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Gr aduate Studies in Lawp r o g r a m i n f o r m a t i o n

Gr aduate Studies in Lawp r o g r a m i n f o r m a t i o n

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Since the 1960s, the Graduate Studies Program at the University of Virginia School of Law has provided American legal education to lawyers who obtained their first law degree in their home countries. Virginia’s Master of Laws (LL.M.) pro-gram is designed to provide both a broad introduction to American law and legal theory and advanced training in specialized areas of the law relevant to the student’s planned career in private practice, academics or public service. In a typical year, several dozen students—all holders of the academic degree regarded as their country’s first professional degree in law—are admitted to the one-year program leading to the LL.M. degree. Virtually all students in the program are from abroad. The Law School ensures a supportive atmosphere for these students by maintaining a small and highly selective program. The advantages of maintaining a small graduate program in a large, intellectu-ally diverse law school include the ability to tailor students’ courses of study to their individual interests and career objectives. The director of graduate studies advises students and approves their course selections and research plans and, together with

t h e Gr aduate Progr am

other faculty members, is available to counsel students as they progress through the program. With the approval of the director, LL.M. candidates may also take up to three of their required credit hours in relevant graduate-level courses in other schools and departments of the University. In appropriate cases, the Graduate Com-mittee may permit additional credit hours to be earned outside the Law School. The Law School also offers the Doctor of Juridical Science degree (S.J.D.), the highest degree in law. Normally, a student is admitted to candidacy for the S.J.D. only after completing the LL.M.

Prasan UllUwishewa, australia“with professors recruited from among leading national academics and practitioners, a long standing top-10 ranking, an impressive list of

alumni and outstanding connections to some of the most influential national and world leaders, Virginia should be on the list for anyone who wants to go to a world-renowned law school. academically, the school offers a broad range of practice specific subjects—ideal for young practitioners willing to further hone their skills.”

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THE UNIVERSITYThe School of Law is located within the University of Virginia, a thriving academic community founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson. With a total student body of about 18,500 and a faculty of more than 2,000, the University has achieved na-tional prominence in many disciplines and has been ranked first or second among the nation’s public universities since 1984. The University is proud to be recog-nized as a major research institution with an uncommonly strong commitment to teaching. In the Jeffersonian tradition, the University maintains the best of the past, yet is boldly oriented to the future.

t h e University

The school of law is located within the University of Virginia, a thriving academic community founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson. with a total student body of about 18,500 and a faculty of more than 2,000, the University has achieved national prominence in many disciplines and has been ranked first or second among the nation’s public universities since 1984. The University is proud to be recognized as a major research institution with an uncommonly strong commitment to teaching. in the Jeffersonian tradition, the University maintains the best of the past, yet is boldly oriented to the future.

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THE GROUNDS

At Virginia, your legal studies will take place in what is perhaps the most appeal-ing physical environment found at any law school in the country. The David A. Harrison III Law Grounds feature new classrooms, seminar rooms, and moot courtrooms, comprehensive computer facilities, an expanded library, new din-ing facilities, attractive offices for student organizations, and numerous student lounges. Surrounded by inviting gardens and an elegant, tree-lined lawn, the set-ting reflects Jefferson’s conviction that locating an intellectual community within a beautiful environment fosters learning and personal growth.

t h e Law Grounds

aT Virginia, your legal studies will take place in what is perhaps the most appealing physical environment found at any law school in the country. home to 1,100 students, the David a. harrison law grounds feature classrooms, seminar rooms, moot courtrooms, comprehensive computer facilities, an expanded library, new dining facilities, attractive offices for student organizations and numerous student lounges. surrounded by inviting gardens and an elegant tree-lined lawn, the setting reflects Jefferson’s conviction that locating an intellectual community within a beautiful environment fosters learning and personal growth.

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THE COMMUNITY

t h e Community

nesTleD in The fooThills of the Blue ridge Mountains two hours southwest of washington, D.c., charlottesville is a picturesque and thriving metropolitan area of more than 118,000 people. The city is both sophisticated and relaxed. law students can take advantage of the arts and entertainment scene, from sporting events to concerts to theater venues. each year the city hosts the nationally acclaimed Virginia film festival and draws literary luminaries for the Virginia festival of the Book. charlottesville offers a community in which students can unwind and appreciate abundant natural beauty to balance the rigors of law study.

