Center for International Legal Education

The Center for International Legal Education ("CILE") is home to the LLM and SJD programs at Pitt Law. Each year we invite a select number of foreign students to study American law and other substantive specializations that will prepare them for careers as global lawyers.

LLM students at Pitt Law study alongside their American JD and foreign SJD counterparts and contribute to a diverse community of students and scholars. During and after their studies they can gain practical internship experience in Pittsburgh, the surrounding region, or in Washington D.C. The Pitt LLM experience is an investment in individual careers and, collectively, an investment in the global rule of law.

The Doctor of Juridical Science is the Law School's most advanced degree, which is designed for practitioners and legal academics who wish to pursue advanced independent study, research and writing. Every SJD student will be paired with a faculty supervisor who will guide their work, as well as with external and interdisciplinary scholars who will broaden their academic perspective. CILE engages purposefully with each SJD student to maximize the public impact of their work and enable them to be contributing members of a vibrant academic community.

Preparing JD students for careers as global lawyers is central to CILE’s mission. Through the courses provided in its International Comparative Law Certificate programming, its sponsorship of various moot court competitions, and its support of the International Law Society, CILE is the hub for the international law and arbitration curriculum at Pitt Law. It also helps students gain study abroad experience, internships, and scholarships for the study of global legal issues.

While offering three academic pathways, CILE operates holistically to offer a personalized educational opportunity for every student. CILE has placed its JD and LLM graduates in some of the largest law firms in the world, in the most dynamic corporate legal departments, and helped them reach the highest levels of their home governments. Because of our faculty, our curriculum, and our history, CILE alumni stand at the forefront of the global practice of law.

JD Opportunities

The Center for International Legal Education offers an excellent selection of opportunities for JD students to learn about and practice using foreign, comparative, and international law. The world of law is increasingly globalized; every area of law practice applies foreign and international legal resources.

LLM Program

Pitt Law's LLM program welcomes applications from foreign-trained lawyers who are seeking to expand their knowledge of the US legal system through a year of study in our dynamic community of students and scholars. We seek students whose record shows their ability to thrive in a demanding, competitive academic atmosophere.

SJD Program

The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) is the Law School's most advanced degree, which is designed for legal academics who wish to pursue advanced independent study, research and writing. The Law School's SJD program offers candidates the opportunity to become active members of a vibrant legal community.

Visiting Scholars

The International Visiting Scholar Program welcomes academic visitors from around the world. The program is designed to give established legal scholars as well as those just beginning their scholarly careers access to the Law School's academic resources for the completion of a specific academic research project.

Pitt Law students have consistently excelled in international moot court competitions, with the guidance and support of CILE. Students are entitled to receive course credit for participation in any of these moots. That credit(s) will count towards the elective requirements in the International and Comparative Law Certificate Program.