Boston University School of Law Graduate and International Programs Professional Development JD Transfer Handbook
Transferring into the BU Law JD Program Transferring into the JD program at the completion of your LLM program is a goal shared by many foreign-trained LLM students at BU Law. The decision to apply (and attend, if admitted) is a significant one, requiring thoughtful consideration and a realistic assessment of the opportunities, costs and risks of spending an additional two years pursuing the JD credential. This memo is designed to set forth the range of important factors to consider and to give guidance about the application and admissions process. Contents Is Transferring Right for You?... 1 Financial risks:... 2 Performance risks:... 3 Visa risks:... 3 Admission Standards for LLM Transfer Candidates... 4 Advanced Standing Policies: Eligibility and Maximum Awarding of Credit... 4 Recognition of Transfer Credit: Limits on Some LLM-Only Classes... 5 The Transfer Application Process... 6 Other Schools Accelerated JD Programs... 8 Visa/OPT Considerations... 8 Is Transferring Right for You? The initial question to ask yourself is obvious and all-important: Why do you want to transfer to the JD program? Clearly, the JD credential may have notable marketplace value in your home country. You are the best judge of this, and we are always available to discuss the pros and cons in light of your own particular situation. However, while many LLM students seek the JD degree with an eye on the US job market, there are significant barriers to entry which are discussed in greater detail below. Although the JD degree is the most valued and recognized credential in the US legal job market, is important to have a realistic understanding of the market as you assess your options. First, the legal job market for US JD graduates remains highly competitive. While the hiring market has improved somewhat over the past few years, many JD students struggle to find a legal position after graduation. You should educate yourself about this. 1
Visit the American Bar Association s web site for detailed information about employment rates for various types of jobs, including jobs where a JD degree is required, preferred, or merely an advantage : o http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/legal_educatio n_and_admissions_to_the_bar/reports/2015_law_graduate_employment_data.au thcheckdam.pdf o http://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/statistics.html Speak to Rebecca Moor (rmoor@bu.edu), the Associate Director of Professional Development for LLM students. Your next point of contact after Rebecca Moor should be Philip Pitt, Assistant Director for Employer Relations at Outcomes at BU Law s JD Career Development Office (ppitt@bu.edu). He will be able to discuss the challenges and opportunities that someone with your particular background will likely face in the US market. You should weigh the market opportunities against several risks: Financial risks: BU Law does not give international (or any) transfer students financial aid, and non- US citizens are ineligible for federal loans. The cost of at least two more years of paying full-time tuition and living expenses is significant. If you plan to borrow money from your own sources (and repay any debts), you should have a realistic understanding of post-graduation salary ranges. Only a small number of US JD graduates begin their careers with high starting salaries at Wall Street corporate law firms. Salaries between $45,000 - $60,000 are more the norm, nationally. All ABA approved law schools must publish detailed information about their graduates jobs and salary ranges. BU Law s information for 2015 is at http://www.bu.edu/law/files/2016/05/employment-questionnaire-summary- Revised-FINAL-5.9.16.pdf and at http://www.bu.edu/law/careers/employmentstatistics/class-of-2015/. BU Law s information for 2014 is at http://www.bu.edu/law/files/2015/08/classof2014abaemploymentquestionnair esummaryforwebsite.pdf and at http://www.bu.edu/law/careers/employmentstatistics/class-of-2014/. The National Association of Law Placement (NALP) is also a good source of information about the legal job market: http://www.nalp.org/home. While the information from these and other sources can be helpful, they paint an incomplete picture, as explained below. 2
Performance risks: Visa risks: Job prospects for JD students, in many market segments, are closely tied to academic performance. Our experience thus far has been that LLM transfer students perform less well in the JD program, when graded on the JD curve, than they did in the LLM program. This might be due to language issues. On average, LLM transfers have had a 3.3 GPA in their JD studies, lower than the average GPA of 3.73 during the LLM year. This often impacts their domestic job searches, particularly with large law firms, which usually recruit only from the top 25-30% of the class. For more details on the GPAs that are correlate with class ranks, see here: https://www.bu.edu/law/current-students/jd-student-resources/curricularrequirements/grades-honors/. Overall job placement and salary statistics are not broken out for internationally-trained LLM transfer students, so be careful about relying on