Academic Degree Requirements – General LL.M. Program
Curricular Requirements
All General LL.M. students are required to:
- Enroll in, attend, and pass the Introduction to the American Legal System (IALS) course held
during Orientation; - Enroll in, attend, and pass a three-credit seminar with a substantial writing component that
satisfies the legal writing requirement or Principles of American Legal Writing. - Enroll in and attend courses totaling at least 20 law credits over two semesters (not including
IALS); and - Receive passing marks in 20 credit hours of law school coursework.
LL.M. students may take no more than six (6) credits total outside of regularly scheduled law school classes without approval from the Dean of the Students. These six credits include externships of 4 hours or less, directed readings, supervised writings, and courses taught in other university divisions.
Students may register for up to 17 credits and no less than 10 credits per semester or seek approval from the Dean of Students.
Experiential Learning
LL.M. students are eligible to apply for and enroll in experiential learning clinics, but should limit registration to a total of 6 hours or less of clinical courses.
Writing Requirement
LL.M. students must satisfactorily complete one 3-credit seminar with a substantial writing component that satisfies the writing requirement or take Principles of American Legal Writing. The course cannot be taken S/U. Courses that fulfill the writing requirement will be noted on the Course Catalog. A three-credit paper or five-credit Master’s thesis supervised by a faculty member may also satisfy the legal writing requirement in place of a seminar.
Additional New York Bar Exam Requirements
It is the responsibility of the LL.M. student to familiarize themselves with the requirements of the New York Bar, which are subject to change. Those planning to sit for the New York Bar exam must complete 24 credits of classroom coursework, which must include a professional responsibility course, a legal research course, and foundational subjects covered by the New York Bar Exam. More information can be found on the New York State Bar Examination Memorandum.
Special Student Status
Students currently enrolled in the General LL.M. program who wish to continue taking courses during the next academic year after completing current degree requirements must apply to the Dean of Students office email by April 1st. Email requests should include a brief statement of plans for the next academic year, including reasons for continuing with coursework, financial support for continued study if student visa status will need to be extended, and a current Cornell Law School transcript.
Transferring to J.D. Program from Cornell Law School’s General LL.M. Program
Candidates for the LL.M. degree who wish to transfer to the J.D. program must submit a transfer application no later than April 1. The transfer procedures and requirements will, in general, be the same as those applicable to J.D. students at other law schools who seek to transfer into the Cornell J.D. program (including the requirement of an acceptable admissions test). However, at least one letter of recommendation should be from a Cornell Law faculty member who has taught the student. Only LL.M. students who have elected to be graded on the J.D. scale and curve will be considered for transfer to the J.D. class. Cornell LL.M. students who are accepted into the J.D. program as transfers are eligible to receive up to 24 law credits obtained in pursuit of the LL.M. degree toward the J.D. degree requirements and must complete an additional four semesters at Cornell enrolled in J.D. courses. Cornell LL.M. students who transfer into the J.D. program are ineligible to receive the pending LL.M. degree.