University of Miami School of Law

Introduction

The University of Miami School of Law is located on the beautiful UM campus and boasts a renowned faculty, an extensive curriculum, and a vibrant student body. As part of a world-class university, Miami Law offers unrivaled opportunities for future leaders with 18 areas of study, 9 clinics, 20+ joint degree programs, 65+ experiential learning courses, and 25+ study abroad options to prepare you for today’s global legal landscape.

Physical Facilities

Miami Law is located on the University of Miami’s main campus and is within a 10-minute walk from key spots at the university, such as the state-of-the-art fitness center, the local post office, concert halls, the campus bookstore, the university’s art museum, the student health center, and the campus food court.

Housing

There is no on-campus housing for law students. Since Miami is a large, metropolitan city it is full of diverse housing options and locations in which to live. There are a variety of housing options within walking and commuting distance of the law school. The Office of Admissions offers a roommate referral service to help incoming law students find roommates, and there is an apartment and relocation guide on Miami Law’s website to assist incoming students in finding housing.

LLM Programs/Areas of Specialization

General LLM: US and Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers

The LLM in U.S. & Transnational Law for Foreign-Trained Lawyers is Miami Law’s general LLM program. The program welcomes attorneys from all over the world to continue the study of law in a context that emphasizes American common law and its impact in the global economy.
Technically a specialization in the International Law LLM, the program permits unusual flexibility in course selection and allows you to take classes and structure your studies according to professional goals. You choose from a vast course catalog with the option to either specialize further in your area of interest or explore other areas including Business

Intensive Legal English + LLM

This specialized program is three semesters and begins with an Intensive Legal English semester specifically tailored to the needs of foreign-trained lawyers who want or need to improve their English proficiency. It focuses on students achieving the English language and communication skills necessary to be successful in their LLM program. Students are fully integrated into the Miami law community and participate in the law school’s academic networking and social events. The program maintains a very low student-to-faculty ratio, allowing faculty to meet individually with each student to thoroughly review assignments and offer opportunities for revision.

Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law

This one-of-a-kind program is available only at The University of Miami School of Law and is taught by prominent faculty and practicing attorneys. Students study this combined graduate degree to focus on areas of law that in today’s world are expanding, converging and at times intersecting. Hands-on, practical learning is a focus to teach skills of high value, which can provide the tipping point for attorneys contending for jobs in very competitive areas. 

Estate Planning LLM

The aging of the baby boomer generation has set the stage for the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history. This, combined with the increasing complexity of income tax, wealth transfer tax, property laws, and today’s changing economic environment, has created a demand for attorneys with expertise in individual and estate planning.

Attorneys can meet this growing demand with our LLM in estate planning, a program unmatched in graduate-level legal education offering a unique combination of tax and non-tax estate planning courses unavailable elsewhere.

International Arbitration

This LLM program — the only one of its kind in the United States — provides an expansive curriculum to choose from to individualize your study and gain in-depth knowledge and skills in international arbitration. Select from specialized theoretical and practical courses in commercial and investment arbitration as well as practical skills-based courses, practicums, clinics, moot court and more. You receive individualized mentorship from world-renowned leaders in arbitration and career advising tailored to your professional goals.

International Law

Today’s legal practice and legal institutions are unavoidably multinational as the world has become more global and countries more interconnected.
Legal rules that previously affected domestic matters are now often subject to the laws of numerous jurisdictions, which is why the understanding International Law has become more and more necessary. This LLM provides the background necessary to recognize, understand, and manage problems arising in the international legal order, including:

Maritime Law

With the ocean in your backyard, students have a unique opportunity to learn from renowned faculty and local maritime legal experts and benefit from our strategic location in Miami. As one of four programs of its kind in the country and the only one in the state of Florida, Miami opens the door geographically to such a wide variety of externship opportunities both within and outside of the government. It is the ideal setting to dive into this niche career.

Real Property Development

This LLM program — widely regarded as the nation's best — is for the law student or attorney who wants expertise in planning, structuring, and financing real estate projects, either as a practitioner, owner, or developer. Given the increased complexity of real estate development, pursuing a specialized degree is one of the most effective ways to acquire the necessary breadth and depth of experience. Real estate is cyclical — in the up cycles, a practitioner or a developer/entrepreneur focuses on creating assets — in down cycles the focus is on protecting assets or finding opportunities in distressed markets. The well-trained real estate lawyer understands these cycles and is able successfully to navigate them.

