American Business Law LL.M.

LL.M. in American Business Law for Foreign Law Graduates

The LL.M. in American Business Law offers advanced training to those holding JD-equivalent foreign law degrees who want professional training in American business and commercial law.  The program teaches the  principles of American law with a focus on business law and New York Practice.  Students can tailor the LL.M. degree to their own areas of practice by selecting an area of concentration, such as Financial Services Law, Corporate and Securities Law, Tax Law, Real Estate Law or International Business Law. There is also a concentration in New York Business Law & Practice specially designed for students planning to take the New York Bar Exam and practice in New York. 

The LL.M. program is tailored to the academic needs of students with a foreign legal background, and designed to provide students with significant flexibility in shaping their advanced legal training. The program serves recent law graduates who wish to gain exposure to American Business Law for the purpose of practicing law in the United States, as well as students who will use this expertise to aid their practice in their home country. The students in the LL.M. in American Business Law program will be able to take advantage of the rich collection of business law courses offered at New York Law School and structure a course of study that fits their individual academic and professional goals.

 
The Fundamentals

Through the required curriculum for the LL.M. in American Business Law, students are introduced to the foundations of an American business and commercial law practice.

The LL.M. program includes two courses specifically designed to introduce students with a foreign legal background to American legal study. Students begin the program with a 10 day course that teaches them the basic principles of American law and also serves to help the students prepare for their American law school experience. In the first semester, students are also introduced to the sources and methods for researching, analyzing, and communicating about U.S. law.

We require that all students take the basic Corporations course as well as a course in professional responsibility or ethics, as the foundations of an American business and commercial law expertise.  Each student will also work closely with a member of the faculty on a substantial research and writing project.

 
Tailored Course of Study

Beyond the required curriculum, students are asked to select courses within a specialization. New York Law School offers a deep and specialized curriculum in many areas of American Business Law. Students work closely with the faculty program director and the Office of Academic Affairs to select from among the options the course of study that best fits their individualized needs.

NYLS also currently offers specialized LL.M. degree programs in the areas of tax, real estate, and financial services. Students in the American Business Law LL.M. may choose to concentrate in any of these areas, and take advanced courses in the specialized degree programs. Students particularly interested in one of these specialized areas of the law may also opt to complete two LL.M. degrees on an accelerated timeline.

Students in the American Business Law LL.M. program are also guided in selecting courses to meet the requirements for sitting for the NY Bar Exam and have the option to follow a course of study that will enhance their preparation for taking the Bar Exam and focusing on foundational courses in American law.

 
Individualized Support

Students come to the American Business Law LL.M. Program with different professional backgrounds, knowledge of the common and civil law, and career goals. The LL.M. Program is designed to provide students with constant individual guidance, and each student works closely with the Program Director, the Office of Academic Affairs, and the Office of Career Services to develop a focused course of study and career plan to help them meet their professional goals.