LL.M. FOR FOREIGN LAWYERS
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YOUR LIFE IN THE LAW BEGINS HERE.
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ST. LOUIS QUICK FACTS
LL.M. FOR FOREIGN LAWYERS
RA N KI NG S The Center for International and Comparative Law at Saint Louis University School of Law offers a one-year graduate program leading to the Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree for lawyers holding a law degree from a university or law school outside the United States. This program provides a select group of highly qualified individuals with the opportunity to pursue studies and research in American and comparative and international law, with a strong focus on the legal system in the United States. The program aims to enrich a student’s legal career, whether in legal practice, teaching or scholarship. For more than 30 years, SLU LAW has demonstrated its commitment to international legal education. Through its educational programs and scholarly activities, the Center for International and Comparative Law ensures that graduates have the education needed to pursue professional opportunities throughout the world. Through the establishment of networks and alliances, both on local and international levels, the Center has helped the School of Law become a Midwestern gateway for legal scholarship and practice in international and comparative law. FACULTY MENTORSHIP The School of Law prides itself on the individual
attention faculty members dedicate to LL.M. students. Faculty members serve as academic advisers and mentors to students. Several members of the faculty received basic or advanced degrees from law schools outside the United States. Each LL.M. student is partnered with a faculty member who provides guidance on class selection and professional goals. THE CURRICULUM The main feature of the LL.M. for Foreign Lawyers program is its attention to the individual needs of its students. The curriculum allows each LL.M. student to design, in cooperation with a faculty adviser, a course of study meeting the student’s personal needs and goals. The student may choose from the full range of courses and seminars offered in the law school curriculum, as well as up to three (3) credit hours of courses from Saint Louis University’s John Cook School of Business, College for Public Health & Social Justice, or 12 other graduate programs. The student also has the option to write an LL.M. thesis under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Upon successful completion of the thesis, candidates will be awarded six (6) credit hours. Finally, the student may engage in independent research supervised by a member of the faculty. continued on next page
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LL.M. FOR FOREIGN LAWYERS (continued) The program requires successful completion of 24 credit hours. At least two (2) credit hours must include a written work, such as a seminar paper or research paper, prepared under the direction of a faculty member. However, no more than eight (8) of the 24 hours may consist of an LL.M. thesis, seminars or research papers. Students are also required to complete a three (3) credit hour class in legal research and writing, and a foundation course in a common law subject, such as contracts, constitutional law or property. Students must maintain a C average (2.0) based upon an A-F grading scale. Grades received in directed research and courses taken in the University’s graduate schools
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will not be considered when computing the student’s grade point average. Examinations for LL.M. students are the same as those for J.D. students. However, when English is not the student’s primary language, the student may receive additional time for examinations as well as the use of an English-foreign language dictionary. Students are expected to complete the work for the LL.M. degree in two semesters (fall and spring) with the opportunity to continue through the following summer to complete a thesis. The fall semester begins in midAugust and ends in mid-December, while the spring semester starts in mid-January and ends in mid-May.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM THE FACULTY SLU LAW boasts a world-class faculty and a strong academic program with a diverse curriculum designed to prepare students for all areas of law practice. The School of Law offers particularly rich curriculum in nine areas of concentration that students may pursue to enhance their legal education with a special area of emphasis, including international and comparative law, business transactional law, employment law, intellectual property law, taxation and others. SLU LAW’s health law program has consistently been ranked the #1 health law program in the United States. VISITING INTERNATIONAL PROFESSORS In addition to the full-time faculty, SLU LAW regularly hosts visiting international professors who teach courses in international and comparative law. Typically, there are two visiting international professors each academic year. Some of our past visiting international professors have included: Professor Miriam Aziz University of Siena, Siena, Italy Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Professor Byung-Sun Chi Chongju University College of Law, Chongju, Korea
Professor Jean-Francis Joh Epoko Department of Political Affairs, U.N. Secretariat, New York Professor Hauwa Ibrahim Aries Law Firm, Nigeria & 2008 Harvard University Radcliffe Fellow Professor Hughes Kenfack University of Toulouse, France Professor Huang Li-Hua Sichuan University School Of Law, Sichuan Province, China Professor Joël Monéger Institut De Droit Économique, Fiscal Et Social, Université Paris-Dauphine, France VISITING INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS AND RESEARCHERS In addition to visiting professors, visiting scholars and researchers contribute to the rich intellectual climate at the School of Law while drawing on the program’s resources and the extensive research capabilities of the law library. VISITING INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS Scholars are senior academics, judges and government officials from outside the United States. Scholars visit SLU LAW for periods ranging from 10 continued on next page
P ROFES S OR H AU WA I B RA HI M
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RECENT SYMPOSIA The Center, in cooperation with students and the Saint Louis University Law Journal or the Public Law Review, hosts symposia with experts and scholars in the field of international and comparative law. The Journal or Public Law Review publishes the proceedings of those symposia. 2012
INVISIBLE CONSTITUTIONS: CULTURE, RELIGION AND MEMORY 2 010
SANFORD E. SARASOHN MEMORIAL CONFERENCE ON CRITICAL ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL AND COMPARATIVE TAXATION 20 0 9
COMPETITION IN THE GLOBAL WORKPLACE: THE ROLE OF LAW IN ECONOMIC MARKETS
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ABOUT THE PROGRAM (continued) days to one year for the purpose of self-directed research, professional development and engagement with the SLU LAW community.