these figures exclusively when you assess your job prospects. You should also know that as a matter of policy, LLM transfer students transcripts designate that the students LLM grades are based on their LLM programs grading policies, and that the grades are not based on the JD curve. In other words, employers are made aware that a 3.73 LLM GPA is not the same as a 3.73 JD GPA. Most LLM transfer students will require a visa to work permanently in the United States, and large numbers of US employers, such as the government, judicial clerkships, and small and mid-sized firms, are either prohibited from employing foreign nationals or cannot support visa applications for them. The one sector which has traditionally sponsored H1-B visas for foreign students large law firms has experienced a significant drop in these in recent years, as H1-B visa availability is now vastly outstripped by the number of H1-B visa applications. Since H1-B visas are allocated through a lottery system, there is no guarantee that you will actually receive one even if your employer is willing to sponsor you. The factors to consider are numerous and highly particular to each individual. It is your responsibility to seek advice. In addition to contacting Rebecca Moor in the Professional Development Office and Philip Pitt in the Career Development Office, LLM students in should contact the director of their LLM program for general strategic advice about the transfer option. 3
Admission Standards for LLM Transfer Candidates Gaining admission to BU Law s JD program as a transfer student is not easy. You will be judged in comparison to all other JD transfer candidates and should not expect preferential treatment by the JD Admissions Committee simply by virtue of being a BU Law LLM student. Students often ask about their chances of admission and whether there are minimum GPA or LSAT scores or other requirements. The answer is no. While the LSAT test is required, you do not need to score a 164 (BU Law s median LSAT score for entering 1L students). On the other hand, the closer you are to that median score, the more likely are your chances of admission. You do need to perform at a high level in your LLM classes. Successful transfer applications share one thing in common: they submit at least one strong letter of recommendation (preferably two) from a BU Law instructor who can vouch for their potential to compete effectively in the regular JD program, where stricter grading standards apply. Ideally, these recommendation letters would come from members of BU Law s full-time faculty, who are most familiar with the academic standards of the JD program. As a point of reference, among the 14 LLM graduates who have transferred into the JD program since 2013, the average LLM GPA was 3.69 (with a low of 3.41 and a high of 4.06). The average LSAT score was 155 (with a low of 141 and a high of 164). Advanced Standing Policies: Eligibility and Maximum Awarding of Credit Students enrolled in BU Law s LLM programs may apply to the JD program as transfer students as early as the spring semester of their LLM year. Note that JD Admissions needs a full-year transcript before it considers an application complete and ready for review (See the Transfer Application Process, below.) If admitted, students may receive up to 1/3 of their 85 minimum JD credit requirements through their LLM coursework, consistent with American Bar Association standards. (This equates to 28 credits.) Students therefore have the opportunity to complete the JD program with only two additional years of full-time studies. This would involve taking 15 JD credits each semester if the transferring student were to receive credit for the full 24 credits required to complete the LLM program. LLM graduates may also apply in subsequent years, but in all cases must complete the JD program s requirements within five years of commencing their BU Law LLM studies. (For example, an LLM student who graduates in spring 2017 must complete the JD program in 2021, which is five years from the start of his or her LLM studies, i.e. fall 2016). 4
Recognition of Transfer Credit: Limits on Some LLM-Only Classes While students are eligible to transfer up to 28 credits towards the JD degree, not all LLM classes are recognized for transfer credit purposes under ABA regulations. The following LLM-only classes may not be counted towards any JD credit or course requirements for LLM transfer students: 1. Introduction to American Law 2. Evidence (Six Week Fundamentals Track) 1 3. Property (Six-Week Fundamentals Track) 4. Cross-Border Litigation 5. Intellectual Property, Commerce and the Global Cloud 6. International Business Deals: Best Practices 7. Banking & Financial Law Program s Corporations class 8. Banking & Financial Law Programs Secured Transactions class 9. Banking & Financial Law Program s Senior Thesis/Senior Seminar On the other hand, the following LLM-only classes may be counted towards the JD program s credit requirements: 1. Fall semester LLM Legal Research and Writing Seminar (1.5 credits) 2 2. Spring semester LLM Persuasive Advocacy/Moot Court class (1.5 credits) 3. Professional Responsibility (two credits) 4. Alternative Dispute Resolution (two credits) 5. Transaction Simulation (three credits) 6. Negotiation * 7. Transactional Contracts (three credits) 8. Contracts (four credits) 9. Corporations (four credits) Please be aware of the following: Students whose total transfer credits are fewer than 19 will have difficulty completing the JD program in two years (four additional semesters). This is because the ABA s and BU Law s regulations limit the total number of credits you can take during any semester of studies to 17. If you only transfer 18 credits, you will need to take 67 credits over the subsequent four semesters to reach the 85 credit 1 American Law LLM transfer students who take Property through the Fundamentals Track option will be required to re-take that class through the JD curriculum to satisfy the JD program s requirements. 