2020-2021 Penn Carey Law LLM Program

LLM Program 2020 – 2021

Penn Law is a global leader in legal education, uniquely equipping our LLM

The Law School

students with the knowledge and skills they

Penn Law’s campus is state-

need to excel in their careers and become

of-the-art, with four fully

changemakers in the world. Our faculty are

interconnected buildings

celebrated scholars and devoted teachers,

surrounding a green courtyard.

and the Law School has earned a well-

Students are steps away from

deserved reputation for a collaborative,

the amenities of the University of

collegial culture that serves to support

Pennsylvania, with its activities

students in their legal training while fostering

for graduate and professional

their diverse intellectual interests. I hope you

students, its state-of-the-art gym

enjoy learning more about our innovative LLM

and health club, and its many

program and the outstanding people that

libraries, museums, theaters,

comprise the Penn Law community.

lectures, and events.

Theodore Ruger Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law

“During the Summer Program, LLM students have the opportunity to develop their U.S. legal writing and oral presentation skills in small classes and receive individualized feedback from faculty. Even experienced foreign attorneys report that they gain valuable skills that support both their studies at Penn Law and their practice after graduation.”

Eleanor Barrett L’05 Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs

OUR CURRICULUM LLM Program Penn Law’s LLM program is over a century old, attracting top students from around the world to the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League institution located in Philadelphia.

The program is a one-year, full-time course of study in advanced legal topics designed for lawyers trained outside the United States.

Students select courses from an extensive curriculum of specialized courses and seminars at Penn Law. The Law School grants a generalized LLM that allows each student to design their own curriculum, and, in doing so, choose to focus on a particular topic.

After completing the summer program, LLM students take all their courses alongside our upper-level JD students.

LLM Summer Program

Other Graduate Programs

Our innovative Summer Program provides

Penn Law offers two graduate degree

an academic grounding in the U.S. legal

programs in addition to the LLM. The

system as well as social, cultural, and

Master of Comparative Law (LLCM)

professional opportunities. The program

program is a one-year course of advanced

includes two introductory courses (five

study for students who have already

credits total): Foundations of the U.S. Legal

earned their LLM degree. The Doctor of

System, an intensive survey addressing

Juridical Science (SJD) program provides

U.S. legal thought and practice; and U.S.

an opportunity to conduct extensive

Legal Writing and Research, a course

research, culminating in a dissertation,

covering the basic skills of U.S. lawyering.

under the guidance of faculty from

Social activities have included a welcome

Penn Law, and, where appropriate,

BBQ, speed networking, a bus tour, team

other professional schools and graduate

building workshops, and a banquet.

departments of the University of Pennsylvania.

Wharton Business and Law Certificate (WBLC) The practice of law requires superior preparation in conventional areas of legal education and the diverse disciplines intersecting with the law. Wharton Executive Education and the University of Pennsylvania Law School have joined forces to offer the Wharton Business and Law Certificate for students enrolled in the LLM program. The program is ideally suited for internationally trained attorneys who seek to develop the business skills needed to compete in today’s complex legal environment.

It is designed for lawyers who need to acquire:

"Because of my background in international law and international

•

An understanding of U.S. business culture

arbitration, I did not imagine that the

•

Enhanced skills for the sophisticated presentation of investment propositions and

WBLC would be such an enriching

financial projects

experience. After a year of Corporate

Management concepts for developing or professionalizing a law practice or

Finance, Private Equity, and Global

•

business enterprise This custom–designed program is taught by Wharton faculty and industry experts selected for

Strategic Management, I have come to realize that the business skills this

their teaching skills, subject expertise, and ability to offer applied concepts and examples to

unique program has given me are

participants. All LLM students may participate in this program, which runs concurrently with the

not only extremely useful in my field

LLM program. Those who successfully complete its requirements will earn a certificate awarded

of specialization but also highly

by The Wharton School’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education as well their LLM degree from Penn Law. Wharton courses are held in the evenings in state-of-the-art teaching facilities at the Steinberg Conference Center on the University of Pennsylvania campus in Philadelphia.

appreciated by employers."

Eugénie Caroit LLM’17

FACULT Y

“The Entrepreneurship Clinic has real clients in the real world with real consequences and real impact — allowing students to apply the theoretical law that

The essence of a great law school is a great faculty. Our professors are renowned and prolific scholars, publishing broadly-acclaimed books and articles that advance knowledge in the law and related disciplines. Nearly 70 percent of faculty members hold advanced degrees in fields other than law. And with diverse experience in international and

they’ve learned in other classes.”

Praveen Kosuri Associate Dean for Clinical Education; Practice Professor of Law; Director, Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic

comparative law, our faculty members bring a broad global view of the role of law in society to the classroom.

