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Master of Laws (LLM) - Program Overview

Learn U.S. law by living U.S. Law with a close-knit community

Pitt Law’s LLM program provides lawyers who have completed their law degree outside the United States with an opportunity to study the common law legal tradition and the U.S. legal system in the United States. In their own words, Pitt Law's Master of Laws (LLM) alumni have shared the following thoughts on the program:

 

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A degree designed for your needs

You can build the degree you want from a wide range of electives. Take a broad survey of US law, or focus in on a particular field of law.

Personalized support

With a relatively small class (averaging 10 to 20 LLM students each year), we provide each student with individual advice, guidance and support.

Full integration with the JD student body

Other than two required LLM-only classes, you will take all of your coursework in the same classes and seminars as our U.S. JD students.

World-class instruction 

Our faculty are a close-knit community of intelligent and energetic scholars who are at the forefront of domestic and international legal research and scholarship.

Moot competitions

Try out for our LLM commercial arbitration team, which in March 2016 bested LLM teams from across the US, including American, Georgetown and Penn, to win the LLM International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Washington, DC (full story here).

Internship opportunities

CILE works with LLM students who wish to stay in Pittsburgh for the summer after graduation and intern at a law firm or other organization. We work with each student to assist them in finding an internship provider that best suits his or her field of interest.

View LLM Class of 2016 Internships

Activities outside the classroom

Activities for each year’s class of LLM students include: 

  • An orientation week trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Fallingwater house in the neighboring Laurel Highlands.

  • Receptions at Pitt Law and at faculty homes.

  • A traditional Thanksgiving dinner at a faculty or staff member’s house.

  • A multi-day trip to Washington DC to visit the Supreme Court, the White House and other historic sites.

The International Law Society (ILS) also takes an active role to put together social events for LLM and JD students to mingle and form relationships beyond the classroom.