2 The fall semester LLM Legal Research and Writing Seminar and the Spring semester LLM Persuasive Advocacy/Moot Court class each grant two (2) credits towards the LLM degree but only one and-a-half (1.5) credits in the JD program, towards the JD degree. * Under Review. TBD. 5
minimum. This equates to 17 credits for each of your remaining semesters (67 divided by 4), which is a lot of credits (too many) and the maximum allowed. Transfer students must complete all the requirements of the JD program. The LLMonly sections of Professional Responsibility, Legal Research and Writing and Persuasive Advocacy satisfy the JD program s requirements for these classes. In other words, you don t need to re-take them. The Transfer Application Process The application process for BU Law LLM transfer students is similar to the regular transfer application process, outlined at https://www.bu.edu/law/admissions/jdadmissions/transfer-students/applying-to-transfer/, with some minor variations. A completed transfer application consists of: Completed electronic application, available at http://www.bu.edu/law/admissions/jd-admissions/application-instructions/ $85 Application Fee (non refundable). Final BU Law LLM transcript. You must ask BU Law s Registrar s Office to provide this to the JD Admissions Office. Neither the Graduate and International Programs Office (OGIP), the other graduate program offices, or the JD Admissions Office can request this on your behalf. You can request a copy of your transcript by following the instructions available at https://www.bu.edu/law/current-students/transcriptorders/. Letter of Good Standing from your LLM program. You should ask your LLM Program Director for this letter, which he/she can forward directly to the JD Admissions Office. Original LSAC Law School Report with LSAT Score(s). BU Law s JD program only accepts applications that have been submitted online via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Thus, all applicants must register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) during the current processing year. You cannot use the LSAC Account Number you received when you applied to the LLM program. You must re-register. If you submitted documents to LSAC that are required for the JD application, however, you can ask LSAC to transfer them over by contacting LSAC s Candidate Services at LLMInfo@LSAC.org or LSACinfo@lsac.org. You must take the LSAT test and arrange for the score to be sent to BU Law. If you want to complete your application as early as possible (see Deadlines, below) to ensure eligibility for On Campus Interviewing (OCI)/a journal, you should aim to take the LSAT no later than the previous February. You can take the June LSAT for fall enrollment, but if you do so your application will not be reviewed until the JD 6
admissions office receives your score. This will mean that you will very likely miss the OCI deadline. For information about LSAT test dates, use this link: http://www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/test-dates-deadlines. Personal Statement. A carefully-worded and detailed personal statement is an important part of your application. This statement should address why you want to transfer to the JD program. Two Letters of Recommendation, at least one of which must be from a BU Law faculty member who taught you in the LLM program. (Ideally, you would submit two.) There is a strong preference that the professor be a member of the full-time faculty. BU Law requires that letters of recommendation be sent through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service that is part of its Credential Assembly Service (CAS). CAS will copy your letters and send them to BU Law with the LSAC Law School Report. Updated resume. Important items to note: Deadlines: The application deadline is August 1. However, if you need a visa and/or would like to participate in either OCI and/or a journal, you are HIGHLY encouraged to apply earlier. To be eligible to participate in OCI and/or a journal, you must have applied, been admitted and committed (with a deposit) to the Law School no later than June 26. Certification of Accuracy: By electronically transmitting your application to the JD program, you certify that the information provided is complete and accurate, and that you will notify the Admissions Committee of additional information or changes arising at any time prior to your matriculation in the JD program at the School of Law (whether or not the Committee