University of Southern California - USC Law School

The Law School

Over 100 years old, USC Law is a small, private, top-ranked U.S. law school. One of the most prominent and highly selective law schools in the country, USC Law has a reputation for academic excellence. Our law school is distinguished by renowned faculty, the diversity of a friendly and collegial student body, a student/faculty ratio of better than 12:1 and a tight-knit alumni network composed of leaders in the legal, business, government and the public sectors. Students possess extraordinary credentials and represent a rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences.

USC is one of the world's leading private research universities and the schools of law, engineering, film, medicine, journalism, business and architecture are among the nation’s leading graduate schools. USC leads the nation in international student enrollment.

The Program

USC Law offers the following programs:

Master of Laws (LL.M.) for Foreign Lawyers

Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation

Master of Comparative Law (M.C.L.)

Summer Law & English Program

The Faculty

Recognized as one of the United States’ most productive in scholarship, the USC Law Faculty is noted for its commitment to interactive and dynamic classroom teaching. USC Law professors are accomplished, approachable, supportive, and dedicated to helping students succeed. Some of the nation’s most esteemed tax scholars teach at USC Law.

Entry Requirements

Admissions requirements vary by program.

Master of Laws (LL.M.) for Foreign Lawyers

Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation

Master of Comparative Law (M.C.L.)

Summer Law & English Program

Application Procedure

Apply now to our LL.M., LL.M. in Taxation, and M.C.L. programs! Applications to our LL.M. for foreign lawyers and M.C.L. programs are currently being accepted on a rolling basis; however we recommend that you submit your materials as soon as possible as your application will be considered upon a space available basis. Applications to our LL.M. in Taxation program are also being accepted on a rolling basis until June 1; however earlier applications will be given priority review.

Summer Law & English program applications are also available now, until our deadline of June 1, 2010.

Application instructions vary by program:

Master of Laws (LL.M.) for Foreign Lawyers

Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation

Master of Comparative Law (M.C.L.)

Summer Law & English Program

Financial Aid

The Graduate & International Programs Office offers partial merit-based scholarships each year. Scholarship assistance based on merit is awarded to outstanding applicants. Very qualified applicants should simply submit a letter requesting scholarship consideration when applying to the LL.M. Program.

Location

USC is an integral part of the cosmopolitan and dynamic Los Angeles community. USC Law students enjoy the sunny and warm weather all-year-round and are able to visit the beaches, mountains, golf courses, amusement parks, which are all within easy driving distance from USC! Los Angeles is a vital center of business, the arts, and international trade and is comprised of an amazing array of diverse cultures, religions and people. From small biotech start-up companies, to huge giants in aerospace, shipping, entertainment and media, the tremendous variety of industries and government agencies in L.A. is unmatched anywhere.

Student Life

Our outstanding students bring a rich array of experience, legal knowledge and cultures to the Law School. They come from countries all over the world such as Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Korea, Latvia, Mexico, Monaco, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and Venezuela.

The Graduate & International Programs Office hosts exciting events throughout the year, including a trip to the Hollywood Bowl, a USC Football game, a basketball game at the Staples Center, an international food fair and many more! Students also have the opportunity to participate in a myriad of student run organizations and law school activities, including the JD/LLM Partnership Program in which students are paired up for informal information exchanges to share about law school, cultural differences and the practice of law in the U.S. and overseas! USC Law students enjoy their very rich and exciting student lives throughout the year.

Summer Program

The University of Southern California Law School’s 4-week Summer Law & English Program takes place from mid-July to early August. Law classes are scheduled in the mornings and legal English classes in the afternoons. Classes are held at USC in state-of-the-art classrooms. At the end of the program, participants will receive a document from the USC Law School that certifies their completion of the Summer Law & English Program.

Our unique non-degree program is designed for international lawyers, judges, prosecutors and defenders, government officials, corporate legal counsel, business professionals, and law students who would like to learn about the American legal system while improving their English ability. Whether you are preparing for an LL.M. degree program at USC or elsewhere, or you simply want to build a foundation of the U.S. legal system, our program offers the perfect combination of American law and legal English.

The Program participants will receive essential information about the fundamental areas of law and will gain a better understanding of the theories and practices of the U.S. legal system. The curriculum also incorporates training in legal English and writing. The English sessions are customized to complement the law curriculum, including legal vocabulary, presentation and negotiation skills.

For students who have advanced English fluency, afternoon classes will focus on developing written analytical and communication skills, idiomatic expression and developing native-like fluency through debate, discussion and analysis of current legal topics and cases. Students will participate in on-line, interactive surveys and evaluations of the current Supreme Court docket, the intersection of law and politics, and the impact of economic trends on global contract law.