LLM Discussion Board

Guys, I think everybody has got a portion of right in this dispute...

I can just tell you one thing from my point of view. I tested on myself what means on the one hand "working before studying" and on the other hand "studying before working".

I have worked since 2005 working on, and running, securities offering documents published under the US Securities Act. On the closing date of a standard deal (e.g., an issuance of shares), generally, a law firm (legal advisor of one party in the transaction) issues a "legal opinion" - often a so-called "10b-5 opinion".

Well, when I saw my first draft of such an opinion, I never studied Rule 10b-5 of the US Securities Act in a "Securities Regulation" course. But with the months, drafting and re-drafting, opinions over opinions, I could understand the real scope and purpose of this opinion, and its underlying legal foundation, i.e., the Rule 10b-5.

Morevoer, I had the chance to attend a "Corporations" course in Leiden - during the Columbia Summer Program - taught by a very good teacher, and there I got my first complete explanation of such a rule.
Very often, while listening to him, I realized that I had already lived certain factual situations that he was describing from a strict legal viewpoint.

In this sense, and in my specific case, a deeper study of "Securities Regulation" in an LL.M. may strenghten my "work-based" knowledge in this matter.

From the other point of view, it's certainly true that is quite difficult to a student without work experience that he may completely appreciate certain shades during the description of laws and rules that I described above.

That's it. Of course, without offence to anybody.

Best regards!

To MarkBrazil

Dude, no offence, but whether a person gets more out of graduate studies will NOT depend on his/her age. I am 24/25, had 2 years exprience and truth be told: i have matured somewhat since I graduated from my LLB. However, I have met some 21 LLBs who are extremely intellegent and mature. They are insightful not just to legal analysis, but also towards personal relations/social interactions. At the very least, the admissions committee thought they were smart and mature enough to attend LLM classes with their older and "wiser" counterparts.

Mr. MarkBrazil;

I would expect a wiser, more worldly understanding from someone of your golden years; you're embarrassing us in front of the children.

You clearly can't say that a younger person will "get" less from a year of school than you will, unless you've attended an LL.M program every year since you turned 21, and concluded that the last three were significantly better than the first.

Mr. Easter is entirely correct in his outrage, and even more impressive in his ability to be two different ages at once.

Guys, I think everybody has got a portion of right in this dispute...

I can just tell you one thing from my point of view. I tested on myself what means on the one hand "working before studying" and on the other hand "studying before working".

I have worked since 2005 working on, and running, securities offering documents published under the US Securities Act. On the closing date of a standard deal (e.g., an issuance of shares), generally, a law firm (legal advisor of one party in the transaction) issues a "legal opinion" - often a so-called "10b-5 opinion".

Well, when I saw my first draft of such an opinion, I never studied Rule 10b-5 of the US Securities Act in a "Securities Regulation" course. But with the months, drafting and re-drafting, opinions over opinions, I could understand the real scope and purpose of this opinion, and its underlying legal foundation, i.e., the Rule 10b-5.

Morevoer, I had the chance to attend a "Corporations" course in Leiden - during the Columbia Summer Program - taught by a very good teacher, and there I got my first complete explanation of such a rule.
Very often, while listening to him, I realized that I had already lived certain factual situations that he was describing from a strict legal viewpoint.

In this sense, and in my specific case, a deeper study of "Securities Regulation" in an LL.M. may strenghten my "work-based" knowledge in this matter.

From the other point of view, it's certainly true that is quite difficult to a student without work experience that he may completely appreciate certain shades during the description of laws and rules that I described above.

That's it. Of course, without offence to anybody.

Best regards!

YOU ARE SO RIGHT!