From US LLMs to global graduate success

Pursuing a Master of Laws (LLM) can open doors to many exciting career opportunities.  Nearly half of legal executives are currently exploring new lines of business or billable opportunities made possible by generative AI technologies, one 2024 Lexis Nexis survey found. In the US, law firm billing rates were “accelerating at their fastest pace” since the Great Financial Crisis, with law firms reporting soaring profits, according to another Thomson Reuters 2025 Report on the State of the US Legal Market.

Whether your goal is senior leadership roles in private practice, a Juris Doctor (JD), or a global career, the best place to start levelling up is the US. Law schools here often dominate every top 10 list there is including Times Higher Education and QS World University rankings.

Much of this is due to their rigorous curricula, close links to industry, and access to extensive resources, not to mention the handsome financial rewards reported by graduates. An LLM degree here is a sure path to success — almost 53% of LLM graduates were employed in law firm positions, while 11% were working for the government.

Vanderbilt Law fosters a close-knit, highly collaborative community. Source: Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

Collaborative, customisable, and career-focused – these are what a Vanderbilt University Law School LL.M, ranked among the top law programmes in the US, is all about.

Professors and peers here are exceptional. Coursemates include J.D. students, and the lineup of lecturers has some of the nation’s most pre-eminent legal scholars. As the community is close-knit and small-by-design, their support and mentorship are just as available as their expertise.

Such features make the LL.M. a special year of study on American legal issues and legal research methods. And as the curriculum is customisable, you can tailor your graduate education to suit your professional goals. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in academic programme offerings and extracurriculars in areas ranging from Law & Business to Environmental Law.

Upon completion, you’ll satisfy the course requirements for New York Bar eligibility. At that point or anytime throughout the year, you can access individual assistance from the Career Services Office. With their guidance, Vanderbilt LL.M. graduates are now proudly employed in firms, government, corporations, non-profits, and other settings across the world. 2017 graduate Maiko Miyara is now working for one of the largest banks in Japan, and 2013 graduate Tommy Tang was named a partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing after four years.

Like these alumni, you’re set to excel with a Vanderbilt LL.M. in hand. It’s hard not to at one of the most prestigious universities in the country and living in “America’s friendliest city,” according to Travel + Leisure magazine. Nashville is an international destination for the arts, entrepreneurship, and scientific research – with no shortage of world-renowned scholars within and beyond Vanderbilt. These world-class standards come at a lower price point, drawing even more talented professionals to this city with a temperate climate and ready access to state and national parks. In 2022, Nashville was named National Geographic’s #1 travel destination in the world.

Apply to Vanderbilt Law now.

Boston University conducts one-on-one advising sessions tailored to meet the professional goals of each LLM student. Source: Boston University

Boston University

In Boston, a city renowned for its rich history and forward-thinking spirit, is a law school effortlessly shaping the legal landscape through rigorous academic pursuits and a fervent dedication to justice – it’s called Boston University School of Law (BU Law). Since its founding in 1872, this institution has successfully graduated over 25,000 alumni, who are now making an impact in over 100 different countries.

They’re working with patent clients at the forefront of technology’s advancements, proposing a novel tax that would allow humanity to benefit from private development of celestial properties, serving as a judicial clerk on a US federal court, and making career changes like moving from Brazil’s public sector to a Big Four accounting firm in Miami.

Such outcomes and countless opportunities are typical of graduates of BU Law’s four LLM programmes. These focus on American Law, Taxation, Banking and Financial Law, and Intellectual Property and Information Law. American Law is the general option, allowing students to freely select from over 200 courses and seminars from virtually every American law subject offered in the JD curriculum. Those looking to lay a solid foundation before specialising could opt for the Two-Year LLM instead. While giving international students more time to enjoy everything the East Coast has to offer, this route also dedicates one full year to helping them develop legal writing, case analysis, and advocacy skills.

All lessons are conducted by BU Law’s esteemed educators, who double as leading scholars and valued contributors to legislative, judicial, and policy-making decisions within the US and beyond. The lineup continuously grows, ensuring insights remain relevant and tomorrow’s lawyers receive the personalised attention they deserve. Just this month, BU Law welcomed 16 new full-time faculty – all representing diverse perspectives and backgrounds, reiterating the school’s core values and the very essence of its culture.

UC Berkeley is home to scholars in many areas of the law, from entertainment to corporate governance. Source: UC Berkeley School of Law/Facebook

University of California, Berkeley

Consistently ranked as one of the top law schools in the nation, UC Berkeley Law is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley).

Berkeley Law’s cutting-edge legal tech and innovation programmes are helping people who need it most. At the AI, Platforms, and Society Centre, students, academics, practitioners, and technology companies are exploring technical and governance strategies to support responsible technology development and use.

The school’s 14 law clinics – six at the law school and eight at the East Bay Community Law Centre – offer students a foundation in law and practice while hands-on client work builds critical lawyering skills. They cover many areas of law, including seeking justice for people facing the death penalty, offering free legal advice, and addressing environmental justice.

This complements world-class programmes like the LLM. From entertainment law to advanced topics in corporate governance, students can choose from a wide range of elective modules to specialise in up-and-coming fields. Guidance comes from expert faculty (including a former San Francisco district attorney), unique simulation courses, and impactful law clinics like the Human Rights Clinic, one of the first human rights clinics in the country.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International.