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when National Jurist magazine asked law students around the country what characteristics they deemed most important when evaluating a law school, they invariably cited the quality of teaching and faculty-student relations. In that sur-vey and numerous others, Virginia’s faculty is in the top rank of law schools. The faculty includes leading scholars and experts in all aspects of public and private law, both domestic and international. Nearly half hold doctoral degrees in related fields, including economics, history, philosophy, psychology and medi-cine. Beyond the Law School Grounds, faculty members are engaged by law firms, corporations, and government agencies as consultants. They share their expertise with congressional panels debating proposed federal laws and with federal judges trying to understand developments at the forefront of the law. They engage gen-erously in pro bono work, and are active in the local community, in professional organizations and in service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

t h e Faculty

chrisToPh weBer, germany“The open-door policy at charlottesville is not just written on paper—it is very difficult not to be attracted by the collegial environment to which very

accessible faculty members and committed students contribute equally. Through participation in curricular and extracurricular activities, an ll.M. student is fully integrated into this community. The community among the ll.M. students themselves also is very personal and enhanced by the relatively small size of the class. i am sure that the intercultural exchange and all other experiences available at UVa will help you in every job you might accept in the future.”

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t h e Curriculumintellectual rigor, dynamic teaching and more than 200 courses and seminars distinguish the Virginia curriculum. Virginia encourages students to consider the changing functions of law in society by examining them in histori-cal, sociological and economic contexts. Students are challenged to examine how and why laws developed, whether they fulfill their purpose and how changes to laws might affect social behavior. Graduate students are enrolled in courses and seminars with upper-level J.D. students to encourage the exchange of viewpoints influenced by different cultural and life experiences. Elective courses include interdisciplinary offerings such as law and econom-ics, law and social science, and law and medicine. Elective classes might be as small as 10 students or as large as 150. Full-time faculty members teach the vast majority of offerings, but the Law School is also proud of a roster of more than 100 adjunct and visiting faculty members from foreign and domestic law firms, businesses and government service, who teach in specialty areas. Incoming LL.M. students who score below a certain score on the English as-sessment test given during orientation week are required to take Graduate Legal Re-search and Writing. All LL.M. students must satisfy a writing requirement, which requires a substantial research paper. Beyond these requirements, students are invited to be creative in selecting courses and research topics. For example, students wishing to specialize in interna-tional human rights will want to register for the basic course and seminars offered in that area. But such students would enrich their understanding by sampling from the variety of courses that explore legal approaches to similar issues in an American context, including courses dealing with civil rights, employment discrimination and immigration law. Similarly, students planning a law practice in international busi-ness transactions may choose from a selection that includes foundational courses in American corporate, commercial and regulatory law, as well as courses with an explicit focus on international business, trade and litigation. This process can be repeated for virtually every other field of legal study and demonstrates the Law School’s commitment to intellectual diversity and individualized courses of study.

John BeckeTT, england“The first thing i’ve been asked when interviewing with firms this year is whether or not ll.M. students at UVa take classes with the J.D.s. employers

are always happy to hear that the answer to this question is yes, because it shows that we’re exposed to the full rigors of the J.D. curriculum, rather than being shut off from the academic and social life of the U.s. students here. That exposure exists across the board: Peer advisors are chosen from among willing J.D. students to make our integration into the law school community smoother and more enjoyable. To date, we’ve been invited to dozens of parties, trips that involved tubing down the river, a bonfire and numerous other events. i have found this opportunity to mix to be a great strength of UVa law.”

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the Law School has a number of curricular programs. among those that have been of particular interest to LL.m. students are:

l aw & B u S i n e S SVirginia’s longstanding strength in corporate and commercial law is rooted in a faculty with exceptional expertise in transactional law and enhanced by close relationships with UVA’s Darden School of Business and McIntire School of Commerce, among the nation’s leading graduate and undergraduate business programs. The Program in Law & Business trains prospective business lawyers to think like their future clients, equipping them with the skills not simply to offer legal advice but to structure and negotiate transactions. The program brings business school faculty into the law school to teach the basics of accounting and finance. Students also learn the fundamental tools of business analysis through enhanced versions of core business law courses. In short courses taught by senior counsel and executive officers, students review key transactional documents and strategic decisions, using the quantitative tools of business analysis to structure solutions and enhancing their ability to understand complex transactions and business decisions.

