This summer, I am teaching online twice a week (on the other side of the world) while traveling across the United States. I’m trying to make the most of this opportunity in a number of ways:

1. Teaching my LEALS students more about the U.S. from each destination I am in. For example, on Sunday night I’ll teach from New Orleans, and I’ll mention Louisiana’s unique nature as part of our common law/civil law discussion.
2. Informing my LEALS students about some of the law schools in the States I’m visiting.
3. Getting to know more about the campuses and people at the law schools across America, to better guide my students when they ask me questions about U.S. law schools.

I also want to use this as an opportunity to inform Beyond Non-JD readers about law schools in the States I’m visiting.

Week #1 of LEALS has been based out of Florida, the State I moved to in 2019. I’ve been able to call Gainesville and Orlando home for 2 years and 1 year, respectively. Florida is a popular State for many of my LEALS students to visit, and I’ve seen pictures on WeChat from students who have done the Orlando-Miami-Key West journey each year. In addition to Disney, the Everglades, Miami Beach, and the Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S., what should Beyond Non-JD readers know about Florida’s law schools for J.D. and LL.M. programming? Here are some thoughts, though please check with schools directly for more comprehensive information.

1. Great Values for LL.M. Programming

The State University System (of which University of Florida, Florida State University, and Florida International University are members) offers some of the nation’s best “sticker” prices for LL.M. (and J.D.) programming in the United States. Compare the Florida resident and non-resident tuition prices to other States, especially if you are evaluating maximum costs for degrees. Also be sure to check about scholarship eligibility, especially through the Latin American-Caribbean (LAC) scholarship program. LL.M. programs are designed to generate revenue, but the State University system pricing makes Florida’s state universities among the best values in the U.S.

2. Locations

Florida’s law schools are spread out across the State. The four State University system schools are conveniently located throughout the State. Gainesville is home to University of Florida (northeast/north-central Florida), Tallahassee (the State capital) is home to Florida State University (western/northwestern Florida), the Miami area is home to Florida International University (south Florida), and Orlando is home to Florida A&M’s law school (central Florida). This allows Florida residents and those looking to make Florida home to find the right law school location for their goals. In addition, Florida is home to many private law schools, including the University of Miami (in Miami!) and Stetson University (in the Tampa area), as well as others in Naples and elsewhere.

3. Programming for Foreign Lawyers

Schools have different programming designed for foreign-educated lawyers. In addition to the J.D. degree, here is some helpful information from some school websites (check with them, and this is not meant to be exhaustive):

LL.M. to J.D. Transfer Programs

• Florida State University
• Florida International University
• University of Miami

Advanced J.D. (2-Year J.D. for Foreign Lawyers)

• Florida International University

4. The Florida Bar Exam

As you may have read on Beyond Non-JD, Florida has recently updated the bar eligibility rules for foreign-educated lawyers who enroll in LL.M. degrees. You can read my initial thoughts here, and I still think the 3-year J.D. is the best path for the majority of foreign-educated lawyers looking to take the Florida bar and become Florida-based lawyers. Check the school LSAT medians through the ABA 509 Reports to determine which Florida schools may be in your application strategy, especially if you’re interested in scholarship awards.

5. The Florida Legal Market

Looking at the J.D. Employment Outcomes, most students who go to law school in Florida tend to work in Florida, and that is true across schools. Florida law schools are a great way to begin establishing ties to the State if your ultimate goal is to work in Florida upon graduation but you do not yet have any connections to the State. From what I’ve seen, the most opportunities for foreign-educated lawyers tend to be after graduation in immigration law across the State and in the South Florida region, and so be sure to ask the schools about their alumni and connections in those areas. With the State attracting more people from the U.S. and abroad, my hope is that there will be more opportunities for foreign-educated lawyers across the State.