It’s August 1, which means we’re almost ready for the start of the 2022-23 academic year! I’ve seen a lot of posts on WeChat and LinkedIn as students are preparing for their LL.M. studies. This will also be the first time in a decade that I’m not preparing to welcome LL.M. students to a specific U.S. law school.

If you’ll begin an LL.M. program this August, here’s some information I share with my LEALS students, which I hope is also helpful for other foreign-educated lawyers.

1. Try to meet other incoming LL.M. students informally before orientation. That can be through a video chat, telephone call, text messaging, in-person activities or whatever you’re comfortable with. Orientation is going to likely feel overwhelming and knowing other people at orientation can take away some of the nerves at breakfast, ice breakers, etc.
2. Focus on what you need to know at orientation to get through the first few weeks. You’re going to hear A LOT of information at orientation. You’ll need to compartmentalize. What do you need to do to prepare for your first classes? What forms or documents need to be processed? What deadlines are fast approaching?
3. Learn about the resources available to you. You are paying (often more than many J.D. students) for a U.S. legal education. Does the school have a writing center? Mental health and wellness counseling? Bar exam preparation? Ensure that you and your colleagues are utilizing the resources that are available to you throughout the year.
4. Advocacy is an important skill. You may hear that certain things are “for J.D. students.” Be sure to determine why that’s the case and whether LL.M. students have access to similar activities. Sometimes, that distinction is just because “that’s how things have always been done.” You and your LL.M. colleagues may get to hone your advocacy skills as you see what additional resources, activities, and assistance you can receive.
5. Think about your big-picture goals: passing a bar exam, getting a great job, becoming a research assistant for a professor, writing a publishable paper. You’ll need to put in work each week and each month to achieve large goals. If you wait until graduation to begin preparing for the bar exam, you may wish you had more time. The job search takes a long time for many LL.M. students and you’ll want to begin building connections now. August will not determine your future, but the effort you put in during August will be important for your future goals.
6. Reach out to J.D. students, especially 1Ls! They’re mostly new to legal studies and legal education. They’ve also just arrived and many of the 1Ls will also know few people. I’ve seen great friendships form between LL.M. and 1L students. It may be scary to be the one to reach out, but the person you reach out to may be more nervous than you and will be glad that you did.
7. Get your academics off to a great start by attending office hours. Ensure your professors know who you are. Ask questions that demonstrate that you’ve completed the readings and been engaged during class. You may also meet with other students in your classes, J.D. and LL.M., who may become part of your study groups or close circle of friends.
8. Lean on your network. Law school is tough! Reach out to alumni of your LL.B. school. Reach out to the local city and/or state attorney groups, including affinity groups. Reach out to 2L/3L ambassadors and other returning students. You are not the first person to study in a U.S. law school or in an LL.M. program. Although you may feel like you’re doing everything from the beginning, those of us who see the same cycles each year or who have been through the process can give you great advice. “Work smart, not hard” is a phrase you might hear.

Good luck with your LL.M. programs!