LLM

315 South Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604, USA
Phone: 312.360.2658 | Fax: 312.427.5280
E-mail: graduateadmission@jmls.edu | Website: www.jmls.edu

Introduction

The John Marshall Law School was founded in 1899 and accredited by the American Bar Association in 1941. John Marshall has grown into a multidimensional law school by providing the Juris Doctor along with advanced degrees—Master of Laws (LLM) and Master of Science (MS). For an LLM program, applicants must have acquired a JD or equivalent degree, whereas MS applicants need only have a bachelor's or equivalent degree. The LLM and MS programs are run by specialized program centers, which are active in current events related to their fields of study.

The law school offers advanced degrees in

• Employee Benefits—John Marshall offers the only advanced-degree Employee Benefits programs (LLM and MS) in the nation;
• Information Technology and Privacy Law;
• Intellectual Property Law;
• International Business and Trade Law;
• Real Estate Law—John Marshall offers the only advanced-degree Real Estate Law programs (LLM and MS) in the Midwest;
• Tax Law;
• Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution; and
• US Legal Studies.

Online degrees (no classroom component required) are available at eCourses.JMLS.edu in

• Employee Benefits (LLM and MS),
• Estate Planning (LLM), and
• Intellectual Property Law (LLM and MS).

Chicago is a world-class city full of dynamic opportunities for legal professionals and international visitors, making it a perfect location for continuing education. The John Marshall Law School is located in the heart of downtown Chicago and is conveniently close to government offices and county, circuit, and federal courthouses. The law school is close to station stops on seven different elevated and subway train lines. We are also only a short walk or cab ride from Union Station and downtown Metra stations.

Law School Enrollment

• Total law school enrollment: 1,642

Physical Facilities

The John Marshall Law School consists of three interconnected buildings on the north side of the downtown block between State Street and Plymouth Court. The main entrance is on Plymouth Court, adjacent to the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) building. The Graduate and International Admissions department is located in the CBA building on the 16th floor.

We have a philosophy of constant improvement. Recently we have upgraded classrooms and the library, created two new courtrooms, purchased a building, and undertaken a major renovation. We are dedicated to students' comfort and security, as well as to providing the utmost in education-based technology.

Technology

John Marshall offers a variety of technological tools, such as online video streaming of lectures and computer-based exams. Among other things, we have an advanced fiber optic backbone, "smart" classrooms, online courses for advanced degrees, and free tech support for all students.

Housing

Where do John Marshall students live? The answer is everywhere throughout the Chicagoland area. The John Marshall Law School does not provide student housing, but you will find that many students live in the same neighborhoods. You can connect with other students who have been admitted to The John Marshall Law School on Facebook, find out where students plan to live, and even find a roommate. We have made arrangements with a few local housing facilities that have worked out well for students. To learn more about housing, read our publication, A Guide to the City as a Campus (PDF), and contact:

Silvia Rodriguez
Assistant Director
Graduate Admissions and International Education Office
The John Marshall Law School
315 South Plymouth Court
Chicago, IL 60604
USA

Phone: 312.360.2658
E-mail: srodrigu@jmls.edu

Application Information

Application Deadlines for ALL Programs

• Fall: August 1
• Spring: December 1
• Summer: May 1

NOTE: MS applicant's deadline for fall admission is June 15.

Required Application Documents

1. Application Form: Completed, signed, and dated form for either the MS (PDF) or LLM (PDF) program.
2. Transcripts: Request official academic transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. MS applicants need a bachelor's degree, whereas LLM applicants need a Juris Doctor. The transcripts must be official, signed or stamped by the registrar, and include the degree conferral date. Transcripts must be mailed directly from the registrar's office to the Graduate Admissions Office.
3. Submit your most recent résumé.
4. Statement of Purpose: Statement of Purpose includes reasons for wishing to study in the graduate program and career goals after completion.
5. Writing Sample (Only for MS Applicants): Acceptable samples are a published article, a risk assessment paper, executive summary documenting a project or a decision point, exam paper, or research paper.
6. International Supplemental Documents (Only for International Students): Documents include credit evaluation, English proficiency exam, etc.
7. Letters of Recommendation: International students are required to send at least one letter of recommendation from an academic or professional source. (Letters of recommendation are optional for domestic students.)

