Case Western Reserve University School of Law

The University

Created in 1967 through the federation of Case Institute of Technology (founded 1880) and Western Reserve University (1826), CWRU stands today among the nation's foremost independent research institutions. It ranks twelfth among private universities in federal research and development awards. It is one of only twenty in the world with an endowment greater than $1 billion.

Of our approximately 10,000 students, two-thirds are enrolled in graduate or professional degree programs. The School of Law is one of seven professional schools. The others are: applied social sciences, dentistry, engineering, management, medicine, and nursing.

The Law School

Our facility itself fosters an atmosphere of collegiality. Built in 1971, enhanced in 1994 with a 20,000-square-foot addition and remodeled in 2000, the law school is spacious, inviting, and comfortable. The older classrooms have been updated and all now offer outstanding acoustics, lighting, electrical outlets for laptop computers, and seating. Throughout the building there is a feeling of openness and hospitality that enhances learning and the exchange of ideas. Students and faculty are often seen chatting over a cup of coffee on "The Bridge" or in one of our student lounges.

The law school is located on the north side of our university campus, which encompasses 128 acres in University Circle, a 450-acre farm in Hunting Valley, 2 astronomy observatories, and 87 buildings.

The Program

The Master of Laws (LL.M.) in United States and Global Legal Studies is designed to give lawyers who have received their first law degree outside of the United States an opportunity to study and experience the U.S. legal system and legal aspects of international law and world trade. The intent of the program is to give foreign lawyers a grounding in U.S. law to enable them to become truly capable lawyers in the 21st century’s global economy.

We tailor the curriculum to the background and interest of each student, and we make the full range of our 170 J.D. courses available to students. Students in the LL.M. program share classes and activities with American students enrolled in our Juris Doctor (J.D.) program and participate in the full intellectual life of the law school. In addition to the regular classes, LL.M. students receive comprehensive instruction in U.S. legal research, writing, and analysis, adn a weekly workshop to monitor student research and writing progress. Our LL.M. students also participate in seminars led by lawyers from the Cleveland legal community, concerning international business transactions and human rights issues, giving students a practical view of the law.

We organize programs outside class that enrich and support our formal education. Each foreign student has a mentor from the student body who plan LLM social events and study groups. (More about Mentors). Our students always form a close-knit community and become involved in law school activities like the Pictet Moot Court Competition with classmate from the J.D. program. They benefit from individual attention and guidance in a family atmosphere.

Our one-year program, which begins in the fall only, requires full-time attendance. Our program requires 24 hours of course credit. No master’s thesis is required. LL.M. students will receive grades of Honors, Pass, or Unsatisfactory.

LLM students can earn certificate of concentration along with the LL.M. degree in the following fields: Intellectual Property, Public International Law, International Business Law, and Health Law. (More about the Certification Program). We also offer the Summer Language and Law Institute (SLLI) as a preparatory course for foreign legal professionals and students. (More about the Summer Language and Law Institute).

Students who complete the LL.M. in U.S. & Global Legal Studies degree may apply to transfer into the J.D. program.

Entry Requirements

Admission decisions for the LL.M. program are based on the ability of the applicant to thrive in a demanding academic program, as evidenced by the applicant's academic record and professional accomplishments, and on the candidate's ability to add to the richness of the academic and extracurricular program.

Application Procedure

The LLM online application is now available. If you have any technical difficulties with the online application, please call LSAC's Help Desk at 215/968-1393.

Click here to print application.

You may submit your application as early as the preceding September 1st. Applications are processed in order of their receipt and completion. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to apply early during the academic year before the Fall of the entry year.

Admission decisions are made beginning in December. We make most admission decisions between December 15 and June 15. When the class is filled, we start a waiting list of candidates with acceptable credentials. As vacancies occur up to the date of registration, we draw the best qualified candidates from the waiting list.

To be considered as an applicant for the LL.M. program, a candidate must submit:

- Completed application form along with $50.00 application fee, payable in US dollars to CWRU.

- Two letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters can be either enclosed with the application form in sealed and signed envelopes or mailed separately by the recommenders.