Library study space reserved for LL.M. students
VISITING INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS Researchers are junior academics, lawyers, government officials and full-time graduate law students from outside the United States who visit the School of Law for self-directed research and professional development. As a general rule, a member of the School of Law’s faculty must sponsor a visiting researcher.
Availability of public computers, including internet access and access to computer-based legal research databases as well as wired and wireless connections
THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT SLU LAW recently completed its move to downtown St. Louis for the start of the 2013-2014 academic year. Scott Hall is home to a larger, more modern courtroom, updated classrooms and student commons areas, as well as easy access to federal and civil courts. A modern, state-of-the-art academic building with ample space for study Convenient access to the library and its many resources Helpful and friendly library staff and administrators
Approximately 90 courses and 15 seminars offered each year
THE LAW LIBRARY With a collection of more than 600,000 volumes including more than 6,000 serials, the library is one of the largest academic law libraries in the country. The library also has a strong comparative and international law collection supporting the research and curricular needs of the program, with nationally recognized strengths in Irish and Polish law. The law librarians offer research sessions throughout the year for all law students. The library has state-of-the-art technology, providing access to electronic subscriptions and research guides. SLU LAW is a wireless and wired environment, making the library’s online materials accessible anywhere in the law school. For more information, visit law.slu.edu/library. STUDENT LIFE One of the objectives of the School of Law is to help students get the most out of the law school
experience. In the midst of a thriving urban community, the Public Interest Law Group and the Dean’s Office, in conjunction with community organizations, offer opportunities to be involved in various volunteer projects. Students also may participate in student organizations such as the Student Bar Association and the International Law Students’ Association. There are a variety of social and cultural activities just footsteps away from the new downtown building. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE AND HOUSING The School of Law assists students in their transition to Saint Louis University and the St. Louis community. The Center for International and Comparative Law will initially assist with obtaining student visas, locating housing and helping students become oriented to the city and campus. Students may seek studio, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments depending on their individual needs and budget.
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Studying in St. Louis was a great experience I will certainly never forget. Not only did it tremendously expand my intercultural competence, I was also able to substantially increase my understanding of international law and its interrelationships within a nexus of widely different legal systems, all from a global point of view. STEPHAN M. EBNER
BE R L I N , G E R M A N Y BAC C . JUR , M AG . J U R , L L.M .; L L . M., S A I N T LO UI S UN IV ERSIT Y S C H O O L O F LAW ; D R . I UR.C AND I DAT E , HA M B U RG U N IV ERSIT Y
AROUND THE WORLD
ABOUT THE CITY
Since the program’s inception, there have been more
ST. LOUIS FACTS
than 90 LL.M. students from the following countries: Armenia
Mauritania
Azerbaijan
Moldova
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nepal
Canada China Colombia Croatia Denmark Eritrea France Germany India Israel Kazakhstan Korea Kyrgyzstan Mauritius
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Nigeria Pakistan Poland Romania Russia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Ukraine Uzbekistan
The cost of living and housing in St. Louis is much lower than in most American cities. The population of the greater St. Louis area is more than 2.7 million. Autumns in St. Louis are mild with maximum average temperatures between September and December at 14.0 Celsius and minimum temperatures at 4.0 Celsius. Winters tend to be moderate, with an average snowfall of 20 inches/50 centimeters per year. The average maximum temperature between January and March is 7.0 Celsius and the average minimum temperature is 3.0 Celsius. Spring is pleasant with average maximum temperatures between April and June at 24.0 Celsius and minimum temperatures at 13.0 Celsius. ATTRACTIONS St. Louis is known for its wealth of cultural and recreational attractions. Students enjoy: The world-class Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, opera and concert halls Saint Louis Art Museum
