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Master of Laws (LLM)

Our core LLM curriculum provides foreign lawyers with a solid foundation in United States and transnational law, and advanced research and writing skills in English, while also allowing our students to tailor their coursework to their own professional goals by designing a personalized academic schedule that serves their needs.

To this end, FIU Law offers several Pathways to the Profession that help our students build their law career to their individual goals. LLM students may take advantage of these options and enroll in virtually every course offered in the JD program including those designed for the first year curriculum, and courses approved by the New York Board of Bar examiners, and other jurisdictions.

The 24 credits needed to complete our LLM can be concluded in one year (2 semesters) on a full-time basis, but there is also the possibility of part-time enrollment. Upon completion of the curriculum, students may opt to transfer to the JD program, prepare for the Bar exam needed to obtain a license to practice law in certain U.S. states, gain work experience through an Optional Practical Training (OPT), or pursue other academic or professional endeavors.

Whatever the path chosen, our highly qualified faculty advisors and staff are always eager to help our graduates make the best choices for their future.

Program Requirements

Our LLM is a post-graduate academic degree exclusively designed for foreign lawyers. If you are interested in enrolling in our program you need to hold an undergraduate degree in law awarded by a foreign university and be ready to submit your official transcripts for review by our LLM Admissions Committee.

FIU Law only accepts applications submitted via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website by individuals with a law degree from a foreign institution whose degree has been obtained by regular attendance to scheduled classroom residential sessions or direct faculty instruction as per guidelines from the American Bar Association.

Because all our courses are taught in English, we also require that you demonstrate sufficient knowledge of English by having obtained a minimum score of 90 points in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT®), or 7.0 points in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS®). We do not accept TOEFL® EssentialsTM nor Duolingo® as proof of English language proficiency.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate, you will need to take and approve courses equivalent to 24 credit hours while at FIU. Most courses offered at FIU Law range between 2 and 4 credit hours, which means that you would be taking between 8 and 12 courses to complete your LLM. Our academic program provides a robust foundation in United States law, legal reasoning, research and writing through three mandatory courses exclusively designed for foreign lawyers.

The rest of the curriculum is customizable, thus allowing you to choose from a broad range of law courses across the 16 different pathways offered at FIU Law, and assemble a study plan that fits your individual goals. As a full-time student, you should be able to complete our LLM program in one academic year (two semesters), which runs from August to May. Our law school also offers the option of enrolling on a part-time basis to accommodate those who work or have other commitments, but certain limitations apply.

Curriculum

  • Foundation Courses

    • LAW7200 – United States Law I: Methods, Sources and Structure
    • LAW7804 – United States Law II: Scholarship and Perspectives
    • LAW6806 – Legal Skills and Values: LL.M.

  • Elective Courses

    Your electives will be decided by you and your faculty advisor from a selection of pathways customized for different career goals. You will decide on a pathway and assemble a study plan that fits your needs.

View the course catalog: Full-time  Part-time

International Reach

Lawyers from every continent and various professional backgrounds have been attracted to our LLM program since its inception, thus enriching our academic community and enhancing our student body. The limited size of our highly selective and competitive LLM program allows intensive collaboration between faculty and students, and fosters long-term professional relationships that go beyond the classroom.

The fact that FIU Law is located in Miami, Florida, a bustling metropolis that serves as a hub across the Americas, and with the rest of the world, coupled with its sophisticated, multicultural, and dynamic legal community is also an important reason that makes our LLM program a top choice.

Professional and Academic Opportunities After the LLM

An LLM from FIU Law will open a world of opportunities for you. Whatever your professional goals are, our highly qualified faculty advisors, and staff will be ready to help you make the best choices for your future.