- Official copy of transcripts from all post-secondary educational institutions attended with notarized translation into English where applicable.

- An official TOEFL score report is required for all students whose native language is not English - except those with a degree from an institution where English is the language of instruction. Our TOEFL institutional code is 1105.

- Affidavit of financial support required for visa documents.

Accepted applicants will be required to submit a nonrefundable deposit in order to secure their position in the class. The deposit is deductible from the first semester's tuition.

Send your completed application to:

Ms. Adria Sankovic
LLM in U.S. and Global Legal Studies
Case School of Law
11075 East Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7148
U.S.A.

Tuition and Fees

Case Western Reserve University School of Law is pleased to announce the availability of a limited number of merit scholarships for LL.M. students. These merit scholarships will take the form of a partial reduction of tuition, one-half to be credited toward tuition for the fall, and the other half to be credited toward tuition in the spring. In awarding the scholarships, the following criteria will be considered: high academic credentials (including a TOEFL of at least 600), personal and professional accomplishments, financial need, and geographical distribution.

For additional funding, applicants are encouraged to seek assistance from their governments or other outside sources. Students in the graduate program may be able to earn modest amounts of money as faculty research assistants or through other campus jobs. Charges in 2006-2007 are:

Tuition $ 33,300
Activities Fee 90
Health Insurance 950
Books 600
Living Expenses1 10,560
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Total 45,500

1(This is an average figure based upon single room rent in the graduate dormitory, food purchases at university dining halls, and personal spending money. Alternative housing is available in the areas near the university. Many law students share rented apartments and do their own cooking; others rent rooms in homes in adjacent communities. Obviously, some students spend less, others more. The actual amount will depend upon the student's choice of housing and spending patterns.)

Summer Program

The Summer Language And Law Institute For Foreign Legal Professionals and Students

July 17 – August 11, 2006

The Summer Language and Law Institute is an intensive four week training experience exclusively for foreign legal professionals and students. The Language and Law Institute is designed (1) to introduce you to the practice and study of law in the U.S., (2) to provide you with a practical introduction to U.S. legal research and analysis, and (3) to improve your English language skills through an integrated English for Legal Purposes program. The Language and Law Institute is conducted daily at the Case School of Law located on the scenic campus of Case Western Reserve University in the cultural hub of Cleveland, Ohio.

The Language and Law Institute is an advanced program intended to broaden and polish your already strong communication skills in English, to introduce you to American common law practice, and to prepare you for the rigors of American law school study.

We have developed an innovative, integrated, and practical English for Legal Purposes program that emphasizes reading, analysis, research, writing, and comprehension skills necessary to participate in legal discourse. The lecture series, the attorney discussion sessions, and the Case method will introduce legal professionals, whether planning to attend an LL.M. program or simply broadening your general knowledge of the U.S. legal system, to the practice of law in the U.S. Prospective LL.M., S.J.D., or J.D. students trained in a foreign educational and legal system will be introduced to the study of law in the U.S. prior to attending their respective programs.

Ample opportunity is provided for you to practice conversation and comprehension skills and to become familiar with American classroom dynamics, including the "Socratic method." Developing language skills in a law-related context for the specific purpose of legal study and becoming familiar with classroom dynamics will give you a head start and additional confidence in undertaking any U.S. legal studies program and in interacting with U.S. attorneys in your capacity as legal professional.

The Language and Law Institute is open to any foreign legal professional and any international student. In some cases, completion of the Language and Law Institute will be a requirement for admission to the LL.M. in U.S. and Global Legal Studies Program at Case School of Law. The Language and Law Institute includes four weeks of instruction scheduled Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., for a total of 120 contact hours. All classes will be held in the law school.

Two morning hours per week will focus on readiness for law school by sharpening language skills through introductory study of basic first year law school courses. It will increase your use of law related vocabulary and expressions. In the afternoons, you will be introduced to the materials and resources of the law library and the law school computer facilities. You will gain invaluable experiences in both traditional and electronic legal research and analysis.

Friday afternoons are free time for you to become familiar with the Case campus and the many cultural attractions of Cleveland, including the world-famous Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The tuition for the four-week program is $1,900 US. Textbooks are not included.