Specialty Programs

• Employee Benefits: The John Marshall Law School offers the only Graduate Employee Benefits Programs in the nation, taught by experienced tax and employee benefits practitioners, including former IRS attorneys. You will gain a solid foundation in retirement planning, welfare benefits, and executive compensation. You will learn to combine practical business applications with theoretical legal concepts to deal with today's employee benefit problems. Both LLM and MS programs are available for interested professionals. Additionally, degree candidates can earn their employee benefits degree online through eCourses distance education—anytime, anywhere.
• Estate Planning: Our LLM in Estate Planning is designed for lawyers interested in developing an expertise in the estate planning arena. Graduates of this online-only program will be prepared for a variety of different career options, including (but not limited to) working in law firms, wealth management concerns, financial planning groups, trust departments, insurance companies, and fundraising divisions of universities and other nonprofit organizations.
• Information Technology and Privacy Law: John Marshall's Graduate Information Technology and Privacy Law Programs were among the first in the nation to recognize the need for programs specializing in information technology, and remain today among the few programs that include a focus on privacy. Our LLM and MS programs examine the influence of technology and privacy on all areas of law and practice from the practical, as well as the scholarly, perspective. Our flexible year-round course schedule and dynamic, up-to-date curriculum allow students to gain broad exposure to IT and privacy law and policy applicable to any area of practice, or focus on a specialized area such as transactional law, global commerce, litigation, criminal law/law enforcement, corporate and IT management, consumer privacy, or corporate privacy and security. Whatever your professional goals may be, we can help you design a course track that will meet your needs and career trajectory, and help you distinguish yourself in today's legal environment.
• Intellectual Property Law: The nationally renowned Graduate Intellectual Property Law Programs at John Marshall offer comprehensive training in both patent law and general intellectual property law. We offer an extensive selection of courses in all areas of patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret law as applied to technology, business, arts, entertainment, media, sports, and international trade. Both LLM and MS programs are available for interested professionals. Additionally, degree candidates can earn their IP degrees online through eCourses distance education—anytime, anywhere.
• International Business and Trade Law: John Marshall provides an exciting opportunity for US and international students to study international business and trade law in Chicago, one of the world's great commercial cities. Our LLM in International Business and Trade Law draws upon the rich resources of Chicago's legal, banking, and international business and trade communities to provide a practical learning environment for dealing with the many challenges of global business. Students are given a strong, practice-oriented foundation in the rules, regulations, and legal approaches underlying international economic law. We offer students an experienced US and international faculty, extensive course offerings, and an externship with a law firm or corporation. The program can be completed in two semesters.
• Real Estate Law: John Marshall's Graduate Real Estate Law Program offers the only post-JD graduate degrees in Real Estate Law in the Midwest. It addresses the law and practice demands of the increasingly complicated commercial real estate industry. In addition to the more traditional areas of real estate acquisitions, finance, construction, and commercial leasing, our LLM for attorneys and MS for nonattorney industry professionals emphasize the transactional skills of negotiations and drafting. Students take the basics as required courses and are able to concentrate in finance, development, and sustainability by completing courses in bankruptcy, environmental aspects of real estate, income tax, public finance and energy law, natural resources, and historic preservation. Our programs offer you the opportunity to learn the law in the context of real-life practice from nationally recognized full-time professors and adjuncts, many of whom are involved in transactions at the forefront of real estate law and are active members of the ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law and the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
• Tax Law: Among the nation's oldest tax programs, John Marshall's Graduate Tax Law Programs provide a practical grounding in all major areas of taxation and specialized expertise in particular areas. Our programs stress a transactional approach and deal with actual problems encountered in the practice of tax law. Experienced practitioners teach courses in such areas as corporate taxation, partnership taxation, estate and personal financial planning, foreign taxation, civil and criminal, and tax procedure. Both LLM and MS programs are available for interested professionals.
• Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution: John Marshall's LLM in Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution prepares degree candidates to become highly skilled advocates. Our program immerses the degree candidate in skills training that otherwise is not acquired through the traditional classroom setting. Each course has been carefully crafted to deliver a fully integrated approach to the skills development sought after by advocates and employers alike, with a focus on current application of technology in the courtroom, the formation of effective trial strategies, and a high level of competency in all aspects of dispute resolution. The faculty is composed of experienced litigators and judges who are knowledgeable in all areas of trial work, abreast of current trends, and committed to providing John Marshall degree candidates with up-to-the-minute instruction.
• US Legal Studies: John Marshall's LLM in US Legal Studies provides a flexible program of study for foreign lawyers who wish to deepen their knowledge of specific areas of US law. The program can be completed in two semesters. Students take several required courses and then select the remaining credits from the JD curriculum or other LLM curricula (e.g., Information Technology and Privacy Law, Intellectual Property Law, and International Business and Trade Law). International students are able to develop customized courses of study that will meet their own interests and career goals.

Student Services and Organizations

John Marshall helps to foster a strong sense of community among students by supporting more than 40 active organizations that engage in social awareness, community service, legal discussions, and social activities. Student groups for every professional, cultural, and political interest exist to expand and enhance your John Marshall experience.

• Listing of Student Organizations

Career Services

The John Marshall Law School has a full-service, professional Career Services Office (CSO) committed to helping students and alumni in their job searches. This runs the gamut from career-planning advice to extensive electronic resources that are accessible from anywhere in the world. Students and alumni are encouraged to take advantage of the more than 60 annual career-related programs and resources, including one-on-one counseling and mock interviews, career development workshops and career fairs, an on-campus interview program, and the CSO online resource center.

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