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LLM Program

Welcome to Penn Carey Law

An illustrative design of the Penn Carey Law logo
Portrait photograph headshot of Sophia Z. Lee smiling (Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law at Penn Carey Law) in a dark navy blue blazer open coat and light sky blue blouse underneath
Dear Admitted Student,

Congratulations on your admission to Penn Carey Law’s LLM program!

Here at the Law School, we offer an in-depth curriculum, renowned faculty who are experts in their fields, and a comprehensive Pre-Term Program to give you a strong foundation in U.S. legal study.

Opportunities abound at Penn Carey Law: you can earn a certificate in law and business from the Wharton School, serve real-life clients through our clinical programs, or do pro bono work through our public interest center.

And, most importantly, the Law School’s collegial and collaborative community will be there to support you with a network of colleagues and mentors that will last a lifetime.

This publication includes details about our curriculum, our programs, and life in Philadelphia. Please take the time to review this information, and don’t hesitate to contact our Office of Graduate Programs if you have any questions.

Once again, I offer my deepest congratulations, and welcome to Penn Carey Law!

Sincerely,

Sophia Z. Lee

Digital signature mark of Sophia Lee
Dean and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law
A portrait photograph of Elise Luce Kraemer (L'93, Executive Director of Graduate Programs at Penn Carey Law)
Dear Admitted Student,

We are excited to welcome you into the Penn Carey Law LLM community! At Penn Carey Law, you will join a class of exceptionally diverse and talented lawyers from around the world who seek to broaden their knowledge of the law and explore a vast array of topics ranging from business to human rights.

Philadelphia is the perfect place to advance your legal education. The birthplace of the United States, Philadelphia is a hub of history, culture, and innovation, as well as one of the most affordable, livable, and vibrant major city in the United States. Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is one of the nation’s first universities and is a charter member of the Ivy League. The University and Law School continue as world leaders in academic scholarship and interdisciplinary study.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the program, and congratulations on your admission!

Sincerely,

Elise Luce Kraemer L’93

A digital signature mark provided by Elise Luce Kraemer
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs

Collegial
Community

Penn Carey Law offers a supportive and inclusive environment where collaboration and teamwork are vital. We appreciate diversity and are willing to engage colleagues and faculty in ways that respect and celebrate the many differences that appear in a community as rich in ideas and backgrounds as Penn Carey Law.

LLM students are an integral part of a community that encourages taking intellectual risks. Our belief is that students who learn the law in an encouraging and supportive environment make exceptional leaders.

A portrait headshot photograph of Michael Krone (JD candidate and Council of Student Representatives, President) smiling outside in a dark navy blue suit and red plus blue striped patterned colored tie
“Penn Carey Law is unique among its peers in forging communities between LLM and JD students. The LLM perspective helps to expand the opportunities available to students in all programs and to elevate the understanding of legal concepts and its impact globally.”

— Michael Krone, JD candidate and Council of Student Representatives, President

LLM Class of 2023

“Students of Penn Carey Law understand that achievements are not built on fierce competition but teamwork, supporting each other and learning from another.”
— Anna Evelyn Huebner, Germany

Wharton Business and Law Certificate (WBLC)

The practice of law requires superior preparation not only in conventional areas of legal education but also in diverse disciplines intersecting with the law. The WBLC program is ideally suited for internationally trained attorneys who seek to develop the business skills needed to compete in today’s complex legal environment.
“The Wharton Certificate is a must have for every corporate lawyer
looking to expand their knowledge in the business, financial or management world.”
— Iñigo Garcia, Mexico
“Wharton experts guide LLM students through the way in which companies and investors think about basic business subjects in a way that complements their legal education.”
— Emilie Feldman, Michael L. Tarnopol Professor, Professor of Marketing and Academic Director, Wharton Business and Law Certificate
A landscape photograph of Emilie Feldman (Michael L. Tarnopol Professor, Professor of Marketing and Academic Director, Wharton Business and Law Certificate) teaching an exercise on a large white board as she holds a green white board marker (She is one of many Wharton experts that teaches and guides LLM students through the way in which companies and investors think about basic business subjects in a way that complements their legal education)
“Wharton experts guide LLM students through the way in which companies and investors think about basic business subjects in a way that complements their legal education.”
— Emilie Feldman, Michael L. Tarnopol Professor, Professor of Marketing and Academic Director, Wharton Business and Law Certificate

Program Format

The WBLC program runs concurrently with the Penn Carey Law LLM program calendar. All Penn Carey Law LLM students are automatically eligible to enroll. The challenging blend of interactive lectures, case studies, simulations, group discussions, and faculty dialogue immerses participants in core business concepts.
A landscape photograph of Penn Carey Law LLM candidates enrolled in Wharton Business and Law Certificate (WBLC) celebrating the end of their first semester by posing for a picture together all smiling in their dark blue and red scarfs around their necks inside a building
Penn Carey Law LLM candidates enrolled in Wharton Business and Law Certificate (WBLC) celebrate the end of their first semester.