Taxation

In today's world, tax issues are inescapable, increasingly complex and constantly changing. The tax program draws upon Miami's unique location – the pivot point between S. America, N. America and Europe – to bring the region's diverse perspectives and career-building opportunities to students.
Miami Law's tax program and courses focus on building a better tax lawyer who develops the "tax sense" necessary to resolve tax problems with confidence, which is evident in our excellent career outcomes.

Taxation of Cross-Border Investment

Miami—a global capital for law and commerce—is the place to study international tax law. The program prepares tax lawyers to understand the global context in which their clients do business. As wealthy individuals increase their ties to the U.S., their income and estate tax planning can get tricky. Knowledge of the domestic rules of taxation is often no longer adequate to serve clients whose lives, businesses, and investments cross borders and jurisdictions. This degree program is ideal for students who expect international tax law to play an important role in their professional careers, have a solid foundation in their own domestic tax system and have enough experience to bring their own questions to the program.

Online LLM Programs

Online LLM in Real Estate/Property Development

The Robert Traurig-Greenberg Traurig LLM in Real Property Development is also accessible in an online format to offer the same academic excellence and convenience for the working professional. Enroll part-time, starting in the fall or spring, with no career interruption, commuting, or fixed class hours. No special software or computer skills are necessary.

Online LLM in Taxation of Cross-Border Investment

This degree program is also accessible in an online format and is specifically for foreign attorneys who are practicing, or intend to practice, in or with Latin America, and non-US/foreign lawyers who are ready to delve into a more sophisticated tax practice and are looking to understand enough US tax law to work well with US tax lawyers.

General Application Details for All LLM Programs

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, but some programs have priority deadlines in place that applicants should be aware of. Please also note that each program may have additional application/admission requirements; it is highly recommended that you contact the LLM program of your interest or go to the program’s webpages for detailed information.

MLS Program/Areas of Specialization

Online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) Degree

The MLS Master of Legal Studies curriculum is a 30-credit, 100% online Master’s of Legal Studies degree program which offers a mixture of core, required courses and electives. It is ideal if you work every day in legal compliance, risk management, and in and around the law or lawyers and want to elevate expertise in your law-related job. 
In the Master of Legal Studies curriculum, students may choose to study a general track, which allows them to design a course of study that best suits their interests and needs, or specialize with an industry-specific track.

• General Legal Studies
• Healthcare Law and Regulation
• Law and Technology: Cybersecurity, Information Privacy, and AI
• Employment Law and Human Resources Risk Management
• Real Estate and Construction Law and Regulation
• Wealth Management

General Application Details for MLS Program

Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) Degree

As the highest degree offered in law, the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) program is a three-year, post-LL.M. degree designed for aspiring legal academics, members of the judiciary, and public policymakers as well as for students interested in careers as legal scholars, teaching law inside or outside the United States. The S.J.D. program is designed to prepare graduates with superior scholarly potential to pursue policy work in research institutes, or careers in government service, or the judiciary. Students in the S.J.D. program, are expected to conduct advanced research and produce original scholarship submitted as a scholarly dissertation under the guidance of the internationally renowned faculty at the University of Miami School of Law.

General Application Details for SJD Program

Tuition information is available here

Student Organizations, Programs, and Services

Miami Law has more than 50 student organizations that provide members with personal, academic, and career support. All encourage student involvement and leadership and provide networking and career opportunities with alumni and other members of our legal community. The school’s leadership works closely with student organizations and facilitates or cosponsors a broad array of special programs and events throughout the year.

In addition, Miami Law offers a wide array of opportunities in the form of academic programs, centers, institutes, and student services that support student interests, enrich their academic and professional formation, and increase student exposure to the community locally and globally.

Mindfulness in Law Program

The school, through its nationally acclaimed Mindfulness in Law Program, offers law students numerous opportunities to learn and practice mindfulness—a tool that has become increasingly important in the high-stress environment of law. Students can participate in weekly events and take mindfulness workshops, as well as credit-bearing law school classes, to learn mindfulness tools for enhancing focus and concentration, emotional resilience, and well-being.

Career Services

Miami Law boasts a variety of career services to help students and graduates, both US and international, reach their professional goals. Our school has a Career Development Office (CDO) with advisors who are former practicing attorneys with a wide range of legal backgrounds. For international students, the CDO has a dedicated international LLM advisor who has expertise in counseling this specific group of students. The office organizes workshops, career and job fairs, and a mock interview program, in addition to bringing guest speakers throughout the year to assist students with their job-search and professional-development needs.

Contact Information

University of Miami School of Law
Office of Admissions
1311 Miller Drive Suite F203
Coral Gables, FL 33146

School Website