Academic Program Description

 

LL.M. LOTUS Curriculum 

The LL.M. LOTUS curriculum is designed to provide foreign lawyers a first-rate education in the law of the U.S., insights about the American legal profession, and valuable skills in legal analysis, research and writing.  The LL.M. program requires completion of one full-time academic year of course work.  The program may be completed in one year (two semesters) as a full-time student or in two years (four semesters) as a part-time student. (Please note that the part-time program is not an evening program and that most courses will be scheduled during the day.)

LL.M. LOTUS students choose one of two tracks of study:  U.S. Practice or Elective Concentrations.  Both include required courses on Introduction to the Law of the United States, and Legal Analysis, Research and Writing (LARW).  The U.S. Practice track requires certain core doctrinal courses that lay the foundation of American legal concepts.  The Elective Concentrations track provides for study of specific areas of the law for which course prerequisites have been met.  The decision as to track is made at the time of enrollment. 

• U.S. Practice

  The course work for students intending to take a U.S. bar examination provides students with the basic principles of U.S. law.  Most classes are comprised entirely of LL.M. LOTUS students.  This allows students to learn in an environment consisting of students with similar backgrounds.  In the fall students enroll in Introduction to the Law of the United States, which serves as an introduction to the legal system of the United States.  Students are also required to enroll in LARW Legal Analysis, Research and Writing (LARW), a class which provides necessary practice in basic legal skills.  In addition, students take courses that are frequently tested on bar examinations including Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law & Procedure, Evidence, Professional Responsibility, Property and Torts.

   

• Elective Concentrations

  Introduction to the Law of the United States and Legal Analysis, Research and Writing (LARW) are required, and students will usually enroll in many of the same U.S. Practice courses to provide a framework of U.S. law and serve as a basis for elective courses taken in the second semester.  
  
  An LL.M. LOTUS student in Elective Concentrations will be assigned a faculty advisor who will assist the student in designing a course of study from the law school's course offerings that meets the student's academic and career goals.  Electives can be chosen from any courses offered by the School of Law in the Spring semester.  Students may use the electives to concentrate their understanding of U.S. law in one of the following areas:   business law, criminal practice, estate planning, family law, intellectual property, litigation & advocacy, public service and real estate practice.