As a graduate of the Master of Laws (LLM) in Business Law degree, you will be able to achieve greater success within your current law firm or organization or may use the degree to prepare for a career in business law.
Throughout the academic year, we will host several career workshops to cover the basics of the job search process in the U.S. We organize career panels with alumni and industry leaders so you can learn more about possible career pathways. If you hold a first degree in law from outside of the U.S., you can participate in two LLM-exclusive job fairs in New York and Los Angeles.
You also will be able to attend USC Gould Continuing Legal Education conferences, at which you can make valuable connections with law professionals, USC Gould alumni and peers.
To assist you, we offer academic support resources throughout the year, bar exam preparation and help with bar applications, and we work with the Office of International Services to address issues regarding Optional Practical Training.
Enrollment in an LLM degree does not guarantee that you will be eligible to take a U.S. bar exam or practice law in the United States. Nor can our advisors confirm your eligibility to sit for a U.S. bar exam. You should review the requirements set by each state in which you wish to sit for the exam. The American Bar Association's Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements provides additional information.
USC Gould academic advisers can assist you with choosing courses that help prepare you for the bar exams in New York and California. Students are able to enroll in both a bar exam "track" and a certificate "track."
If you are an international student interested in seeking admission to the District of Columbia (D.C.) bar, you should consider the traditional LLM degree.
We also offer Early Bar Preparation workshops exclusively for our students throughout the year. The workshops cover pertinent substantive law tested by the bar exam as well as guidance on essay writing, multiple choice, performance tests and general test-taking skills.
Some LLM students choose to enhance their U.S. legal education by gaining short-term, practical training in a law firm or other legal setting after graduation. If you are here on an F-1 student visa, the Graduate & International Programs office will assist you with the application for Optional Practical Training (OPT) during your final semester. For current rules on OPT - the authorization required for eligibility for such work experiences - visit the USC Office of International Services website.
Please note that students who previously completed OPT after earning a U.S. master’s or doctorate degree are not eligible to reapply for OPT.
Students enrolled in the LLM in Business Law degree may be eligible to apply to the LLM-JD Transfer Program at USC Gould. For more information on the LLM-JD Transfer Program, please visit this link.
