elective requirements as a result of successful completion of your first-year law courses. In addition, up to six semester hours of 400-level engineering courses will be counted towards your law degree.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the English as a major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You must identify yourself to the Center for Environmental Studies as a major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the Foreign Language Department as a major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You must complete all the requirements of the French, German or Spanish Language and Literature degree as well as all general education requirements by the end of your junior year.

You must identify yourself to the History department as a major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

Admission will be on a competitive basis, and the likelihood of admission will depend on the number and quality of applicants to the program, the number and quality of applicants to the College of Law in general, as well as other factors normally considered in admissions decisions by the College of Law.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the Human Development and Family Sciences (HDFS) as an HDFS major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You must complete all the requirements for the HDFS B.S. degree as well as all general education requirements by the end of your junior year.

The six-year integrated sequence leads to both the B.S. in Management and J.D. degrees.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the Management as a major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You must complete all the requirements for the B.S. in Management degree as well as all general education requirements (90 credits in total) by the end of your junior year.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the Philosophy as a major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

If the senior capstone requirement in philosophy has not been completed at the time of enrollment in the College of Law, it must be completed no later than the end of the fourth year.

When you are accepted into the College of Law pursuant to this program, you will start taking law classes at the beginning of your fourth year. Apart from the completion of the senior capstone in philosophy as part of the course load during the fourth year, if needed, the remainder of the program will follow the standard College of Law curriculum.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the PoliticalScience Department as a major with a politics and governance emphasis who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You must identify yourself as early as possible to the Sociology as a major who wishes to complete the accelerated program.

You can College of Law during your junior year. If you are accepted to the accelerated J.D. program, you will begin first-year law classes during your senior year.

Admission to the College of Law will be on a competitive basis. The likelihood of admission will depend on the number and quality of applicants to the program and the number and quality of applicants to the College of Law in general as well as other factors normally considered in admissions decisions by the College of Law.