Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Introduction

Case Western Reserve University is among the most prestigious research universities in North America and is among the world’s top universities. The School of Law likewise enjoys a long history and esteemed reputation. Established in 1892, it was a founding member of the Association of American Law Schools, and has remained a vital force within American legal education. It currently provides highly recognized programs in health law, international law, and intellectual property law. The law school has offered the LLM degree since 1992.

LLM Programs/Areas of Specialization

The Master of Laws (LLM) gives graduates of foreign law schools an opportunity to study the United States legal system and international law and trade, and to become truly capable lawyers in the twenty-first century’s global economy.

Our LLM program is one of the first in the United States designed specifically for internationally educated students. Our LLM graduates represent more than 60 countries. LLM students have access to the law school’s 170 courses taken by JD and LLM students alike. LLM students benefit from individual attention and guidance in a family atmosphere. Our LLM students receive comprehensive instruction in US legal research, writing, and analysis.

We offer four degree programs and a summer language and law institute:

• United States and Global Legal Studies: This LLM degree focuses on US legal research, writing, and analytical methods with a flexible curriculum designed to meet individual students’ career goals. Students are required to take Foreign Graduate Seminar, Legal Writing, and US Contract Law. The LLM in US and Global Legal Studies is the best LLM degree to prepare for the bar exam. Students may also choose to pursue certificates of concentration in subjects of their choice, such as Criminal Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Business Law, and Public International Law.
• Intellectual Property Law: The focus is on the doctrine and policy of US intellectual property law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Intellectual property is a critical concern in the global marketplace and informational economy, presenting some of the most important and complex issues facing legal systems, as well as the business, arts and entertainment, and technology communities. Students are required to take Foreign Graduate Seminar, Legal Writing, US Contract Law, and three of the following courses: Patent Law or IP Survey, Trademark Law, and Copyright Law. Students also are required to write a thesis. They fulfill the rest of their requirements by choosing from courses in the law school's extensive intellectual property curriculum.
• International Business Law: The program’s focus is on academic analysis and practical applications of US business law as applied to international transactions. It is designed especially for non-US lawyers who either interact with American lawyers or represent clients whose legal affairs are affected by US business law. The program prepares internationally educated lawyers for positions in international law firms, in-house legal departments of multinational enterprises, government posts, and other for-profit and nonprofit organizations doing business internationally. Students are required to take Foreign Graduate Seminar, Legal Writing, US Contract Law, and Business Associations. Students are also required to write a thesis. They fulfill the rest of their requirements by choosing from courses in the law school’s extensive business law curriculum.
• International Criminal Law: This LLM degree focuses on national security law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law as applied to international tribunals or national courts. Students are required to take International Criminal Law and Procedure. They fulfill the rest of their course requirements by choosing from the law school’s extensive courses in public international law. Students have the option to pursue a 12-credit externship at the ICC, ICTY, ICTR, ECC, INTERPOL, UNODC, or Mauritius Piracy Unit in the spring semester.

The Summer Language and Law Institute

The Summer Language and Law Institute is open to internationally educated legal professionals or law students, as well as incoming LLM, JD, and exchange students. It is an intensive four-week training experience designed to

1. introduce students to the practice and study of law in the United States,
2. provide students with a practical introduction to US legal research and analysis, and
3. improve students’ English language skills through an integrated English for Legal Purposes program.

The training experience emphasizes the reading, analysis, research, writing, and comprehension skills necessary to participate in legal discourse. In some cases, completion of the Language and Law Institute will be a requirement for admission to the LLM program.

Location

Our law school is located in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood, a square mile rich in culture, art, and modern architecture. Law students are a short walk away from the city’s best attractions: the Cleveland Museum of Art, the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, and the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Cleveland is a major metropolitan area with three professional sports teams, including the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. It rests on the shores of scenic Lake Erie and shares a maritime border with Canada.

The cost of living in Cleveland is less than those of metropolitan areas on the east or west coasts. LLM students live in affordable apartments in safe neighborhoods such as the charming “Little Italy” district, just a short walk from the law school.

Additional Information

For more information, please visit the Foreign Graduates LLM Program website, or contact

Ms. Liz Woyczynski, Administrative Director of Admissions & Student Services
Office of Foreign Graduate Legal Studies
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
11075 East Boulevard
Cleveland OH 44106-7148
USA

Phone: 216.368.2083
Skype: liz.woyczynski
Email: llm-sjd@case.edu