Columbia Law School Launches Accelerated Executive LL.M. Program in Global Business Law

New York, Oct. 17, 2018—Columbia Law School today announced the launch of the Executive Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Global Business Law.  This intensive program will allow students to earn an LL.M. in roughly half a calendar year, providing experienced attorneys with the expert foundation in American business law necessary to navigate the most complex cross-border transactions that characterize today’s global economy. The application is now open and the program will admit its first students in spring 2019.

“The Executive LL.M. program extends Columbia Law School’s global mission by offering high-achieving, experienced lawyers from around the world the opportunity to quickly advance their careers, build a global network, and lead their clients through multinational deals,” said Columbia Law School Dean Gillian Lester, the Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law. “Students will gain more than a credential; they will develop a deep understanding of international business law from the country’s most respected academics and leading practitioners in the field, all while expanding their capabilities as trusted strategists and counselors to their clients.”

After conducting a national search, Dean Lester has appointed Julie Sculli to serve as the program’s director, beginning in early November.  Sculli, who holds a J.D. degree from Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law, has spent nearly a decade building the LL.M. program, as well as myriad other international programs, at Brooklyn Law School.

The Executive LL.M. in Global Business Law will complement the Law School’s longstanding full-year postgraduate Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree. It is specifically designed for attorneys in international practice who wish to gain a strong foundation in U.S. business law, but cannot devote a standard full academic year to their studies. The program will provide students with an advanced understanding of how critical topics of business law fit into the evolving international legal framework.

The hybrid program will be offered in an accelerated format beginning with two courses offered online in the spring, followed by an intensive summer residency at Columbia Law School, and concluding with one online course in September. Degree candidates will earn a total of 24 points of academic credit—the same number as in the traditional LL.M. degree program. Core courses will include:

• Introduction to American Law
• American Contract Law
• Corporations
• Professional Responsibility
• Colloquium

Students will take three electives from a varying list of curricular offerings, including:

• Antitrust and Trade Regulation
• Advanced Corporate Law: Mergers & Acquisitions
• Corporate Finance
• International Commercial Arbitration
• American Constitutional Law
• Negotiation Workshop

"The Executive LL.M. is an incredible opportunity for lawyers to study global business law in New York City—the world's business center,” said Julia Miller, who as assistant dean for Executive Education helped develop the program. “We look forward to welcoming these students into the Columbia Law School community and being a part of their career trajectories."

Since its founding in 1858, Columbia Law School has been a driver of ideas, innovation, and impact that have shaped the legal community. Alumni have launched international law firms, advocated for civil and human rights, won precedent-setting cases, led multinational businesses, and shaped world affairs. Columbia Law School graduates occupy influential roles globally in law, finance, academia, human rights, the judiciary, international affairs, and technology.

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