LL.M. students do not need to wait for their schools to set up programming to take part in great initiatives. I love to see when LL.M. students come together to work on projects. Depending on your law school and the type of project, the school may choose to get involved or not. Some schools may provide funding, use of their logos, space, faculty speakers, or staff support. Even if not, taking on initiatives will be helpful to get your name out there for the job search, develop leadership skills, and grow your own network.

Here are 4 suggestions! Feel free to share your own:

1. Comparative Piece. Work with classmates from around the world to select a hot topic and write articles, essays, or other pieces on that topic during your year together. For example, students in 2021-22 may have wanted to write pieces about regulation of cryptocurrency in their respective countries.
2. Cross-Border Practice Panel. Set up a panel about practicing law in other jurisdictions and your interactions with U.S. laws and U.S. attorneys. You can set up the panel to help J.D. students see the great cross-border careers they can have from the U.S. or abroad. You can also highlight your practice experiences from before your LL.M. program.
3. LL.M. Workshop. If there is a specialized area of law you’re focused on, you may want to reach out to LL.M. students at other U.S. law schools to see if you can set up a workshop to discuss your research in the area. While in-person workshops may be cost-prohibitive, setting up a virtual workshop on Zoom will allow you to connect with other LL.M. students.
4. Co-Authored Note or Article. You can work with a J.D. student at your school on a co-authored Note or Article discussing a legal topic from the U.S. and your home jurisdiction perspectives.