The Master of Laws (LLM) program at Duke Law School introduces graduates of non-U.S. law schools to the legal system of the United States and deepens their legal knowledge and skills through advanced courses in specialized areas of law.
Meet Our Students
The Duke Law LLM program typically enrolls approximately 95 students from as many as 40 countries and territories. The majority of students have professional experience in legal settings. Many have worked as associates at large law firms, in-house counsel at companies, judges, prosecutors, government officials, and academics. Others are recent law graduates with strong academic credentials.
Focus and Diversify Your Studies
Duke Law’s LLM program provides the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the U.S. legal system and choose from a wide range of courses that fit your career goals, spark your intellectual curiosity, and meet your specific interests. LLM students enroll in the same courses as JD students, choosing from among more than 200 law courses each year. In addition, LLM students may take courses in other Duke graduate and professional schools such as the Fuqua School of Business and the Sanford School of Public Policy.
Certificate programs in New Ventures and Entrepreneurship, Environmental and Energy Law, Business Law, International Law, and Intellectual Property, Science and Technology Law allow LLM students to further refine their research and career focus by maximizing their exposure to outstanding courses and instructors in their fields of interest.
Duke Law has very carefully designed the Business Law Certificate curriculum, which prepares students for the complexities and nuances of business law. The courses teach students practical skills, which range from advising and negotiating to structuring business transactions. I highly recommend the Business Law Certificate program! — Yama Keshawerz, Afghanistan
Teachers & Mentors
Duke Law School's faculty are an integral part of a culture that is both intellectually rigorous and exceptionally supportive.
At Duke, your professors will be world-renowned legal scholars, innovative interdisciplinary researchers, and advisors to governments and NGOs. But they will also be dedicated and energetic teachers who care deeply about guiding your development as legal practitioners.
My work on the [Bass Connections] team helps me contribute my legal education to solve real-time community problems and develop policy solutions that can be adapted to solve these issues — my reason for deciding to become a legal practitioner.” — Oluwabamise Onabanjo, Nigeria
Focus on Your Client
Duke LLM students have many opportunities to develop their legal skills, from taking simulation courses such as Negotiation or Contract Drafting to enrolling in a clinic. Another option is the Externship course, in which students work off campus with U.S. lawyers at a broad array of companies, NGOs and government offices.
Before I took [the Start-Up Ventures Clinic], I treated my clients like cases I needed to solve. But now I see the human side of the law.” — Fifa Ratodimahavonjy, Madagascar
Serve the Community
Activities outside the classroom provide opportunities to augment your legal studies. International students participate in a range of academic extracurricular activities and service projects, and a number of LLM students spend spring break each year with JD colleagues across the Southeast as part of the Southern Justice Spring Break trip, providing legal services to underserved and underrepresented populations.
Through the pro bono work Duke Law School offers, I had the chance to rediscover the roots of my decision to study law: serving the community and dedicating my life to others." — Maxime Violon, Belgium
Ready, Set, Go.
The Career & Professional Development Center has outstanding resources for international students, including a dedicated staff member with significant professional law experience who guides LLM students in their job search.
International students at Duke also benefit substantially from the willingness of alumni, both in the U.S. and abroad, and from Law School faculty to offer advice and assistance.
Graduates of the class of 2023 were highly successful in the job market. They joined top tier law firms, companies, international organizations and government agencies located throughout the world, including multiple U.S. states.
The amount of professional resources available at the Career Center and the individual attention received by each student is invaluable as it allows you to better tailor your resume and your job search. The alumni panels, networking events, and practice interview sessions will help you prepare to engage in top-notch associate position interviews with the best law firms in the market, whether in the United States or abroad. In this regard, I am truly thankful for Duke Law and its great community. — Hugo Kerbib, France
The vibrant community of more than 13,500 Duke Law alumni can be found in 109 countries around the world.
Our graduates’ recent career outcomes include top tier international law firms, NGOs, multinational corporations, and government agencies located throughout the world.
The chart below shows employment data by sector for the LLM Class of 2024:
If I could give three tips, I would say: networking, networking, and networking. Duke has a powerful name and a great alumni network, and my best advice is for students to take advantage of that." — Bruna Ribeiro, Brazil
Friends & Colleagues
The American Bar Association credits Duke Law with one of the strongest student cultures in the United States. Duke Law attracts students who want to work with others, students who share a passion for intellectual curiosity and problem solving as well as a deep interest in learning about one another's perspectives and experiences.
When you join the Duke Law community, you join a family and network of colleagues that will be with you for life.
At Duke, we found home far from home and family away from family. Very soon you'll realize that Duke is where you belong." — Noor Al-Fawzan, Saudi Arabia
Live Better on Less
Choosing a place to live in Durham will be a pleasant process, and a nice change from living in a large, crowded city. Housing options and the amenities of urban life are plentiful near Duke, and you will find the overall cost of living is much lower when compared to cities like New York, Chicago, or Washington, D.C.
Durham is an extremely affordable city. You can go out every night without having to think about it.” — Alexander Sorton, Switzerland
Many LLM students find Durham the ideal place for their families to live. In fact, hardworking attorneys often note they specifically chose Duke so they could spend more time with their spouses and children while pursuing their LLM degree at a top-ranked U.S. law school!
With Duke Law's distinctive combination of intellectual engagement and extraordinary collegiality, it's easy to see why so many of our LLM graduates call their time at Duke Law the best year of their lives.
Extended LLM
The Duke Law LLM program offers the option of extending the period of study for one or two additional semesters. This allows students to take maximum advantage of Duke Law’s extensive curriculum, complete both basic and skills courses required by the NY State bar, and enroll in more courses in Duke’s other graduate and professional schools.
Summer Institute on Law, Language, & Culture
The Institute is a Certificate program for students, attorneys, and scholars seeking an introduction to U.S. law and legal education. It is especially useful to prepare students for success in a U.S. LLM program. The Institute’s three-week intensive instruction introduces students to common law doctrines, U.S. legal writing, legal English, the U.S. legal system, and the U.S. law school experience.
Visiting Scholars
Duke Law School hosts approximately 15-20 international visitors annually. In recent years, Duke Law has welcomed visitors from Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland. They include academics, judges, prosecutors, PhD candidates, and attorneys.
Contact Us
The staff members in the Office of International Studies are here to answer your pre-admission questions, and then help orient and integrate international students into the Duke community, advise on course selection and academic questions, counsel on international career planning, and maintain international alumni relations.
Combined together, staff members have more than sixty years of experience with international students and programs, and they provide exceptional service and individual attention.