Below, we offer important information regarding the paths available to you:

  • JD After LLM

    Those students who excel in our LLM program and wish to pursue a JD degree at FIU Law may apply to the JD program as transfer students without having to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) upon meeting the following requirements:

    • Have completed 2 semesters of coursework during the LL.M. Program at FIU, and obtained a minimum grade point average (GPA) equivalent to 3.3/B+ in graded (no pass/fail) law courses subject to normalization (i.e. graded on a curve)
    • Have demonstrated proficiency in English by obtaining a minimum of 90 points in the TOEFL or its equivalent, or by showing sufficient knowledge of English at the discretion of the Admissions Committee
    • Provide a statement indicating the reason for wishing to be admitted to the JD Program
    • Provide 2 letters of recommendation from FIU Law faculty highlighting their academic strengths, and their potential for success in the JD program including their likelihood to pass the bar exam
    • Submit a JD application form and other relevant documents through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC); and pay the necessary application fee

    The Admissions Committee will evaluate the entire file submitted by the applicant, and will take into account the individual assessment of the Director of the LLM program regarding the applicant’s academic performance during the LLM and their likelihood to succeed in the JD program, if admitted.

  • Bar Qualifications in U.S. Jurisdictions

    Law graduates in the United States are required to take a bar exam in order to practice law. Each of the 50 states regulates the admissions of attorneys to the practice of law within its jurisdiction. As a result, the LLM degree does not itself constitute a credential qualifying foreign lawyers to practice law in the United States.

    We strongly encourage prospective LLM applicants to familiarize themselves with the relevant bar admission rules that allow foreign lawyers to practice in certain U.S. jurisdictions, such as:

    • Florida Bar. All applicants seeking admission to The Florida Bar must be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school that will ultimately result in the awarding of a JD degree. A foreign attorney receiving the LLM degree, without later completing a JD, cannot sit for The Florida Bar.
    • New York Bar. The New York Bar is the jurisdiction of choice for many foreign-trained attorneys. Most other state jurisdictions have requirements for the exam that either preclude or make it very difficult for foreign-trained attorneys to meet eligibility requirements to sit for the exam. The New York Bar’s rules, however, permit lawyers with foreign legal education to sit for the bar if certain requirements are met. For students who plan on sitting for the New York Bar, FIU Law will do everything possible to provide a curriculum that meets the requirements of the New York Bar. For important information regarding the New York State bar examination, including examination qualification requirements for foreign-trained lawyers and bar admission rules, please review the New York State Board of Law Examiners and NY Bar Foreign Legal Education.
    • Other Bar examinations. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure his or her eligibility to take bar exam in any particular state. The requirements for taking any bar exam vary greatly from state to state. Each student also presents a unique set of educational and experiential factors that may affect permission to take the bar. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure their eligibility to take any state bar exam. Foreign attorneys should communicate directly with the Board of Law Examiners of the state where they are interested in practicing. A directory of state bar admissions offices can be found on the National Conference of Bar Examiners website along with The Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admissions.
  • Optional Practical Training (OPT) for Foreign Students

    OPT is recommended by an ISSS Advisor but authorization is granted through a USCIS Service center. A student completing an LLM who has been in valid F1 status for at least one academic year is eligible for 12 months of full-time OPT. Students on OPT should only engage in employment directly related to their field or academic program and which is commensurate with their degree level.

    For information and application please direct your inquiry to the International Student and Scholar Services Office.

  • FIU Law Career Planning

    The Career Planning and Placement Office of the College of Law is dedicated to helping all students at the College of Law, including those who are working towards their LLM degree. LLM students are welcome to meet with a career adviser to discuss job search strategies, to work on resume and cover letter writing, and to take advantage of the many resources that they have to offer. There may also be on-campus job opportunities for F-1 LLM students.

    If you are an international student, your ability to work in the United States will depend on your immigration status, and you should investigate this fully and consult with a United States Consulate before undertaking study. Many law students also accept summer employment in legal fields. Employment rules vary depending on your immigration status and special employment rules apply to students in the United States on F-1 visas. To determine if you are eligible to accept summer legal employment under your visa, contact a United States Consulate.

In April, 2011, the ABA Accreditation Committee, “under the authority delegated by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, acquiesce[d] in the application of the Law School for the establishment of a Master of Laws (General LL.M. for Foreign Lawyers).”