Is an LLM worth it?
A Masters in Law may not make you stand out in a crowded jobs market.
Peter Crisp
Recent research has shown that up to 40,000 of this year’s graduates will still be struggling to find work in six months’ time. This may cause a spike in unemployment figures this year as graduating students fight for jobs, and subsequently could help tip the number of under-25s who are unemployed over the one million mark.
In response to this, a separate survey of 55 of Britain’s top universities has revealed an avalanche of demand for careers services from jobless students and a big rise in the numbers applying to do postgraduate courses.
So it seems that legal education providers, who have introduced Master of Law (LLM) programmes over the past few years, will stand to benefit from the many desperate students looking for a way to give their CVs a boost.
But there have been some suggestions that law firms do not value LLMs, which begs the question as to why these programmes are being developed and, more importantly, what are the benefits of postgraduate study in law?
A traditional route has been taking an LLM immediately after a first degree. In addition to looking to enhance career prospects, students are usually taught and supervised by career academics and concentrate on case law.
There are a range of LLM programmes to cater for this, the majority of which are traditional, well-established academic programmes. Oxford University, for instance, offers a range of LLMs from banking and finance law to human rights law. This is an increasingly popular choice for those who may have gone to a lower-tier university and want more reputable institution on their CV.
For graduates of these programmes who then wish to follow a career in legal practice, they will still have to complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Bar Vocational Course (BVC).
Hannah Jackson, a senior consultant at Hays Legal, says she constantly sees CVs from students who have clearly taken an LLM to bolster their academic status.
“It has always been the case that students who may have a 2:1 or higher and are from less reputable universities go on to take LLMs at better institutions to make their CVs look better,” she explains. “But recently I’ve seen an increase in the amount of people opting to take postgraduate studies.”
However, not everyone takes LLMs just to increase their academic credentials. The newer, and developing, forms of LLM are looking to move away from the academic study of law to provide a more practice-focused approach. They are aimed at prospective and practicing lawyers who are looking either to develop knowledge and skills in new areas of law or enhance their knowledge and skills in familiar areas of law.
The motivation for providing these programmes is to offer opportunities for students and lawyers to invest in their career and personal development. These programmes, therefore, anticipate enrolment during or after the LPC or BVC. Earlier this year The City Law School introduced a new Maritime Law LLM, which students can study partly in Greece.
“The course is great for anyone who has an interest in maritime law but would obviously be a fabulous marketing tool for those students who know they want to specialise in shipping law professionally,” according to course director Anthony Rogers.
But Olswang graduate recruitment officer Sarmini Ghosh warns that students thinking about taking LLMs should only opt for the more focused courses if they are really keen on going into that area of law.
“When reviewing applications we take into account the candidate’s entire academic background,” she points out. “An LLM certainly demonstrates commitment to the law but it’s not something we’d specifically look for when reviewing applications”
Most recently BPP Law School has teamed up with SJ Berwin to launch a Master’s in Law and Business for the firm’s future trainees, which commenced in September. Such courses are looking to move away from the academic study of law to provide a more practice-focused approach.
Dean of the school Peter Crisp believes that these types of LLMs will make would-be lawyers stand out from the crowd.
“If you haven’t secured a training contract or pupillage yet, the extra insight gained from an LLM and the commitment demonstrated in completing the programme is attractive to firms and chambers looking for the best trainees and pupil barristers in what is a highly competitive environment,” he claims.
But at a cost of around £10,000 a pop, is it worth forking out the money in a recession for something that might only make a small difference to your CV? According to Michael Mansfield QC postgraduate studies are no substitute for work experience.
“You can spend years studying and you may be the best candidate academically, but unless you get out of the library and work in the real world, then nobody is going to hire you,” he claims.
View results 10 per page | 20 per page
Readers' comments (13)
Varuna | 28-Oct-2009 11:58 pm
I am a recent LLM Graduate from Queen Mary University with a Merit and I am still in search of a legal position. It will be soon a year I am looking for internships,permanent or contractual employment. The feedback I receive are diverse lack of experience, over qualified, or skills do not match job requirements! I have no regret of being an LLM holder as I was always eager to explore Commercial law further , however the burden of loan to finance my LLM is still left unanswered!
I believe experience is more valued than being a post graduate from even top universities.
