Yale Law School

Introduction

Located in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale Law School is one of the world’s premier law schools. With a rich history, a vibrant academic community, and an accomplished student body, Yale Law School offers an unmatched environment of excellence and educational intimacy in the form of world-renowned faculty, small classes, opportunities for independent research and writing, and student-organized reading groups. The Law School is small by design; its impact on the world is measured by its accomplished graduates and its ongoing scholarship and outreach through numerous centers and projects.

The Sterling Law Building, which houses the Yale Law School, occupies one city block at the heart of Yale University and downtown New Haven. It features Internet-ready classrooms, faculty offices, the Lillian Goldman Law Library, an auditorium, a student lounge, a dining hall, and a day care center clustered around three beautiful courtyards. The Robert C. and Christina Baker Hall, less than 180 yards from the Sterling Law Building and located at 100 Tower Parkway, is a modern extension of the Law School campus, with a three-tiered student center; a two-story lecture hall; and rooms for seminars, small groups, and interdisciplinary centers and programs. The completion of Baker Hall in August 2018 also marks the return of residential living to Yale Law School, not seen since 2007.

As a part of one of the world’s great universities, the Law School draws on Yale’s abundant academic resources, including a nearly 15 million-volume library system. The Yale campus is also home to world-renowned museums of art and natural history; a Tony Award-winning regional theater; two concert halls that feature performances from symphony to opera, and jazz to chamber music; and one of the most comprehensive fitness facilities in the world.

A coastal city on the Long Island Sound, New Haven is sophisticated, fun, easy to navigate, friendly, and affordable. It is a city of distinct neighborhoods, with beautiful architecture, treelined streets, convenient shopping, restaurants for every budget, bookstores, clubs, theaters, movies, parks, and a waterfront—all within an easy walk or bike ride from the Yale campus.

Physical Facilities

• Students have unlimited access to a premier domestic, foreign, and international legal collection consisting of the best print, electronic, and people resources in the world. For more information, visit the Lillian Goldman Law Library website.
• Full-service computer lab and support for a suite of productivity and research software
• Wired and wireless network connectivity throughout the building
• Payne Whitney Gym
• YLS Dining Hall

Housing

There is plentiful, affordable, and convenient housing in New Haven. Some on-campus dormitory housing is available for single students. Baker Hall will house 111 students in air-conditioned, furnished one- and two-bedroom units. Law students are given priority to live in Baker Hall. The units share a similar layout which includes a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom(s). Many students live in nearby off-campus houses or apartments. Yale University maintains a limited number of apartment buildings for student families and has a housing office to assist students in finding off-campus housing.

LLM Program

The Master of Laws (LLM) program at Yale Law School is a one-year course of study intended for students committed to careers in law teaching and scholarship. Each year, students from all over the world participate in the LLM program, taking advantage of Yale Law School’s unparalleled opportunities for advanced study, independent research, and intellectual growth.

The completely elective program has no formal specializations, and no uniform course of study is prescribed for LLM students. Students are encouraged to create a course of study that reflects their particular background and interests. The Graduate Programs Office provides a wide range of support services, including assistance in designing individual academic programs and exploring course options. Each LLM student is invited to use the resources of the Law School in whatever program of study will best prepare that individual for a career in research and teaching.

Intellectual Life

Yale Law School enhances the intellectual life of its academic community by sponsoring a variety of centers, programs, and workshops, inspired by the interests of its faculty and students. These offerings extend the curriculum, support faculty research, and engage the student body in serious academic inquiry. Each center has a particular focus, such as human rights, corporate law, or environmental law and policy. The more informal workshops allow scholars and students to discuss emerging ideas in fields as diverse as law and economics, human rights, legal history, and Chinese legal reform.

Through organizing reading groups, pursuing supervised independent research and writing, taking courses in other departments and schools at Yale, or presenting papers at the graduate works-in-progress symposium, our LLM students have numerous opportunities to take initiative, explore new subjects and disciplines, engage in collaborative learning, and stretch and challenge themselves in a rigorous academic setting.

Student Services and Organizations

Yale Law School views civic and intellectual engagement outside of the classroom as vital to maintaining a healthy and vibrant academic community. To that end, the Law School encourages students to take advantage of Yale’s extensive academic, extracurricular, and social offerings. Whether attending classes, organizing a slate of engaging conferences and events, or volunteering to work for the public interest, our students bring their idealism and passion into every aspect of their lives.

Our students are campus and community leaders, taking part in an array of student organizations and enjoying the social and recreational opportunities that the greater New Haven area has to offer.

Fueled by a globally diverse student body and a flexible curriculum, the Law School provides a range of services and resources to support its LLM students—from academic counseling offered by the Graduate Programs Office to advice for the path ahead at the Career Development Office.

Career Development

The Career Development Office serves to educate students and alumni on the diverse career paths open to them as graduates of the Yale Law School. Through one-on-one counseling, access to online resources and publications, and participation in interview and educational programs, students and alumni gain the confidence and knowledge to successfully identify and realize their career goals.

Application Information

LLM Admission Information

Contact Information

For additional information, please visit Yale’s LLM program website, or contact:

Yale Law School Graduate Programs
PO Box 208215
New Haven, CT 06520-8215
USA

Phone: 203.432.1696
Email: gradpro.law@yale.edu