Sample Classes

  • Global Strategic Management
  • International Corporate Finance
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Negotiations
A digital text and image logo of Wharton University of Pennsylvania
Please note that completing the WBLC will not grant a Wharton MBA degree or Wharton alumni status.
“WBLC’s world-class professors know their audience and manage to convey complex financial/economic notions to LLMs in an encouraging learning environment. This broader view, not limited to a legal standpoint, gave me invaluable insights on how corporate lawyers can effectively add value and better contribute to their client’s business decisions.”
— Guilherme Torres, Brazil

Pre-Term
Program

The program includes three introductory courses:

Foundations of the U.S. Legal System (3 credits)

A Socratic style course covering American legal thought and practice designed to prepare you to fully immerse in the robust upper-level law school course offerings. Topics covered include American legal history, the Constitution, basic civil procedure, the law of torts, and an introduction to legal theory.

U.S. Legal Writing (1 credit)

Taught in small sections to allow for individual attention, you will learn how to read and synthesize common-law cases, analyze a legal issue, and communicate your analysis orally and in writing. Focused on legal practice skills, the course also prepares you for law school classes and exams.

U.S. Legal Research (1 credit)

This course prepares you to effectively research legal issues.

Other Programming

You will also participate daily in programs designed to give you a head start on career development and professional opportunities, U.S. bar exams, and ways to maximize your academic success. There is also time to engage with your classmates and enjoy Philadelphia.

“The pre-term program was an essential precursor to the fall & spring courses. It made the fundamentals of US law, research and writing much easier to understand and integrate once the semester commenced. The program is crucial as it gives LLM students a head start before they start pursuing their degree and specializations.”
— Nimo Kering’, Kenya
Our innovative Pre-Term Program provides an academic grounding in the U.S. legal system as well as social, cultural, and professional opportunities.
collage of student photos

LLM Class of 2023 Team Building Exercise

Faculty

Jill Fisch, Saul A. Fox Distinguished Professor of Business Law and Co-Director of the Institute for Law and Economics, presents her research.
PENN CAREY LAW FACULTY ARE RENOWNED SCHOLARS AND DEVOTED EDUCATORS
“I especially valued the experience of participating in small classes under the Socratic method, in which students can directly influence the course’s progress under the guidance of top-class professors.”

— Hermes Hein Aedo, Chile

Penn Carey Law’s faculty members are acclaimed scholars whose research crosses disciplinary boundaries and uses a diverse array of methodologies. Our faculty serve as mentors, working closely with students on scholarship and research. No matter your legal interests — corporate law, international law, intellectual property, human rights. Penn Carey Law’s LLM program puts you in the classroom with scholars who are leaders in their fields.
“Penn Carey Law is a place where you embrace cutting-edge perspectives and become yourself in a culturally diverse community. The close attachment among alumni, faculty and peers has opened the door to more possibilities in my future career and life path than I ever imagined.”

— Ning Wang, China

Herbert Hovenkamp headshot taken outside on a green lawn

“Penn Carey Law offers an extraordinary opportunity for lawyers from all countries to study both the law and the economics of competition policy, with a focus on technology and innovation but careful attention to the basics.”

Herbert Hovenkamp
James G. Dinan University Professor
Beth Simmons giving a lecture in front of a chalkboard

“There is no better place to enrich a legal career with world class training and interdisciplinary context. Penn is where legal practice meets history, business, policy, and technology for a deeper understanding of not only what we do – but why.”

Beth Simmons
Andrea Mitchell University Professor in Law, Political Science and Business Ethics
Christopher S. Yoo gesturing during a talk
“Online services now play critical roles in people’s daily lives. As a result, understanding how the law ensures that users benefit from these services while also protecting their privacy and security is now more vital than ever.”
Christopher S. Yoo
John H. Chestnut Professor of Law, Communication, and Computer & Information Science; Founding Director, Center for Technology, Innovation and Competition

Curriculum

Penn Carey Law offers a generalized LLM program that allows you to design your own curriculum. You can also choose from two concentrations: Intellectual Property and Technology Law or Global Security, Sustainability, and Human Rights.