I would equally wish to higlight that I studied modules which I found interesting like E Commerce and Banking and Tax law without thinking of the UK Job market but I finally came to the conclusion that most of my LLM friends are still without the 'proper legal job'!
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 10-Nov-2009 1:26 pm
If you're set on a career in law, and can't get any work experience, take a more practical focused LLM in the area/s of law you're specifically hoping to work in. You should already have demonstrated your academic ability on the degree/GDL and LPC. If you're a bit more open-minded about your future career, the LLM is a way of getting an internationally recognised qualification which could make you more appealing to other employers than you might be to a law firm- law will always be a great background degree, and many top business people were once law graduates. Relevant work experience is always going to be more attractive to an employer, so keep applying, but in the meantime, if you have some spare cash, it may well be worth doing.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Chris | 2-Jan-2010 5:44 pm
I find it genuinely saddening that an LLM is now viewed by many as nothing more than a way to fill time when their job search goes awry.
Surely (having failed at their first attempt to secure a training contract), somebody will do no better the second time around just because they've spent another year in the world of academia. A solid undergraduate degree from a respectable institution is more than enough to prove one's academic credentials. Stop following the crowd of other rejects through the doors of another university. Stop deluding yourselves. And stop devaluing LLMs for those who genuinely want to pursue them. Get into the real world and get some work experience. Then maybe you'll have a chance.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Peter | 12-Feb-2010 8:49 pm
It's ok for those in the law firms already secure to keep going on about experience, but if folk cannot get the experience due to no opportunities to get in during tough times (huge competition), then what are youngsters who qualify even from the upper crust uni's supposed to do. It's almost a closed shop! I am not a lawyer but a business person and you do not get experience without someone giving you a break, knocking someone's hard work whatever the degree sucks.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
John Burns | 9-Mar-2010 6:31 pm
I am just starting my LLM and I am not planning on practicing law. I also do not have any intentions of changing careers or jobs. The LLM attracted me due to a specialized Financial Services Law path. As a senior financial planner within the government I think the specialized LLM will be better suited to me than going through the LLB route. It is a way to balance my MBA, CFP, RFP, FMA,CIM,FCSI,ChP, TEP (all trust and financial designations) with a legal prospective. I also engage law firms in my work and having legal training will be of value in my discussions and when I give expert witness accounts in court.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 27-Apr-2010 9:39 pm
If you have not qualified I think an LLM can be useful to bolster your knowledge in a specific area.
For those who have been in practice and then go to do an LLM (following redundancy say) I have had recruitment agents say that it counts for nothing.
Personally I think doing an LLM is better than doing nothing - it bolsters your knowledge and surely demonstrates commitment to the area you want to practice in and sure beats applying for jobs which simply aren't there at the moment. Also I notice that many international organisations often specify that an LLM is required so maybe no harm to have one.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Tania | 18-Sep-2010 4:21 pm
All interesting and very valid comments.
Thank you for creating this post on the LL.M.
My advice to anyone is to keep on trying. And to go for things your attracted to. I think there are a multitude of opportunities out there that your degree or LL.M could be useful or suitable to. They key is not to pigeon hole yourself.
Best of Luck
And enjoy the knowledge and skills that you have
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 7-Oct-2010 11:31 am
It is such a shame that the LLB and LLM, both respected academic qualifications, are now being offered as 'bolt-ons' to the GDL and LPC / BVC.
A sad result of the modern-day 'bums-on-seats' approach to education, where anyone can get a qualification in anything, so long as they are prepared to fork out course fees.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
LLM GUIDE | 10-Nov-2010 12:06 pm
I think you've hit on a few of the key reasons why lawyers pursue the LLM: specialization and alma mater upgrade. I would add formal English skills and international experience, which is pretty key for international firms.
And for the bold ones who pass the bar (after qualifying via the LLM), then that adds another big plus on the resume for foreign-trained lawyers.
But do firms really value the LLM? It depends a lot on where you're looking to get hired. True, most lawyers get hired and promoted without an LL.M. It's not enough on its own, but it can sharpen an already promising profile.
http://www.llm-guide.com/article/534/do-law-firms-value-the-llm
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment
Anonymous | 10-Jan-2012 6:28 am
I took an LLM in maritime law and I was hired on the strength of that qualification a few months later in a marine insurance company in Hong Kong. It led on to me being admitted as a lawyer in Hong Kong in one of the top shipping law firms in the world.
Unsuitable or offensive? Report this comment