LL.M. New York
In the heart of downtown Manhattan, in one of the world’s most dynamic cities
The School of Law is located at New York University’s main campus in Greenwich Village, with its principal buildings nestled on the southwest corner of picturesque Washington Square Park. The Village is one of the most vibrant parts of the city with the feel of a neighborhood, some of the best eateries in town and the excitement of renowned Jazz and comedy clubs. Fifth Avenue begins here, at the park's Washington Arch, and stretches beyond to myriad opportunities in New York City.
We build the advantage of New York into the intellectual life of our community, maintaining our position at the helm of innovative scholarship and practice. Not only do we benefit by attracting the expertise of top professors to permanent or visiting appointments on our faculty, but we also draw from the experience of our clinical and adjunct faculty, who are practitioners at the highest level in their respective fields. A continuous stream of visits from prominent domestic and foreign government officials, judges of national and international courts, and leaders of international and non-government organizations, perfectly complements our annual curricular offerings.
The Program
NYU Law continues to be unique among U.S. law schools for the breadth of opportunities offered to students to integrate theory and practice in law. Master’s students take classes with J.D. students and also benefit from some LL.M.-only options, affording the opportunity to connect and develop relationships with fellow students from the U.S. around the world. Those who pursue the traditional LL.M. program elect classes from across our broad and diverse curriculum, while those who choose one of our eight specialized degrees pursue a majority of their coursework in one area with some flexibility to take classes in other areas of interest. The majority of our students study full-time for one year (from August to May) to complete the degree, and some programs are available on a part-time basis for practicing lawyers.
The Curriculum
Many of the classes offered in our expansive curriculum in the Fall and Spring are taught as lectures and seminars, but there are also other types of classes that engage our students in advanced inquiry and offer unique learning opportunities.
- Colloquia: Essentially research workshops, our colloquia bring top academics from around the nation and the world together with our students to critique recent and forthcoming academic publications centered on a specific theme.
- Research and Writing: All master’s students not enrolled in an LL.M. program requiring a thesis may opt to complete a substantial research project for credit through Directed Research or the LL.M. Thesis Option. Alternatively, some seminars and colloquia offer the option to add a writing credit so that students may earn additional credit for writing a substantial paper.
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Practice and Advocacy: Through simulations and clinics, as well as specialized seminars, students learn through a hands-on approach. These courses offer an opportunity to gain experience in legal tasks such as drafting briefs or memos and conducting mock trials or negotiations. There are also a few instances where students work on actual cases or policy formation taking place outside the Law School. Examples of these classes for which master’s students may register are:
International Human Rights Clinic
Comparative Criminal Justice Clinic
Civil Litigation
Alternative Dispute Resolution
International Arbitration: Investment Arbitration
Trial Practice
Federal Courts and Appellate Process
State Courts and Appellate Advocacy Seminar - NYU’s Schools: Outside the Law School, pioneering work is being done by professors in the University’s other prestigious schools. LL.M. students may request to take law-related classes for credit toward the degree at the Leonard N. Stern School of Business, the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service and beyond.