“We are living at a time when it is impossible to be a

“Students at Penn Law engage world affairs in

successful attorney without understanding how law

profound and meaningful ways. From international

and legal institutions operate both within and beyond

human rights to global business, Penn Law offers

our own nations, and Penn’s LLM Program ensures that

unparalleled opportunities for research and practice.”

everyone with a Penn Law degree develops a deep comparative understanding of the law.”

Eric Feldman

Beth Simmons Andrea Mitchell University Professor in Law, Political Science and Business Ethics

Heimbold Chair in International Law; Professor of Law; Professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy; Deputy Dean for International Programs

“The economic significance of multinational

“Internet policy must take into account how much the

corporations has led to increasing and often conflicting

underlying technology and the demands being placed

regulatory demands, and the globalization of the

on the network are changing.”

capital markets requires sophisticated lawyering to meet these demands.”

Jill Fisch Saul A. Fox Distinguished Professor of Business Law; Co-Director, Institute for Law and Economics

Christopher S. Yoo John H. Chestnut Professor of Law, Communication, and Computer & Information Science; Director, Center for Technology, Innovation & Competition

HONING U.S. LAWYERING SKILLS Live-client clinics provide you with expansive opportunities to apply your legal skills at the intersection of law and a broad range of subject areas. LLMs have participated in the following clinics: • Entrepreneurship •

Intellectual Property and Technology

• Mediation •

Transnational Law

Integrating Service into Your Professional Life The Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC) is excited to welcome LLMs as full participants in Penn Law’s historic commitment to public service.

Recently, clinic students have worked with an

TPIC supports LLMs seeking to fulfill

inventor to protect his intellectual property,

the New York Bar's 50-hour pro

mediated an international child custody

bono requirement and offers all

agreement between parents in two countries,

LLMs pro bono opportunities

and obtained a grant of asylum for a client

to gain valuable hands-on

facing certain harm if returned to his home

experience and further develop

country.

professional skills while learning about the communities that exist beyond the walls of Penn Law.

“I spent a year at Penn Law surrounded by fantastic individuals from 35 different countries, many of which I have never been to.

Such an experience necessarily challenges your view of the world and forces you to discover and to adapt to different cultures. At the end of the year, your only wish is to travel to all these countries to visit your new friends, and to see for yourself these fascinating cultures.”

Marc Diab Maalouf LLM’18

OUR COLLABORATIVE COMMUNIT Y Whoever you are and wherever you come from, the power of diversity at Penn Law creates a supportive and inclusive community where collaboration and teamwork are prized. We appreciate differences and are willing to engage colleagues and faculty in ways that respect, and even celebrate, the many differences in philosophy and experience that appear in a community as rich in ideas and backgrounds as Penn Law.

“One of the best things about Penn Law is that the School is designed to feel like a community and to make your time as comfortable and as fruitful as possible. The LLM Program is designed to create as many opportunities as possible for interaction with other students — both JDs and LLMs — and the faculty.”

Hilari Asasira LLM’18

STUDENT SERVICES Student Support Penn Law prides itself on providing its LLM students with unusually strong administrative support. Our Graduate Programs staff works closely with individual class members, encouraging all to take advantage of the wide

Life After Penn Law

variety of resources available. These go beyond

When you graduate from Penn Law, you

the Law School’s academic offerings to include

will join an active and engaged global

programming aimed at fostering social and

alumni community. The personal and

professional interaction between graduate

professional relationships you build here

students and their JD counterparts, Penn Law

will last a lifetime, creating a vast network

faculty, and Law School alumni who have

that extends far beyond Philadelphia.

returned to their homes around the world.

To help graduates keep in touch, Penn

Career Planning

Law supports alumni clubs around the world in countries like Italy, Brazil, Japan, and China. Our career office also offers

Penn Law’s Office of Career Planning &

resources and continuing support to

Professionalism (CP&P) assists students with job

alumni as you chart the future of your

searches and with enhancing professional skills.

professional life in the law. No matter

Penn Law has an LLM and International Career

where you go after graduation, you will

Counselor, who organizes programs designed

always have a home base at Penn Law.

specifically for LLM students, including resume and cover letter drafting, networking, interview skills, and an attorney mentor program. CP&P also brings in various speakers, including LLM alumni, throughout the year. Penn Law LLMs may also participate in the International Student Interview Program (“ISIP”) which brings LLMs and hiring employers from around the world to New York City in January.

