LL.M. Degree Requirements

Credit and GPA Requirements

Each LL.M. degree candidate must complete a minimum of 24 academic credits for approved course work with a minimum cumulative grade point average of B- (2.67). Except with the prior permission of the Program Director, all courses must be graded (not pass/fail).

Required Courses

Each LL.M. degree candidate must select an area of concentration (Asset Management, Banking, Capital Markets, or International Regulation) and take a minimum of five courses (10 academic credits) in the selected area. In addition to these courses, each degree candidate must take the Regulatory Policy course and the Advanced Research Seminar course. The balance of the required academic credits can be earned by taking any other LL.M. courses being offered.

The LL.M. Degree

An LL.M. degree may be earned on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time status is given to students who take at least eight credits per semester. A full-time student should be able to complete the degree during one academic calendar year (late August through mid-May). A part-time student can earn an LL.M. degree over several semesters depending on one’s course load. It is recommended that a part-time degree student take a minimum of two courses (four academic credits) every semester.

Prerequisites for an LL.M. Degree

Each LL.M. degree candidate must have taken a Securities Regulation course and a Derivatives Market Regulation course before applying for the LL.M. degree, or either agree to take these courses in the first semester or show proof of evidence that they possess, through their prior legal career, a fundamental background in these areas of the law. These two courses do not count toward the 24 minimum credit requirement for an LL.M. degree candidate. It is also highly recommended that non-degree students who do not possess a background in financial services also take these two courses, along with the Banking Law course, during their first semester.

Certificate of Law in Financial Services

Non-degree students in the LL.M. in Financial Services Law program at New York Law School may also elect to apply for a Certificate of Law in Financial Services in one of four areas of concentration: Asset Management, Banking, Capital Markets, or International Regulation. To receive the Certificate of Law, students must take a minimum of five courses in the respective area of concentration.

Areas of Concentration

The LL.M. in Financial Services Law program at New York Law School will initially provide four areas of concentration, while other areas of concentration may be added in the future. The four initial areas of concentration are:

• Asset Management – includes the regulation and structure of mutual funds, money managers, hedge funds, private equity funds, and their trading strategies.
• Banking – includes the regulation and structure of banks, bank holding companies, thrifts,and other financial institutions on a global basis.
• Capital Markets – includes the regulation and structure of brokerage firms and exchanges, analysis of the products traded on and off exchanges, and investment banking practices.
• International Regulation – includes the laws, regulations, and policies of all financial institutions located outside the U.S. and how U.S.financial institutions are regulated when doing business globally.

Non-Degree LL.M. Students

Non-degree students may apply to take one or more of the courses offered pursuant to the LL.M. in Financial Services Law program. We encourage non-degree students to take the Securities Regulation, Derivatives Markets Regulation, and Banking Law courses initially if they do not have a fundamental background involving these areas of the law.

Non-Degree LL.M. Students Outside the New York Metropolitan Area

With the new state-of-the art academic building now open at New York Law School, we hope to offer many of the LL.M. courses listed on the previous page via Webcast so that attorneys who reside or work outside the New York metropolitan area, including outside the U.S., may take individual courses from their homes or offices with the permission of the Program Director.

Non-Lawyers as Students

With the approval of the Program Director, non-lawyers can take one or more of the LL.M. courses offered, provided that the candidate can demonstrate that he or she has a fundamental background in the related course field—for example, by working in the compliance or documentation department at a financial institution or with a governmental agency that regulates financial institutions.

NYLS J.D. Students Taking LL.M. Courses

J.D. students at New York Law School will be allowed to take certain LL.M. courses provided that the J.D. student has satisfied the pre-requisites for those courses. J.D. students should discuss their interest in taking LL.M. courses with the Program Director.

Transfer Credits

With permission of the Program Director, LL.M. degree candidates may be granted up to six credits for relevant course work done in post-J.D. programs at other law schools.

Other Requirements and Policies

The requirements for the LL.M. in Financial Services Law and all New York Law School and program policies are subject to change without prior notice. Candidates for the LL.M. in Financial Services Law must satisfy any other requirements for the degree that are in force when the degree is conferred. LL.M. candidates are encouraged to review the Web site for the LL.M. in Financial Services Law at: www.nyls.edu/FinanceLLM. Any LL.M. candidate who did not graduate from either (a) a U.S. law school or (b) a foreign law school whose language of instruction is English must demonstrate his/her proficiency in understanding the English language. A recent TOEFL exam is required. Additionally, information on taking the New York Bar Exam can be found here.

CLE

New York Law School is a certified provider for New York State. Courses in the LL.M. in Financial Services Law may be used to satisfy the New York State CLE requirements.