Backed by the world-class reputation of the University of Illinois, the College
of Law has long been a global leader. The scholarship and expertise of its international
law faculty influence the legal environment on every continent — a distinction cited by
The American Journal of Comparative Law in rating the College of Law second in
comparative law teaching among United States law schools.
The College's international LL.M. (Master of Laws) program — one of the nation's
oldest — now includes an alumni network of more than 800 graduates. International
alumni are government leaders, distinguished scholars, and prominent attorneys in
64 countries. In addition, the J.S.D. program accepts a few select candidates who
pursue this advanced graduate degree. A small group of respected Visiting Scholars
are in residence at the College each year to complete individual research projects.
Well-known for its international programming, the College offers an International
Human Rights Clinic; operates a Program in Asian Law, Politics and Society; facilitates
faculty exchange agreements with the top law schools in Japan; offers numerous study
abroad opportunities, including student exchange agreements with schools in Argentina,
Belgium, Germany, India, and Japan; and serves as the home institution for the Comparative Labor
Law and Policy Journal.
Today's world is not so much a collection of individual countries as it is
one global entity, delineated by our differences in language, culture,
and time zone. More than at any other time, we are collaborators in a
multitude of worldwide endeavors, many of which involve the field of law.
Working effectively in this global environment requires a full understanding
of other legal systems and an increased specialization in emerging areas
of international law.
For over 50 years, international lawyers have pursued graduate study at the
University of Illinois College of Law, making our program one of the oldest
in the United States. Today, we host about 50 LL.M. candidates each year and
have an alumni network of over 900 LL.M. graduates who are government leaders,
distinguished scholars, and prominent attorneys in 64 countries. The success
of our program is just one reason the College of Law was ranked second in
the U.S. for international and comparative law.