YOUR PHILADELPHIA EXPERIENCE City of Neighborhoods Philadelphia, one of the most historic cities in the United States, features wonderful residential neighborhoods, a booming restaurant scene, robust art and theater life, excellent shopping, and great sports teams — all centrally located and served by public transport. Philadelphia offers professional students an affordable, accessible, and exciting lifestyle with easy access to New York City and Washington, D.C. Although on-campus housing is available, many LLMs live in apartments in University City and Center City. There are affordable, attractive, and diverse off-campus options, ranging from rooms in historic houses to modern high-rise apartments.

Photo by Scott Spitzer

“Our LLM alumni consistently report that their academic and social experiences far exceeded their expectations and that the personal and professional relationships built at Penn Law last a lifetime.”

Elise Luce Kraemer L'93 Executive Director, Graduate Programs

ADMISSIONS Each year, Penn Law enrolls a select class of approximately 115 LLM students: academically gifted, professionally accomplished, intellectually curious, and culturally and geographically diverse. In addition, Penn Law enrolls a limited number of exceptional graduate students pursuing the LLCM and SJD degrees.

Our students come from all over the world, representing more than 30 countries in a typical year. They come from a broad spectrum of academic, professional, ideological, and economic backgrounds. The majority of our LLM students have had at least one year of work experience following their law studies, and a significant percentage hold an advanced degree. This exciting diversity is, in itself, an integral component of our LLM program. It inspires a cross-fertilization of ideas and incentives that enhances the intellectual rewards and professional transformation that characterize a Penn Law education.

We welcome your interest in joining this extraordinary community.

Standards for Admissions Admission to Penn Law’s Graduate Programs is highly selective. We typically receive around 1,500 applications for 115 seats in the entering LLM class. Applicants to the LLM program generally must hold a law degree such as a JD, LLB, or equivalent, or be licenced to practice law. Applicants currently enrolled as LLB students (or the equivalent) who are expecting to graduate in the spring are also welcome to apply.

Successful participation in Penn Law’s Graduate Program requires a high level of English proficiency. Most coursework at Penn Law centers on a dialogue between the instructor and members of the class. Students must be able to express thoughts clearly in both spoken and written English and must read and write the language with ease.

All Graduate applicants must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam or be granted a waiver. Penn Law does not have a minimum score requirement. In general, we look for a TOEFL score of at least 100 or IELTS score of 7. We also look at the breakdown for listening, speaking, writing, and reading to ensure that all indicate a high level of English proficiency. However, a lower score in one area or overall does not automatically preclude an application from consideration for Penn Law’s LLM program.

Elise Luce Kraemer Executive Director, Graduate Programs

See www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/grad for detailed information on admissions.

How to Apply LLM, LLCM, and SJD candidates are required to submit their applications via www.lsac.org.

Financing Your Legal Education In an effort to sustain the exceptional diversity and quality of our LLM program, Penn Law has set aside merit scholarship funds for outstanding candidates, including a number of regionally based scholarships. Penn Law has also partnered with Fulbright in a number of countries to provide joint scholarships.

Penn Law also offers human rights scholarships for outstanding students with substantial,

Deadlines

demonstrated commitment to human rights. Our application requires an additional essay for students interested in applying for a human rights scholarship. We offer one or two of these scholarships each year, depending upon the depth of the applicant pool.

We begin accepting application materials after September 1.

Because our ability to award assistance is limited, we encourage applicants to seek November 15: Early Notification

other funding sources. Many of our students receive scholarships from their employers,

LLM applications must be complete by November 15 for Early Notification. Early Notification

governments, or another third party. Other students are able to pay their expenses with their

Applicants will be accepted, rejected, or deferred for further consideration by February 1.

own savings or rely on family members for loans. Still others are able to receive loans or other financial aid from their home country.

December 15: Regular Notification LLM applications are due by December 15. Applicants will be accepted, rejected, or wait-

To view estimated LLM expenses for the academic year, visit www.law.upenn.edu/

listed by mid-March. If you miss the deadline, you can request a deadline extension.

admissions/grad/tuition-fees.php.

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School 3501 Sansom Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-6204 Office of Graduate Programs Telephone: 215.898.0407 Email: gradadmissions@law.upenn.edu http://www.law.upenn.edu

University of Pennsylvania Non-Discrimination Policy Statement

All information in this viewbook is subject to change as our programs are constantly evolving. For the most up to date information, please visit our website at https://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/grad/.

The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or athletic programs, or other University-administered programs or in its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this policy should be directed to the Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Programs, Sansom Place East, 3600 Chestnut Street, Suite 228, Philadelphia, PA 191046106; or (215) 898-6993 (Voice) or (215) 898-7803 (TDD). The University of Pennsylvania must reserve the right to make changes affecting policies, fees, curricula, or any other matters announced in this publication or on its website.