What is the benefit of masters in law?

Asked by: Gordon Beier  |  Last update: October 12, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (11 votes)

LLM programs, or Master of Laws, are postgraduate law degrees for lawyers to expand their expertise, specialize in specific legal areas, and enhance their professional credentials. These programs are ideal for those seeking to advance their legal careers or further their academic journey in the legal field.

What is the point of a Master's in law?

The LLM was created for lawyers to expand their knowledge, study a specialized area of law, and gain international qualifications if they have earned a law degree outside the U.S. or Canada. If you're looking to advance your legal career or take the next step in your academic journey, an LLM could be for you.

What are the benefits of getting an LLM?

An LLM program can update your knowledge in major areas of the law like intellectual property, corporate compliance and international trade. LLM students enrich their experience with up-to-date training for the real world. Areas of study can include: Bar Examination Prep.

Is it good to have a Master's for law school?

Ultimately, while a master's degree is not a prerequisite for law school and does not guarantee admission, it can be a valuable asset in your application if it complements your overall profile.

Are LLMs worth it?

If your interest in LLMs aligns with industry trends and your existing skills, it's likely a worthwhile investment. If you're seeking immediate, proven business outcomes, other areas might offer more concrete returns in the short term. It's all about balancing your personal interest with business relevance.

The benefits of studying a Master’s in Law

21 related questions found

Can LLMs take the bar?

Enrollment in an LLM degree does not guarantee that you will be eligible to take a U.S. bar exam or practice law in the United States. You should review the requirements set by each state in which you wish to sit for the exam.

Which LLM is most in demand?

Have a look at some of the most popular LLM programs below!
  • Master of laws in Administrative Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in National Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in Economic Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in Jurisprudence.
  • Master of laws in Human Rights Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in Dispute Resolution Studies.

Can I be a lawyer with a Masters?

However, earning a master's degree alone will not allow you to sit for the bar or become an attorney.

How do law schools view masters degrees?

Law schools receive a copy of graduate school transcripts with the law school report, but do not calculate an overall grade-point average combining undergraduate and graduate school performance.

Do you need a JD to get a masters of law?

Technically, you can pursue an LLM degree without ever earning your JD. That's only possible, however, if you're an international student who studied law outside of the U.S. “You have to have what we call a first law degree. In the U.S., your basic first law degree is the JD, so you do need it to get your LLM.

Is an LLM higher than a JD?

An LLM takes a lawyer deeper, to gain "advanced knowledge in a specific area of law for career advancement, upward mobility, and/or expanded practice opportunities." The primary difference in the curriculum is that a JD program covers general law concepts; the LLM is focused on a specific area of expertise.

Why is LLM needed?

It helps large language models (LLMs) perform calculations more efficiently and at scale. Specifically, vLLM is an inference server that speeds up the output of generative AI applications by making better use of the GPU memory.

Can you become a lawyer with LLM?

1-Year LLM and 2-Year LLM graduates may be eligible to sit for the bar exam in New York, California, Washington D.C., or Washington. Online LLM graduates may be eligible to sit for the bar exam in California.

Is a JD equivalent to a Masters?

In the United States, the JD has the academic standing of a professional doctorate (in contrast to a research doctorate), and is described as a "doctor's degree – professional practice" by the United States Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics.

What do you need for a masters in law UK?

In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum high 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 65% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 65% or above in the UK marking scheme.

What does a masters in law get you?

“Master of Legal Studies programs are designed to grant students a working knowledge of the law that they can put to use in an industry or career that interacts with the law without going into the training required to become a practicing attorney.”

Is law school harder than a Master's?

Yes, grad school requires learning new approaches, new theories, new ways of thinking. Some of this even makes your head spin. But it simply doesn't require the same radical realignment that law school does. What you learned as an undergraduate applies to grad school — but not so much to law school.

Do law schools care if you have a masters?

However, while law admissions officers will absolutely see and consider your transcripts from all institutions of higher learning you have attended, graduate school grades will not replace your undergraduate grades, which can be more easily compared between applicants.

Should I get my Master's before my JD?

Law school doesn't require a master's degree, but it does require a bachelor's degree. J.D. degree schools only consider the GPA you received for a bachelor's degree. Even if you have several master's degrees, your GPA for those programs may not factor into law school admission.

What degree do most lawyers have?

Juris Doctor (JD)

A Juris Doctor degree is the required legal degree for professionals who are pursuing a career as a practicing attorney.

Can you be a lawyer without a masters degree?

A lawyer needs a bachelor's degree and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school. Prospective lawyers can begin by earning a four-year degree in a program that offers critical thinking skills and a broad range of professional studies to help them succeed in their careers.

Is JD better or LLM?

While a JD program provides the foundational knowledge you need to practice law, an LLM allows you to specialize in your specific area of interest and distinguish yourself in the legal market. Since an LLM allows you to dig deeper into specialized subject matter, it can also open up more job opportunities.

What is the highest paid law course?

The highest-paid lawyers typically specialize in fields such as corporate law, intellectual property, tax law, medical malpractice, and entertainment law. These areas command higher salaries due to the complexity, demand, and financial stakes involved.

Which is the best university to do LLM in UK?

2. Best law schools in the UK - TopUniversities Subject Ranking 2021
  • University of Oxford.
  • University of Cambridge.
  • London School of Economics and Political Science.
  • University College London (UCL)
  • King's College London.
  • University of Edinburgh.
  • Queen Mary University of London.
  • Durham University.

Can you practice law with just LLM?

An LLM will provide you with advanced training in law, but it doesn't qualify you as a licensed lawyer. A JD prepares you for legal practice by teaching you everything you need to pass the bar exam and be an effective lawyer. An LLM is more theoretical than a J.D.