has already acted on your application). Any false, misleading, or incomplete statements may result in denial of admission, rescinding of the offer of admission, disciplinary action by the School of Law (including dismissal), or revocation of any School of Law degrees. Updates to your application: If you have any updates to your application such as a change of address you can e-mail them to the JD Admissions Office at bulawadm@bu.edu. It is critical to keep all of your contact information including your mailing and e-mail addresses up-to-date throughout the application cycle. Start Dates: The JD Program begins in the fall. January LLM graduates are not eligible to begin the JD program in the spring term immediately following their final fall semester of studies. Contacts: Questions about the transfer application process may be directed to Christine Carr, Associate Director of Admissions, at chrisc@bu.edu. 7
Other Schools Accelerated JD Programs If you are truly committed to transferring into a JD Program, we strongly encourage you to apply to more than one school. A growing number of US law schools offer two-year JD programs for foreign-trained lawyers, including those who received U.S. LLM degrees. Unlike BU Law, several do not require LSAT scores. You should conduct your own research about these accelerated programs. The information about credit transfer may not be on a school s website so you should call that school s JD Admissions office to inquire about questions that are not answered online. Below is an initial list to get you started, but please contact the law school directly for the most up-to-date information: (a) Fordham: This program bases the awarding of transfer credit on the student s LLM program. https://www.fordham.edu/info/22506/twoyear_jd_program_for_international_students. (b) Emory: This program bases the awarding of transfer credits on one s foreign law studies. Candidates admitted to the program enter with advanced standing, and may receive up to one year of elective credit for the foreign law degree. http://law.emory.edu/academics/jd-degree-program/accelerated-jd.html. (c) Stetson: This program considers both one s LLM program credits and one s foreign law studies. http://www.stetson.edu/law/international/home/accelerated-jdprogram.php. (d) George Washington: This program allows LLM students to apply for the JD program as a 1L and, if admitted, the student might be eligible to transfer up to 28 credits from the institution that granted his/her first law degree. They may also allow some credits from one s LLM year. https://www.law.gwu.edu/jd-admissions (e) The University of Maryland: LLM graduates are eligible for credit transfer, and therefore, advanced standing when they enroll at Maryland. Usually students will only have 2 years of the JD to complete to finish their degree. http://www.law.umaryland.edu/prospective/ This is not an exhaustive list of options, so we encourage you to do your own research into other schools which offer an accelerated JD program for LLM graduates. Visa/OPT Considerations While you are thinking about the transfer process, you should take into account some important visa/opt implications. You can apply for OPT 90 days before and up to 60 days after your LLM graduation date. Applying to transfer to a JD program might affect whether and when you apply for OPT, particularly if you want to maximize the amount of time you will be authorized to work in the United States. The chart below sets forth several scenarios for applying for OPT and transferring to a JD program. 8
We encourage you to carefully consider the information below and discuss your OPT options with both Professional Development and with the ISSO (David Enderlin at davend@bu.edu or 617-353-3565), which handles the official OPT application process. Post-LLM OPT JD Transfer OPT Consequences You apply for post-llm OPT You apply for post-llm OPT You do not apply for post-llm OPT You do not apply for post-llm OPT You are accepted into a JD program You are not accepted into a JD program You are accepted into a JD program You are not accepted into a JD program You lose your OPT days that you do not use before beginning the JD program. Note: you do not earn additional OPT time through a JD program, but may have CPT options. Your 365 days of OPT are available and may be used, as though you had not applied to a JD program. Your 365 days of OPT are available to be used during/after your JD program. Note: you do not earn additional OPT time through a JD program, but may have CPT options. (a) If you learn that you were not accepted into a JD program before the OPT application deadline (60 days from your LLM graduation date), you may still apply for OPT. Note: applying for OPT later decreases the amount of time you have available to work in the United States. (b) If you learn that you were not accepted into a JD program after the OPT application deadline (60 days from your LLM graduation date), you lose your OPT time and must leave the United States no later than the 60 th day after graduation. Note: If you do not apply for OPT or file an application to change status by the end of the 60- day grace period, you must leave the United States no later than the 60 th day after graduation. 9