Why Master of Laws?
While he was in law school, Charles Wakefield decided he wanted to practice tax law, but because his was a regional school, his job options would have been limited to a position with an accounting firm or as an associate at one of the few local law firms — none of which had any openings.
Instead, he applied to Georgetown University Law Center’s Master of Laws program, where he earned an LL.M in taxation and undertook an externship in the D.C. office of the New York-based law firm Alston & Bird. After Wakefield finished the program in 2012, he was hired full time as an associate in the firm’s state and local tax group.
The LL.M allows U.S.-educated and foreign-trained lawyers the opportunity to develop a level of expertise in a given field of law. Tax law is among the most popular — at Georgetown, almost half the students are enrolled in that program — but others offered at area law schools include environmental, international, global health, humanitarian, advocacy, and securities and financial regulation law.
Georgetown also offers a two-year LL.M with a Certificate in Legal English for Foreign-Trained Lawyers, who comprise roughly half its 450 LL.M students.
“Georgetown is recognized internationally, and we have a strong alumni network presence internationally,” says Gary Heald, director of LL.M education, by way of explanation of what draws overseas students to the school. If they meet certain requirements, international students are invited to sit for the New York Bar and become U.S.-licensed attorneys. That’s particularly helpful for those who are practicing with U.S.-based firms that have locations in other countries.
Students are welcome to pursue a more specialized certificate as part of the LL.M degree. At Georgetown, that might be in international arbitration and dispute resolution, employee benefits law or international human rights law, for example.
As is common among LL.M programs, Georgetown’s has a strong adjunct faculty base, with courses taught by partners in D.C. law firms and Big Four accounting firms; staff members at The World Bank, government agencies, the CIA and major corporations; judges; and others.
“They have their hands on the most challenging work,” says Wakefield. “They have their finger on the pulse of what the hot topics are and what the needs and interests of clients are, rather than just speaking from an academic point of view. When I finished, I felt very well-equipped to go straight into work.”
Heald says having adjunct faculty with such high levels of specialization is essential to this kind of master’s-level program.
“It lets students see what’s going on at Fortune 500 companies, large law firms and government institutions that are relevant to that particular field,” he says. “The adjuncts are on the ground.” Heald, who also earned a tax LL.M at Georgetown, says the adjunct faculty become mentors to students.
The networking and externship opportunities were what brought Theron West, Jr., to the tax program straight out of law school. Outside class time, West is currently engaged in an externship at the U.S. Tax Court, where he’s assisting in writing opinions.
Several of Georgetown’s 24-credit LL.M programs are available online, and although students watch videos of their courses in an asynchronous format, those who take that route earn the same degree as their resident peers — even competing with them for the highest grades, as is law school tradition. The newest offering, the Master of Studies in Law Taxation, is the only one that doesn’t require a first degree in law. It came about in large part as a response to a shift in the hiring practices at large accounting firms, where accountants, rather than attorneys, are being brought on to do tax work; the new program will provide those employees exposure to the taxation law side, rather than just the taxation accounting side.
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