Additional information on the LL.M. and J.S.D. writing requirements, please see the sections on the individual degrees at left. 

L6693 ASSOCIATE WRITING CREDIT (4-10 pts)
Associates-in-Law who wish to obtain the LL.M. by Writing must register for Associate Writing Credit for at least 4 points in each fall semester and 10 points in each spring semester. Other Associates may register for Associate Writing Credit for any number of points in conjunction with their course and seminar registrations. Work completed under the Associate Writing Credit does not earn letter grades but is graded on a credit/fail basis.

L6692 LL.M. ESSAY (2-8 pts)
*2 to 8 pts.
*Letter grade required.
*Instructor as assigned.
*Maximum of eight (8) points of independent research may be ctoward the LL.M. degree.
*Must be registered separately with Registration Services.
A paper may qualify as an LL.M. Essay only if it has been supervised by a law faculty member.  This may be any member of the regular, clinical, adjunct or visiting faculty.

Prior to registering for the LL.M. Essay, the student must secure the agreement of a faculty member to act as Supervisor.  The number of academic points to be granted for a Master's Essay depends upon the scope and nature of the topic and is determined, in advance of registration, by the supervisor.  Upt to eight (8) points of academic credit can be granted for the research and writing involved.  Once the student has secured a supervisor and has reached agreement with the supervisor on the number of points to be granted for the LL.M. Essay, the student must obtain the supervisor's signature, as well as the signature of the Dean of Graduate Legal Studies, on the appropriate registration form ("Research and Writing Form").

Students must submit a complete draft of the paper to their faculty supervisor well in advance of the due date so that it can be reviewd by the supervisor and revised by the student in response to the supervisor's comments and suggestions before it is submitted in final form.  A copy of the finished LL.M. Essay is deposited in the Law School Library, and its title appears on the student's transcript. 

L6684 PAID FACULTY ASSISTANT SERVICE (0 pts)
*Writing credit available if research paper approved by supervising instructor. Must register separately to earn writing credit.
*This course is closed to LL.M.s.
One unit of writing credit is earned for the term in which the work was performed, upon satisfactory completion of "legal research and writing in aid of scholarly investigations." (See Rule 1.4.)

L6884 PAID TECHNOLOGY TEACHING ASSISTANT (0 pts)
*Open to LL.M.s.
Similar to L6684 - Service as Paid Faculty Assistant. Students will work under supervision to assist faculty members wishing assistance in integrating technology into their teaching and scholarship. Examples include working with faculty in the creation and design of course Websites, assisting in on-line research, organizing materials from the world wide web, and related technical activities. Prof. Johnson and Mr. Donnelly will provide information and training to those students participating in this program so that they may better collaborate with participating members of the faculty.

L9501 RESEARCH FOR THE J.S.D. DEGREE (2-12 pts)
*2 to 12 pts.
*Graded CR (credit) or F (failure).
*Instructor as assigned.

L6691 RESEARCH FOR THE LL.M. DEGREE (1-6 pts)
*1 to 6 pts.
*Letter grade required.
*Instructor as assigned.

L6683 SUPERVISED RESEARCH (1-2 pts)
*Maximum of 3 credits in a term and 4 credits in an academic year.
*Letter grade required for LL.M. candidates.
When appropriate, unpaid internships may earn credit within this category if approved by a faculty member who agrees to supervise and grade a research paper.

L6823 TEACHING FELLOWS - ASSOCIATES (6 pts)
*Graded CR (credit) or F (failure).
*Open only to Associates pursuing the LL.M. or J.S.D. degree
Associates in Law who are pursuing the LL.M. degree are expected to register for L.6823 for six points. The Associates are required to attend all sessions of the lectures presented by Columbia faculty during the "intensive phase" of the legal methods courses offered to first-year J.D.'s/civil law LL.M. candidates (Legal Methods/Comparative Introduction to American Law, respectively). The intensive period lasts for three weeks, during which lectures are generally given for two to three hours per day. LL.M.-Associates hold section meetings for smaller groups during the intensive period, explaining concepts in greater detail and responding to student questions; they assign, correct, and discuss one-on-one with students various research and writing assignments; and they continue the students? legal methods instruction after the intensive period by presenting a weekly two-hour research and writing seminar that involves continued one-on-one interaction with students.