The J.D./LL.M. In Real Estate Joint Degree Program

Students applying to New York Law School, or those currently enrolled at New York Law School, may apply for a joint J.D./LL.M. program, which a student may complete in as little as seven semesters plus a summer. Alternatively, J.D./LL.M. students can take the full 27-credit LL.M., while receiving a tuition credit for the final eight credits of the program.   In addition, students from other law schools who have taken real estate courses at NYLS (for example, as a visitor or in a summer program) may be eligible to have some of those credits applied toward the LL.M. degree.

In the joint degree program, students normally complete their J.D. degree during the initial six semesters (eight semesters if part-time). They can then take the bar over the summer, and complete most or all of the remaining requirements for the LL.M. in the following fall semester. Students may apply up to 8 credits, from the 86 required for the J.D. degree, toward the LL.M. if they have that many credits from accepted advanced real estate courses (see the list below). Such courses must have been completed with a grade of B or better, and the J.D. degree must have been awarded within 3 1/2 years of the student's commencement of studies in the LL.M. program.  If the student has taken more than 86 credits during the J.D. program, additional credits from accepted courses could be applied toward the J.D. For example, if a student completed 89 credits during the first six semesters, up to 11 credits could be applied toward the LL.M., leaving just 16 to complete thereafter.

Advanced credit toward the LL.M. is available for the following J.D. courses only:

• Advanced Real Estate Transactions & Finance
• Affordable Housing & Community Development
• Commercial Leasing
• Condominiums and Cooperatives
• Construction Law
• Corporate Real Estate
• Environmental Issues in Commercial and Real Estate Transactions
• Ethical Issues in Transactional Practice
• International Real Estate
• Land Use Regulation
• Landlord/Tenant Law
• Preservation Law
• Real Estate Center Capstone
• Real Estate Development
• Real Estate: Legal Planning & Practice
• Real Estate: Title Insurance
• Sustainable Development Seminar

This list is subject to change without notice.  If you have any questions about how these requirements may apply to you, we recommend that you seek written advice from the Director of the Program, Professor Tracht, at mtracht@nyls.edu.