Fierce competition in the legal job field is prompting law firms to take stern steps to bolster their profiles. Holding a qualification from a top tier law school and passing the bar seems to be not enough for law graduates to score a job in a decent law firm.
Law students finishing school or preparing to specialize should definitely consider a Master of Laws (LLM).
Regardless of why you pursue one, LLMs can open doors and create new opportunities for professional success.
What are the reasons people get an LLM degree?
To Specialize in an Area of Law
The curriculum in law schools is broad and includes exposure to many substantive areas. Therefore, developing a specialty in any field is rather challenging or impossible. If you want to focus on a specific area such as securities, intellectual property or tax, opting to pursue an LLM program might be the answer.
An LLM offers a great opportunity to take a one-year course focused on a particular field of law. An LLM degree will help you differentiate from your competitors by gaining expert in-depth knowledge in a field of your choice. By gaining the specialist skills and experience, you’ll open up several new career and employability options.
Transition Into a New Practice Area
Lawyers often pursue an LLM to transition from one practice area to another, which can often be very difficult without relevant experience. Employers in the increasingly tight legal market often look for a certain number of years of experience before they consider an attorney for an open position. An LLM degree can in a way serve as a replacement for some experience requirements.
Improve Earning Potential
It’s more than likely that an LLM degree could significantly lift your earning potential and improve your chances of getting a promotion or job offer from a top firm. LLM course will help you develop valuable transferable skills and in-depth knowledge of specific legal areas. A postgraduate degree shows a company that you not only have advanced knowledge but also decision-making abilities, self-motivation, organization skills and much more.
Expand Legal Knowledge
Law is an ever-changing discipline and the legal landscape of today is progressively evolving, meaning that there are greater demands placed on lawyers than ever before. Pursuing an LLM degree could put you at the forefront of new legal developments and allow you to keep your abilities and facts up-to-date.
Grow a Legal Network
One of the biggest benefits of LLM programs by far is the sheer number of connections they create. Networking is one of the best strategies for young attorneys to increase their chances of finding a top-notch legal job. LLM programs overseas would introduce you to students from all corners of the world, who might and open up new avenues for you to work abroad.
Attract Employment Opportunities
LLM from a top university is a great way to bolster your CV and open up new possibilities for yourself. You’ll gain specialist knowledge and new perspectives on legal theory that could attract top law firms throughout the world.
Conduct Research and Get Published
Academically minded lawyers who want to pursue legal research and publications find LL.M. programs as a great opportunity. Many LL.M. courses require thesis projects or provide support for interested lawyers to conduct in-depth research in nuanced areas of law. This can be a great starting point for a career in legal academia.