i n t e r n at i o n a l l aw Long known as a preeminent place to study international law, Virginia has one of the largest and most accomplished international law faculties in the nation, including experts in areas such as immigration, human rights, national security, environmental law, comparative constitutional law and the law of war, as well as

private and commercial law in the global arena. The curriculum ranges from basic courses in public international law and international business and trade to advanced offerings in areas such as human rights, foreign relations, international criminal law, intelligence law reform and international dispute resolution. Professors from other nations are regularly in-vited to the School of Law to teach seminars on topics such as European Union law and comparative law, and students may take select courses at the neighboring Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. Virginia’s international law program attracts speakers from around the world, including leaders of international institutions and public interest organi-zations, officials from the U.S. State Department and other government agencies, international law scholars and practicing international lawyers.

for more information on curricular programs: www.law.virginia.edu/graduatestudies

fang he, china“in addition to our own knowledgeable and dedicated professors, UVa invites prestigious and highly experienced guest lecturers to present short courses in

areas such as business, capital markets and corporate finance. Professors and lecturers are very accessible outside of class.”

aVanTika BanerJee, india“it was invigorating to be in an environment where something new was happening every day. Be it a talk, a panel discussion, a seminar or a

workshop, leaders and thinkers from various fields of law are a constant presence in the law school, and their programs are open to all students.”

Curricul ar p r o g r a m S

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Concentr ations a n d Courses Special Progr ams a n d Centers

StudentS are not required to focus their curriculum in a single area, but the School of Law offers the following concentrations:

Business organization and finance

Commercial Law

Communications and media Law

Constitutional Law

Criminal Justice

employment and Labor Law

environmental and Land use Law

family Law

health Law

human rights and Civil Liberties

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intellectual property

international and national Security

Law

Jurisprudence and Comparative Law

Legal history

Litigation and procedure

public policy and regulation

race and Law

tax Law

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the SChooL of Law has several internationally known special programs and centers.

institute of Law, psychiatry and

public policy

John m. olin program in Law and

economics

Center for national Security Law

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Center for oceans Law and policy

Center for the Study of race and Law

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Marcos PaTron cosTas, argentina“The program offers a great variety of courses that allows each student to tai-lor his or her academic year according to his or her interests. in addition, the

ll.M. students share those courses with J.D. students, which allows foreign students to be completely exposed to a top U.s. legal education. The facilities of UVa are impres-sive, and the campus is simply amazing.”

coUrses are listed

by concentration at

www.law.virginia.edu

under “academics.”

full course descriptions

are also available.

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Virginia values its reputation as a school that produces graduates who are skilled in law and balanced in life. Law students learn in an environment that fosters cooperative problem solving and teamwork, building skills every lawyer needs. Students enjoy their time here, grow intellectually and personally, and at graduation join the thousands of successful alumni who recall their law school years with warmth and enthusiasm. The Law School is enriched by the scope of student organizations, extracur-ricular activities, and community spirit that permeates student life. The array of opportunities includes academic journals, interest-centered organizations and a vibrant range of social and athletic activities. Graduate students are encouraged to participate in the many student organizations at the Law School, including the Graduate Law Students’ Association and the John Bassett Moore Society of Inter-national Law.

for information on life in charlottesville, including housing: www.law.virginia.edu/cville

DoMiniqUe MUeller, switzerland“in addition to the superb academic environment at UVa, the quality of life is simply great here. charlottesville is a very lovely and friendly southern

college town with warm and mostly sunny weather. whether you like to get exercise or are more into spectator sports, UVa has it all. we joined thousands of other students in attending the football and basketball games of the Virginia cavaliers, and we got a first-hand experience in america’s national pastime by playing in the law school’s north grounds softball league. The nearby shenandoah national Park offers great hikes and a gorgeous indian summer. further, the charlottesville area is rich in history and fea-tures many picturesque wineries where we spent quite a few relaxing spring weekends with our fellow ll.M. students.”

