Study law at the University of Baltimore: A fantastic choice for foreign students

Located in midtown Baltimore, Maryland, the University of Baltimore is in the heart of a vibrant city with a rich history spanning more than two centuries. Known as ‘Charm City’, Baltimore has been voted one of the world’s Top 15 Waterfront Cities and is frequently described as a city of choice for millennials, largely due to its youthful demographic and relatively low cost of living.

In addition to a high-quality, practical and affordable education, the University of Baltimore School of Law offers students a rich array of extracurricular options: With dozens of student-run organizations and recreational programs, social opportunities abound.

The university boasts easy, convenient connections to transportation within the city and to points farther afield. Washington, D.C., is just a short (and affordable) train ride away.

The School of Law also provides highly competitive tuition fees for a high-quality education. Full-time LL.M. students can expect to pay US$22k per annum — half the price of similar LL.M. programs in Washington.

Founded in 1925 and accredited by the American Bar Association, the University of Baltimore School of Law prides itself on providing a rigorously practical education that combines doctrinal coursework, intensive writing instruction, hands-on lawyering in the school’s nationally renowned clinical program, and community-based learning activities to ensure that graduates are exceptionally well-prepared to practise law. The school offers a J.D. Program, as well as four post-J.D. programs: the LL.M. in the Law of the United States (LOTUS), the Graduate Tax Program, the Certificate in Estate Planning, and the recently added Certificate in Family Law.

The university’s innovative LL.M. LOTUS program is an attractive course for overseas students. Specifically designed for foreign-educated attorneys looking to gain a comprehensive view of the American legal system, LOTUS gets students up to speed for work in US law post-graduation. The program has welcomed students from nations across the globe, including Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, Poland, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, India, and Malaysia. Upon completion of the course, LL.M. LOTUS students are able to transfer credits into the University of Baltimore’s J.D. program. From here, you can complete your J.D. in just two years after finishing the LL.M. (LOTUS students with a grade point average of 3.0 and higher are automatically admitted to the J.D. program).

For students in pursuit of the LOTUS LL.M., the academic year consists of the fall and spring semester, with classes running for 14 weeks per term, followed by an examination period. The LOTUS program offers two study tracks: US Practice and Elective Concentrations. The US Practice track focuses on core doctrinal courses that offer a broad survey of the American legal system, while the Elective Concentrations track delves into specific fields of law, allowing students to tailor their education to their broader goals. Examples of electives are Business Law, Criminal Practice, and Environmental Law.

In 2013, the law school moved into the brand-new, cutting-edge John and Frances Angelos Law Center, which features a 300-seat moot courtroom and event space, 15 classrooms equipped with the latest technology, and a 32,000-square-foot library with study rooms, as well as multiple places to gather indoors and out. Certified LEED Platinum by the US Green Building Council, the law center was included among 25 “must see” structures in Maryland, according to a recent report by USA TODAY and the American Institute of Architects.

Foreign students will also find fantastic opportunities at the Center for International and Comparative Law. Established in 1994, the center sponsors research, produces an academic journal, and provides students the chance to learn about international legal issues, with a special emphasis on human rights, democracy, intellectual property, and international businesses transactions.

The School of Law boasts an alumni network of approximately 13,000 that includes such prominent figures as Maryland’s former first lady, the Hon. Catherine Curran O’Malley, and Thomas Condon, who is considered the most powerful agent in American professional football. The School of Law is widely represented in the Maryland legal and judicial community. Notably, more than one-third of Maryland state judges are graduates of the University of Baltimore.

Becoming a lawyer in the United States can be a complicated process for foreign-born nationals. However, the University of Baltimore’s LL.M. LOTUS program makes life easier for these graduates by allowing them to sit for bar exams in Maryland, New York, Washington, D.C., California and Tennessee – opening the door for them to practice law in a highly competitive market and in a variety of US locations.

Home to 52 of the world’s leading law schools – 13 of which reside in the top 50 – the US is clearly the best global destination for the pursuit of legal study. The University of Baltimore School of Law’s LOTUS program is an excellent choice for foreign nationals. At UB, foreign students receive an excellent, practical education that gives them a crucial competitive edge not just in the US but around the world.

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