Missouri Botanical Garden The Gateway Arch Saint Louis Zoo The Fabulous Fox Theater St. Louis Cardinals baseball St. Louis Rams (American) football Outdoor athletics in the city’s Forest Park and in several area state parks Award-winning wineries outside of the city TRAVELING Chicago................................... 308 miles/496 km Kansas City..............................255 miles/411 km Indianapolis............................ 252 miles/406 km Memphis.................................. 305 miles/491 km WEB RESOURCES www.stlouis-mo.gov www.stltoday.com www.explorestlouis.com
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APPLY TO THE LL.M. PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS All applicants to the LL.M. Program for Foreign Lawyers must meet two requirements: Completion of a degree in law from a university or law school outside the United States that qualifies the candidate for Bar admission in their home country. Oral and written proficiency in the English language. Applicants for whom English is not the first language must take the test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) and attain a minimum score of 243 (a minimum score of 79 on the internet-based exam or a 550 for the paper-based exam. We also accept a minimum score of 6.5 on the international English language testing system (IELTS) exam). HOW TO APPLY An LL.M. applicant’s file is complete when the School has received: A completed LL.M. Application for Foreign Lawyers (law.slu.edu/foreign/apply) An official transcript and diploma from each post-secondary school attended, including English translations
THE DEADLINE FO R CO MPLET ED APPLICAT IO NS IS APRIL 1, 2 014
Two letters of recommendation Official TOEFL or IELTS score sent to SLU LAW (our institutional code is 6629) A written personal statement Current résumé Scholarship application (if applying for financial aid) HEALTH INSURANCE Under United States federal law, international students must carry adequate health insurance for the entire time that they are enrolled at the University. Health insurance can be secured in one’s home country or upon arrival in St. Louis. TUITION LL.M. students are assessed the same tuition as J.D. students. Tuition for the 2013-2014 academic year is $37,170. Fees for 2013-2014 are approximately $440, and the cost of books was projected at $1,500. Living expenses were estimated to be at least $12,000. These amounts tend to increase moderately from year to year. Admitted students are responsible for arranging funding of their education prior to enrolling at
the School of Law. Some sources of funding for international students are listed at law.slu.edu/ finances/scholarships/international.html, but students should also explore private and public sources in their home countries. SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE The School may award partial tuition scholarships to incoming students based on academic credentials, career achievements and need. To apply for a scholarship, the applicant must complete a financial aid request form by April 1, 2014. The form is included with the application packet. CAREER PROSPECTS The LL.M. degree prepares students for the global legal marketplace, especially in international practice. Some graduates pursue short-term internships in the U.S. Several recent graduates have passed state bar examinations and become licensed in the U.S.
LAW.SLU.EDU/FOREIGN/APPLY
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A L L SLU L AW PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE DOLAN, JAY FRAM, DAN G I L L , BI L L S AWAL I C H AND C H AD W I L L I AMS . TH I S C ATALO G I S FO R I NFO R MATI O N A L PU R PO S E S O N LY A N D DOE S N OT C ONSTITUTE A C ONTRAC T. ALTHOUGH THE C ATALO G WAS P R EPAR ED W I TH THE L ATEST I NFO R MATI O N AVAI L ABL E AT THE TI ME O F PU B LI CAT I O N , A L L STAT E ME NTS AND S C HEDULES INC LUDING, BUT NOT L I MI TED TO , TUI TI O N, F EES , C H ARG ES , C O UR S ES , AD MI S S I O N, G R AD UATI O N R EQ UIR E M E N T S , G E N E R A L R E GU L AT ION S AND C URRIC ULA ARE S UBJEC T TO C HANGE AT ANY TI ME. P R I NTED AUG UST 2013. SA IN T LOU IS UNIVERS IT Y IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNIT Y/ AF F I R MATI V E AC TI O N ED UC ATI O NAL I NSTI TUTI O N AND EMP LOY ER . S AI NT LO UI S UNI V ER S I T Y PRO HI B I T S DISCR IMIN AT ION BAS ED ON RAC E, C OLOR, S EX, NATIONA L O R I G I N, R EL I G I O N, AG E, S EX UAL O R I ENTATI O N, D I S ABI L I T Y O R V ETER AN STATUS . A LL U N I V E R S I T Y POL ICIE S A N D PROC EDURES ARE ADMINISTERED IN A MA NNER C O NS I STENT W I TH O UR C ATH O L I C , JES UI T I D ENTI T Y.