Student L i f e

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Career S e r v i C e S

graduate students are invited to seek career counseling and other ser-vices provided by the Law School’s Graduate Studies Office in conjunction with the Office of Career Services and the Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center. Those who come to the United States on a student visa are not permitted to seek permanent employment in the United States. LL.M. graduates may, however, seek permission to remain in the United States for a limited period of “practical training” following graduation. Students should be aware that securing such posi-tions can be challenging and will require significant effort on their parts. The Law School offers assistance to foreign students in their searches for practical training internships with leading American law firms. We also participate annually in the International Student Interview Program (Job Fair) coordinated each year by the Columbia University School of Law and co-sponsored by the University of Vir-ginia, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Harvard, Michigan, Stanford and Yale law schools.

for more information: www.law.virginia.edu/main/LLmhandbook

Ba r a d m i S S i o nThe LL.M. degree alone does not qualify foreign lawyers to practice law in the United States. Each of the 50 states has its own criteria and procedures for ad-mitting lawyers to practice, and requirements vary. Lawyers from abroad seeking information on these requirements should contact the bar examiners in the state in which they wish to practice. Typically, about one third of Virginia’s graduate law students take a bar examination following their graduation.

elena ZayTseVa, russia“My personal goal evolved when i decided to extend my training and pursue a J.D. degree. The school was very supportive and helpful and made the

transition seamless.”

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LL.m. degree requirementSThe Master of Laws degree is con-ferred upon students who, having been admitted to candidacy, have satisfactorily completed at least two semesters of residence and a minimum of 24 credit hours. At least one of these hours must be earned in producing a substantial research paper. The writing requirement may generally be satisfied by a seminar paper or as the product of an individually arranged research project. Students must have at least a 2.3 (C+) grade point average to graduate.

S.J.d. degree requirementSThe S.J.D. degree is conferred on candidates who have completed a

dissertation approved by the Graduate Committee and who have successfully defended the dissertation in an oral examination by a committee consist-ing of the dissertation supervisor and two other faculty members learned in the field of the candidate’s research. The dissertation must make an origi-nal contribution to legal literature and demonstrate mastery of the principals of scholarly research, critical analysis and reasoned presentation of results. It is expected that the dissertation will be publishable as a book or a series of law review articles. Upon completion of the oral examination, the commit-tee of examiners will report to the fac-ulty its opinion of the candidate’s work and fitness for the degree. The disser-

tation may be submitted and the oral examination held at any time within five years of admittance to candidacy. This period may be extended upon a showing of good cause submitted in writing to the Graduate Committee.

admiSSion to the Law SChooLfor information on how to apply to Virginia law’s graduate programs (ll.M. or s.J.D.), tuition and financial aid, and visas, visit the graduate studies Program web site at: www.law.virginia.edu/graduatestudies

StandardS for admiSSionThe Law School receives hundreds of applications each year for its LL.M. class. The admissions process is highly competitive and the Gradu-ate Committee must, unfortunately, disappoint many qualified applicants. Although demonstrated excellence in prior law study is essential, the com-mittee places equal emphasis on other evidence of applicants’ personality, accomplishments and potential for professional achievement as revealed through letters of recommendation,

extracurricular activities, personal interests and prior legal or law-related experience. The principal criterion for admission, however, is the closeness of the fit between the applicants’ professional interests and the Law School’s resources. Accordingly, the Committee places special weight on applicants’ stated reasons for wanting to pursue graduate legal studies, and their principal intellectual interests and career plans. In general, Virginia does not admit students who have received an LL.M. degree from another U.S. school.

ContaCt informationgraduate studies ProgramUniversity of Virginia school of law580 Massie roadcharlottesville, Va 22903

www.law.virginia.edu/graduatestudies

e-mail: gradadmitlaw@virginia.eduphone: +1.434.924.3154fax: +1.434.924.7536

PieTro Zanoni, italy“all courses i took were very challenging and highly demanding. as an international student coming from italy, i found attending the same

courses as my american colleagues and learning through the case method to be a particular test. This is, however, what makes this program extremely gratifying and rewarding. Those who are up to the challenge can expect to leave charlottesville with the awareness of having fulfilled their personal and professional potential, and the confidence derived from being well equipped to compete in the global market.”

PeDro PaUlo De Barros BarreTo, Brazil“The fact that there are fewer than 50 people doing the ll.M. means that all students receive personalized attention from members of the graduate

office. There is always someone there to help you when you need support or advice.”

Degree r e q u i r e m e n t S

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t h e UVA Grounds

the SChooL of Law

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the rotunda anD The lawn

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UVa VisiTor inforMaTion

scoTT sTaDiUM

Virginia fooTBall and scott stadium; the rotunda and academical Village UVa hosPiTal; the John Paul Jones arena hosts entertainment and sports.

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