University of California, Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall)

The Law School

Located in the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area, Berkeley Law is currently ranked among the Top 10 law schools in the nation by U.S. News. All of our students are taught by distinguished professors at the top of their fields; we offer a superb education in both established and emerging fields of law.

Our intellectual property program was the first of its kind, and remains number one more than a decade later. We were legal pioneers of the Green Movement, creating the nation'’s first environmental law program. Our multifaceted social justice program is a magnet for socially minded faculty and students from across the country.

Berkeley Law is distinguished by the extraordinary degree to which our students and faculty partner with people beyond the school: identifying challenges, creating alliances, solving problems, and sparking change, in Berkeley and around the world.

The Program

Our internationally recognized and highly competitive LL.M. programs welcome students from over 50 countries who contribute substantially to our diverse intellectual community. Here, there are two paths to an LL.M. degree: the standard nine-month academic-year program, and a Professional LL.M. program consisting of two consecutive summers.

Students in our Academic Year LL.M. program choose between two tracks: coursework and thesis. In both cases, the focus is on customization. Each student in the coursework track develops a unique curriculum that combines required and elective classes. The thesis track includes a research project component culminating in a thesis paper - this option is appropriate primarily for individuals pursuing academic or other research-focused careers. Academic-year students wishing to specialize in a particular area of law may earn a Certificate of Specialization in one of five categories:
- Business Law
- Law & Technology
- International Law
- Energy & Clean Technology
- Environmental Law

In 2009, we introduced the Professional LL.M. program primarily for established attorneys who prefer not to leave their jobs or families for an entire academic year.

Professional LL.M. students receive the exclusive attention of the same world-renowned faculty who teach JD courses during the academic year. Professional LL.M. students may pursue a Certificate of Specialization in Business Law or Law & Technology (Intellectual Property Law). And ours is currently the only LL.M. program of its kind that allows students to meet all educational requirements to sit for the California Bar Exam. Condensed but comprehensive, the Professional LL.M. program provides students in-depth immersion into the essential concepts of U.S. law.

The Faculty

Berkeley Law professors are superb instructors as well as internationally recognized experts in wide-ranging specialties from international law to intellectual property.

Berkeley Law is the academic home to the recipients of 15 Fulbright and 20 Guggenheim Fellowships and to the authors of many casebooks that are used worldwide. Because teaching is at the heart of this enterprise, we made a strategic decision in 2004 to grow our faculty by 40 percent, enabling us to broaden our academic offerings and to reduce our student-faculty ratio. Our faculty is packed with ultra-high-achievers, but they'’re famously approachable and accessible too. Most look for ways to engage with students outside the classroom—, whether by collaborating on a research project or simply mingling over lunch in our sunny courtyards.

Application Procedure

Each year we attract an exceptional and talented group of students from all over the world. We look at applications holistically, with the goal of building a rich and diverse student body.

Prospective students can apply to either the Professional LL.M. program, the Academic Year LL.M. program, or both, using the same online application form. For both programs, the deadline to apply is December 15. The Professional LL.M. program has a rolling admissions policy to better serve working adults; decisions are usually reached within a few weeks of receipt of a completed application. Academic Year LL.M. applicants are notified of admissions decisions in Feb/March.

Applicants to the LL.M. Program must hold a professional degree from an accredited law school. Applicants whose primary language is other than English must submit a TOEFL/IELTS of at least 100/7.0. For further application requirements, see the Berkeley Law website at www.law.berkeley.edu/llmjsd.htm.

Student Life

At Berkeley Law, we pride ourselves on creating an atmosphere that recognizes and nurtures the best in people, intellectually and personally. You'll become an integral part of a close-knit student body and build close connections with our distinguished faculty. Small class sizes promote a keen camaraderie that's evident throughout our seminar rooms, hallways and courtyards.

Each program provides distinct benefits to students. Professional LL.M. students enjoy the undivided attention of the same full-time JD faculty who teach during the academic year. Academic year students get the chance to study alongside the JD population. Both programs provide students the opportunity to develop a worldwide network of peers, not to mention the chance to explore the San Francisco Bay Area and beautiful Northern California.