Law school launches cross-border LLM program

The School of Law has developed an innovative graduate law program that recognizes the global nature of legal practice and the need for skilled attorneys to guide clients through cross-border interactions.

The Cross-Border Legal Studies LLM program, the first of its kind in the U.S., is designed to facilitate a wide range of cross-border legal practice, including trade, tax, immigration, real estate, and corporate and transactional work.

Located just 20 minutes from Canada, the largest trading partner of the U.S., the UB School of Law is uniquely situated to provide students with exposure to cross-border legal issues, both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, a strong network of alumni based in Buffalo, New York and Ontario engage in a wide range of cross-border legal practice.

Admission to the LLM program, which will begin in fall 2017, requires a previous degree in law.

The program’s capstone course will provide opportunities for students to interact with practicing private-firm attorneys in Buffalo and Ontario while completing project-based work. Students will learn to identify relevant legal issues in real-world, cross-border contexts while learning such skills as professionalism, accurately recording billable time, business development techniques, and legal research and writing.

Students also will select four courses on topics that include international business, tax, corporate, immigration, trade and the environment. International students will be offered a legal research and writing class, and a course that introduces them to the U.S. legal system. The remainder of students’ coursework will be made up of electives from throughout the law school’s course offerings.

Each student will be assigned an academic adviser to provide one-on-one guidance throughout the program.

Meredith Kolsky Lewis, vice dean for international and graduate programs, and director of the Cross-Border Legal Studies Center in the UB School of Law, will direct the program.

“The Cross-Border Legal Studies LLM will allow us to use our unique border location to expose students to a wide variety of cross-border legal issues, while imparting skills that graduates can then apply to cross-border work they undertake anywhere in the world,” she says.

To apply for the fall 2017 academic semester or to learn more, visit the law school’s website.