2020-2021 
    
    Mar 19, 2024  
2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

LLM in Advocacy


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The LLM in Advocacy is a degree designed to provide opportunities for law graduates to enhance their legal advocacy skills in and out of the courtroom. A variety of courses are available to improve students’ technical trial skills, learn new litigation strategies and tools, strengthen persuasive abilities, and focus on the application of professional ethics in the pretrial and trial settings. Important focuses of the Advocacy Program are the use of modern technology in litigation and the training of ethical trial lawyers. The LLM in Advocacy combines a rigorous academic component and a breadth of practical litigation training, including optional credits from writing projects, teaching opportunities, and practical exposure through externships. The LLM in Advocacy can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Students can tailor the experience to fit their individualized goals or select courses from one of the predetermined specializations in Civil Trial Advocacy, Criminal Trial Advocacy, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Environmental Litigation, or Labor and Employment Litigation.

LLM Admissions


  • Hold a Juris Doctor (JD) from a US law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) or a first degree in law from a foreign law school with equivalent standards. 
  • Submit a completed application form along with supporting documents before the application deadline.
  • International applicants must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement

More information about applying is available on the Office of Graduate Admissions website.

LLM Advocacy Degree Requirements


  • Students must successfully complete 24 credit hours from the designated list of classes with a grade point average of 2.0 (C) or better.
  • In the first semester, non-common law trained students must successfully complete American Legal Institutions (LAW-580-001; 2 credits) and Legal Research and Writing (580-002; 2 credits).
  • Before the end of the first semester of study, students must select one of the following graduation tracks:
    • Research Track:  students must successfully complete two research papers of at least 3,500 words each that demonstrate a high degree of skill in legal scholarship and writing.
    • Practical Skills Track: students must successfully complete an externship for credit, and one research paper that demonstrates a high degree of skill in legal scholarship and writing.
  • The 24 credits needed for the LLM degree can be completed part-time, or full-time (two or three regular semesters). Students on an F-1 or J-1 visa must be enrolled in at least 8 credits during the fall and the spring, except for the last semester when students can take a reduced course load for 1-7 credits. To take a reduced course load, the Reduced Course Load Authorization Form must be filled out.
  • Students may enroll in a maximum of 15 credits per semester (fall and spring), however, it is recommended that students take no more than 13 credits per semester. WCL allows up to 7 credits in the summer.
  • LLM in Advocacy students may complete their degree requirements entirely by traditional classroom study or by classroom study combined with no more than eight semester hours of approved externship, independent study, and/or teaching assistant credits.
  • Absent extraordinary circumstances, students must complete the LLM degree within sixty months of matriculating in a given LLM program.

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