After completing the Pre-Term Program, you will take classes alongside upper-level JD students. More than 100 classes in 12 different subject areas are offered each semester, ranging from large lecture courses to intimate seminars. In addition, you can take a class at one of the other professional or graduate schools in the university.

Sample Courses:

  • Corporations
  • International Business Transactions
  • Regulatory Law and Policy
  • M&A through the Business Cycle
  • Intellectual Property & Corporate Lawyering
  • Antitrust Law
  • Transnational Legal Clinic International Arbitration
  • Constitutional Criminal Procedure
  • International Women’s Rights
  • Energy Law and Climate Change
A group of students meeting on an outdoor patio

Pro Bono Opportunities

The Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC) is the hub of public interest activity at Penn Carey Law. TPIC facilities public interest engagement for all LLM students and will support you if you seek to fulfill the New York Bar 50-hour pro bono requirement.

You can participate in more than thirty internal pro bono projects, pursue a self-initiated placement, or perform a Penn Carey Law approved external project. External assignments are sent to students directly from TPIC.

“TPIC’s hands on opportunities bolstered my qualifications as a strategic litigator and broadened my interests in human rights and public service.”
— Carolina Brandão, LLM Human Rights Scholar, Brazil
Arlene Rivera Finkelstein (center) is the Associate Dean for Equity & Justice; Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Advisor
“Before coming to the United States, I worked as a public servant in my home country. I am very grateful to Penn Carey Law because it provided me with a world-class legal education and supported me tremendously in every step of my goal of continuing to work in the public interest field.”
— Maria Alejandra Ibaceta Maldonado, Chile

The Gittis
Center for
Clinical
Legal Studies

Practice Professor of Law Praveen Kosuri, Associate Dean for Clinical Education, speaks with his students.

Practice Professor of Law Praveen Kosuri, Associate Dean for Clinical Education, speaks with his students.
The Gittis Center bridges the knowledge learned in traditional classroom study with real-world practical experience on behalf of actual clients. Through the center, you can build relationships with diverse clients, hone essential lawyering skills, enhance your professional development, and apply your talents and creativity in a state-of-the-art office located in the Law School. Under close supervision of the center’s experienced faculty, you refine your skills in a firm environment while serving the community, the nation, and the world.
LLM students have participated in several clinical programs
“Our lecturers prepared us for practice in the real world. I especially enjoyed the bootcamps and legal clinics where we were given ongoing cases in the form of hypotheticals to solve in groups. This gave me the reassurance that I would be able to provide clients with practical solutions to their legal challenges.”

— Irene Itol, Uganda

a female law professor during a discussion

Detkin Intellectual Property & Technology Clinic

Immerse yourself in a transactional interdisciplinary IP law practice.

A woman lawyer at work

Detkin Intellectual Property & Technology Clinic

Immerse yourself in a transactional interdisciplinary IP law practice.
Professor Praveen Kosuri writing on a white board

Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic

Gain experience in lawyering for entrepreneurs — both for-profit and non-profit — while fostering economic growth in underserved communities by providing legal counsel, community education, and technical assistance.
Professor Praveen Kosuri writing on a white board

Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic

Gain experience in lawyering for entrepreneurs — both for-profit and non-profit — while fostering economic growth in underserved communities by providing legal counsel, community education, and technical assistance.
a female law professor standing near a white board during a lecture

Transnational Legal Clinic

Explore the role of the lawyer in settings that cut across cultures, borders, languages, and legal systems.
a female law professor standing near a white board during a lecture

Transnational Legal Clinic

Explore the role of the lawyer in settings that cut across cultures, borders, languages, and legal systems.

Career
Planning

Penn Carey Law’s Office of Career Strategy has experienced career counselors who provide programming and resources specific to LLM students with ample opportunities for individualized counseling.

Due to significant structural barriers, securing permanent employment in the U.S. is a challenge for foreign trained attorneys holding a U.S. LLM degree. Most of our LLM graduates find excellent opportunities internationally with new employers or are given significantly increased responsibilities with their prior employers.

outdoor portrait of Audrey Wong in business attire
“I have no words to express how grateful I am to the Office of Career Strategy. Not only did they teach me how to search for opportunities in the legal field, but they also reached out to me for any openings that might interest me. Further, they supported me every step of the way in pursuing a job, from the resume stage to the interviewing stage. They went above and beyond their duty to help me the best they could.”

