American University (AU) - Washington College of Law (WCL)

The Law School

At the Washington College of Law, you meet the world where you will practice your profession. The world has become essentially borderless, where economic, political, and social changes require innovative legal analysis and solutions. The Washington College of Law (WCL) equips students in unique ways to navigate this new reality. A top law school that provides an excellent legal education in all areas of the law, WCL has renowned programs in experiential learning, international law, human rights, intellectual property, business, and gender. These vital programs create an environment rich with opportunities for you. www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp

The Program

The International Legal Studies Program (ILSP) offers a 24 credit LLM degree that can be completed in one calendar year. The program is flexible and is designed to meet your needs.

7 areas of specialization:
- International Business Law
- International Human Rights Law
- International Environmental Law
- International and Comparative Protection of Intellectual Property
- Gender and the Law
- Free Trade Agreements and Regional Integration
- International Organizations

See a full description of each specialization: www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp/llmareas.cfm

The Faculty

WCL offers a friendly, supportive atmosphere. Our faculty members take great pride in developing good working relationships with students, and are available to discuss course materials as well as questions related to the study of law in general. Whether you need assistance with registering for courses, searching for an internship, or finding your niche in the city, the ILSP faculty and staff are here to help you.

Our faculty members are leading practitioners in their field. The program incorporates a rich array of international law courses and seminars with experiential learning and special events which allow our students to interact and network with our esteemed faculty, international attorneys, diplomats, business leaders, and policy makers.

Meet some of our faculty: www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp/faculty.cfm. See the entire WCL faculty at: www.wcl.american.edu/faculty.

Entry Requirements

LLM in International Legal Studies Entrance Requirements: www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp/llmadmissions.cfm

1. Applicants must have completed a law degree at a U.S. law school accredited by the American Bar Association, or at a foreign law school with equivalent standards.
2. Complete and return application form before deadline. (Fall: May.1, Spring: Oct.1)
3. Provide proof of competency in English.
4. Meet visa requirements for international applicants.
5. Once admitted, applicant must complete the Newly-Admitted Student Requirements.

Application Procedure

How to apply:

* Application Form (PDF | Online: www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp/llmapplication.cfm)
* Application Fee
* Official Proof of Competency in English (for non-native speakers) sent from testing agency
* Official Copies of Academic Records
* Two Letters of Recommendation
* Statement of Purpose
* Tuition Remission Form (if applicable)

Financial Aid

ILSP Announces 5 Full Tuition Scholarships: ILSP Alumni Fund

- The ILSP Alumni Fund offers 5 full tuition scholarships to newly admitted LLM students who display rigorous academic dedication to the advancement of issues in international law.
Scholarship applications must be submitted with a completed LLM application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The ILSP can only grant these scholarships to our LLM students who are eligible to receive an I-20 from the university and who maintain legal immigration status as an F-1 visa holder.

To Apply:
Please answer both of the following questions:
1. Briefly describe a current regional, international or country-specific legal problem and offer your solution to the problem (no more than 750 words).
2. How will you contribute to WCL as an ILSP Alumni Fund Scholar? (no more than 250 words)
* Submit a resume and your essay responses to the Assistant Director of Admissions at llminfo@wcl.american.edu.
* Students must have a complete LLM application on file to be considered for the scholarship.
* Awards are announced at the end of May. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Deadlines
- May 1 for students beginning in the Fall

ILSP Alumni Fund Scholars Receive:
- Full tuition
- Meet faculty hosts
- Meet top legal scholars from around the world
For more information: www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp/llm_scholarships.cfm

- Tuition Remission Scholarship: The ILSP does not offer full tuition waivers. Partial tuition remission grants, usually of 2 to 8 academic credits, are available for a limited number of LLM students. These grants are normally reserved for international students, though all requests will be reviewed. Tuition remission applications should be submitted with your LLM application. Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit and financial need.

More information on scholarships: www.wcl.american.edu/ilsp/scholarly_competitions.c…

Location

Our location and diverse student body create possibilities from the first day you step onto our campus. Washington, DC opens up unparalleled opportunities as the site of the branches of government, administrative agencies, international organizations, think-tanks, lobby groups, and numerous public interest and non-governmental organizations.

You will find many WCL graduates serving in all of them. Our students take advantage of the many opportunities to learn side by side with more than 180 practicing attorneys from around the world.

If your aspirations also involve fields outside the law, you can pursue dual joint degrees that we offer with two professional schools at American University—the School of International Service (LLM/MIS) and the Kogod School of Business (LLM/MBA).

Student Life

The students in the International Legal Studies Program come from all over the world. We have over 140 lawyers from 53 countries. The ILSP offers many opportunities for our students to thrive academically and socially with the many events and conferences available.

LLM Board: The LLM board is a group of ILSP students who plan social events and conferences. The students in the LLM Board are a great resource for our newer LLM students and the events planned by the LLM board offer great ways to meet friends.

"Choosing a good LL.M. program is difficult. I remember spending days behind my computer searching for the right program. I chose the ILSP for its strong international component and its location. At the Washington College of Law I can truly study to become an international lawyer. Also, studying in a powerful city such as Washington, DC has many advantages and opens valuable opportunities for LL.M. students!"
-Onur Arslan, The Netherlands: LLM Board President Spring 2009

Read more from the LLM board on their blog at: www.llm-guide.com/blog/537/llm-experience-at-ameri….

You can meet some of our students and see a tour of the ILSP by watching our new Youtube Video! www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6jC0LeLL9w

Be our friend on facebook! Search "InternationalLegal StudiesProgram" and join our ILSP network to learn about events and meet our students. Join our fan page at:
www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/LLM-Internati…

Summer Program

WCL offers many summer programs both in DC and abroad. Most summer programs if taken for credit, can be directed towards your LLM degree.

Check out our Summer Legal English Institute: A 1, 2, or 3 week institute to perfect your legal English skills. Visit www.wcl.american.edu/slei to register. Dates for summer 2010: June 28 - July 15.

Summer Programs at the Washington College of Law:
- The Summer Legal English Program (June 28 - July 15, 2010)
- The Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (May 31-June 18, 2010)
- The Environmental Law Summer Session (June 1 -18, 2010)
- The International Arbitration Summer Session (June 1 -18, 2010)

Summer Programs Abroad
- Summer Law Program in Chile
- Summer Law Program in Turkey
- Hague Summer Law Program
- Comparative Summer Law Program in Europe: London, Paris, Brussels, Geneva

More on summer programs: www.wcl.american.edu/summer