You may have heard about “3-Semester” LL.M. programs. What are they? Should you look into them? And if you’re considering a 3-Semester program, wouldn’t a 2-Year J.D. for Foreign Lawyers make more sense for one extra semester?

LL.M. programs are traditionally two semesters. Extending into a third semester will cost extra money (even with additional scholarships), take extra time, and mean you are delaying earning money. So if you will extend into a third semester or join a 3-Semester program from the start, you want to make sure it makes the most sense for you financially and career-wise.

My Ideal 3-Semester Program

(1) Combines a specialized LL.M. in an area where foreign-educated lawyers get hired with (2) a Curricular Practical Training that may lead to employment or boost a resume with (3) a path to take bar-tested subjects for bar eligibility and (4) deeper immersion into the U.S. legal education experience.

Let’s look at those in turn.

1. Although I’m most familiar with tax law, there are other areas where foreign-educated lawyers may have an easier path to post-LL.M. work in the United States than some J.D. students. More time in a specialized LL.M. means more coursework, more time to attend recruiting events, more time to participate in panels and other academic activities, and more time to meet people within the industry.
2. If your program has a CPT component, you may be able to begin working before the end of two academic semesters. But if your program does not, a third semester allows you to “unlock” CPT between Semester 2 and Semester 3, which for Fall starters would mean in the Summer. If you can secure a Summer Associate-type position, this will give you legal experience in the U.S., allow firms to evaluate you before needing to make a hiring decision, and expand your network as you look to the post-LL.M. employment search.
3. For those who need to take curricular work to become bar-eligible, it can be hard to balance coursework in your specialized LL.M. with bar-tested and bar-eligible subjects. A third semester avoids that sacrifice as you can take extensive coursework in your specialization and still take the coursework needed to sit for a bar exam.
4. A third semester means that you become part of two LL.M. “classes.” It also allows you to build deeper connections with J.D. students. In your third semester, what sort of leadership positions can you take on? A student ambassador? Work for a journal? Leadership on a student organization? Participate in a competition?

There are other considerations.

• Can you secure the same scholarship for the third semester?
• Would you be able to save one course for the third semester if it would lead to a significant savings and still fulfill similar goals?
• How will you be charged for summer credits for a CPT if you’re on a student visa?
• Are you timing your graduation on-cycle or off-cycle and how will that help or hurt for graduation?
• Do you have the flexibility in your schedule that if you achieve all your goals in two semesters and secure a job that you can graduate or are you locked into three semesters?
• Do you have a plan from the start to secure a great (ideally paid) summer position for CPT? Is it at the type of place that tends to hire people to return and are they okay with you returning halfway through the next cycle?

Overall, I think a 3-Semester Program can be a good fit for practicing attorneys with a particular specialization. The tough balance is considering whether the 3-Semester Program will give you the boost that justifies the extension.

This is different from 3-Semester/4-Semester programs that combine Legal English and an LL.M. degree, as well as 2-Year J.D. programs. As always, do your due diligence and find the programs that are the best fit for your goals.