— Audrey Wong, Canada

a row of Penn Carey Law flags

U.S. Bar Exams

Eligibility to sit for bar exams varies from state to state. Each year, about half of our LLM class sit for a state bar exam, typically New York. Although LLM students are responsible for meeting the requirements of a bar exam, we provide support and guidance.
International student studying in law library

Philadelphia

There is no better place to study U.S. law than in Philadelphia, the United States’ first World Heritage City. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution both were written here and learning about rights and responsibilities where the American government took shape is a singular opportunity. But Philadelphia is about much more than history.

Outdoor space at a city restaurant | Photo by Rob Cardillo, courtesy of PHLCVB

White Dog Cafe

We are a “City of Neighborhoods”

Philadelphia, the sixth largest city in the United States, has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most livable cities in the country. It is a major urban center that has retained the feel of a “city of neighborhoods.” With world-class museums, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, and more than 10 professional sports teams in the area, there is always something to see or do. There’s even a wonderful path along the Schuylkill River from Center City, past the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Boathouse Row, perfect for a leisurely stroll. Philadelphia is just a short drive from the Jersey Shore and the Poconos, providing city residents with ocean waves in the summer and ski slopes in the winter. Though Philadelphia is the second-largest city on the East Coast, it is the heart of the Northeast Corridor, a couple of hours from New York or from Washington, D.C., by train.

A GREAT PLACE TO PLAY

Philadelphia has some of the most well-reviewed restaurants in the nation featuring world-renowned chefs. Rittenhouse Square is a great place to spend a beautiful afternoon, and its cafés are fabulous for people-watching over an evening cocktail before heading out city’s lively and diverse nightlife.

Most students live off-campus in either University City or Center City taking advantage of a wide array of housing options near Penn, or in neighborhoods that are easily accessible by public transportation. Compared to other metropolitan areas, you will find the rents are surprisingly affordable.

The University of Pennsylvania Office of Off Campus Services (OCS) will support you at all stages of your off-campus living experience, from locating suitable housing, to finding roommates, to reviewing leases and assisting in landlord-tenant matters. You can access all of the office’s information, including an interactive housing search tool.

Map of University City and Center City

Transportation

Philadelphia is a very accessible and walkable city. Most students are close enough to walk or bike to the Law School and other attractions. Convenient options include: bike share program, free Penn transportation services, and great public transportation system of regional trains, trolleys, subways, and buses. Philadelphia is served by Greyhound, Amtrak, Megabus, and an International Airport.
busy street
students walking

Health and
Wellness

Fitness Facilities

You will have access to broad array of athletic and recreational facilities, including: the Pottruck Center (120,000 square foot facility has four floors of weight and cardio equipment, an Olympic-size pool, co-ed sauna, basketball courts, a climbing wall, golf simulator, fitness and Pilates studios, locker and shower facilities), Fox Fitness Center (additional weight and cardio equipment and classes), Penn Squash Center, Penn Park (24 acres of athletic fields and open recreational space, including tennis courts and soccer fields), Hecht Tennis Center (indoor tennis) and the Class of 1923 Ice Rink (ice skating and hockey).

In addition to individual fitness, LLM students can participate in athletic clubs such as a running club, bowling league, flag football league, basketball league, ice hockey team, and soccer team (an LLM favorite).

If you want to explore beyond the campus, the Schuylkill River Trail, a 10-minute walk from the law school, allows easy access to Fairmount Park, including the Wissahickon (50 miles of trials and 1800 acres of forested parkland within the city of Philadelphia.)

Many students congregate, mingle, and walk together indoors within the building and outdoors within the patio area

Wellness

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Counseling and Psychological Services is the university’s counseling center. CAPS offers free and confidential services to all Penn students and helps them adjust to university life, manage personal and situational challenges, develop coping strategies, and grow personally and professionally.

Peace of Mind in Stressful Times Program

Student Health Services offers confidential, individualized stress reduction to students who might be feeling overwhelmed by daily pressures, or who are interested in exploring alternative approaches for coping with stress. Students can develop personalized plans of action and learn self-care methods, such as mindful breathing and guided imagery, self-massage, qigong, and other mind/body techniques. The Law School offers an annual Wellness Week of events and programs.

Mindfulness at Penn Carey Law

Mindfulness programing designed to improve academic and professional performance and combat stress is offered to students during the Pre-Term program and in the fall and spring semesters.

Panoramic backdrop landscape photograph view of a park and the city