U.S. EXECUTIVE TRACK LLM PROGRAMS EARNING YOUR DEGREE AS A WORKING LAWYER

Pursuing Your Executive LLM in the U.S.

Earning your LLM degree is no easy feat, especially when you're worried about not having enough time to dedicate to your studies. We are three top-U.S. law schools, Berkeley Law, Columbia Law, and Northwestern Law, who offer an alternative model to traditional academic year LLM programs — providing working professionals the opportunity to earn a degree despite their busy schedule. Sign up below to hear from us about upcoming informational events, gain insight on program structure, ideal program candidates, degree specializations, and more.

MEET THE SCHOOLS

Berkeley Law’s LL.M. executive track is one of two LL.M. degree program tracks we offer — specifically designed for lawyers who want an internationally renowned Berkeley Law degree but can’t leave professional or personal commitments for an entire standard academic year. In our Executive track, students may focus their studies to earn a Certificate of Specialization in our nationally recognized Law and Technology, Business Law, or Artificial Intelligence programs while being able to meet the requirements to become eligible to register for the California Bar Examination. During your time here you will study exclusively with other LL.M. students and be taught by the same distinguished faculty that teaches during the academic year.

*New in Summer 2025* Berkeley Law is pleased to announce the first Certificate of Specialization in AI Law and Regulation in an LL.M. program in the United States! Learn from the top AI scholars and practitioners and prepare yourself for the future in legal advocacy.

After graduation, exclusively offered to alumni of our Executive track program, you will also have the opportunity to pursue the LL.M. Post-Graduate Executive Leadership Certificate - designed to provide you with the skills of an effective people and project manager to help you become a more well-rounded legal professional.

Program Structure:

At Berkeley Law, we offer two Executive track timelines to choose from — providing you with the opportunity to lay a solid foundation in the fundamentals of U.S. law before customizing your degree based off of your own individual interests and professional goals:

REMOTE + SUMMER

Complete your degree in one full calendar year, starting remotely in January and ending remotely in December with one in-Berkeley semester during the summer. Online spring and fall semesters each take ~15 hours of work per week or less while the summer semester is full-time, in Berkeley with a wide variety of courses to choose from.

TWO SUMMERS

Complete your degree during two consecutive 8- or 13-week summer semesters (May-August) in Berkeley. This semester structure allows students to participate in required and elective courses for full-time study in a shorter period of time while fully engaging in life at the law school and exploring the Bay Area.

click here to read through our program brochure

Why Berkeley?

A Berkeley Law LL.M. means more than just earning your degree at one of the top law schools in the United States. It means committing to academic excellence, expanding your global professional network in over 100 countries, and joining one of the most intellectually and diverse communities in the nation.

At Berkeley Law, your experience is just as important as your education. From politics to poetry, food to film, nature to nightlife, Berkeley has it all. Want to learn more about what that means for you? Reach out to our team to learn more:

Email:

llm@law.berkeley.edu

Whatsapp Chat:

+1 (510) 424-3993

Instagram:

@berkeleylaw

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UC Berkeley School of Law

The Columbia Executive LL.M. in Global Business Law, led by Columbia’s renowned corporate law faculty, is an accelerated, six-month degree program designed for ambitious, experienced lawyers.

Globalization, fluctuating political influences, and technological advancement continue to rapidly transform business and the legal landscape. Success in today’s interconnected economy requires a nuanced understanding of U.S. law and business principles as well as a high-level view of how both transcend borders. Columbia’s Executive LL.M. provides you with essential U.S. business law knowledge, business acumen, and the skills and aptitudes that global lawyers of the future must have to succeed.

Combining online courses with an intensive 12-week residency at Columbia Law School’s New York City campus, the program enables you to spend minimal time away from home and still gain the advantage of earning a prestigious LL.M. degree with many of the world’s most renowned scholars and practitioners in a city at the center of law and business.

Program Highlights

Complete your LL.M. degree in 6 months:
  • Online, Part-Time Spring Semester (March — May)
  • On-Campus, Full-Time Summer Residency (May — August)
  • Online, Part-Time Final Course (August — September)
Hear directly from experts who will inspire you in our transformative Leadership and Management series.
Breakfast and lunch provided during on-campus class days.
Curated social and networking events throughout the Residency.

Why Columbia?

Why Columbia? The world looks to Columbia Law School as a leader in legal education and scholarship. As a graduate, you’ll be ready when the world looks to you. With access to our global network of more than 27,000 alumni, our internationally renowned faculty, and the city at the heart of law and global business, earning your Executive LL.M. at Columbia means joining a program as agile and ambitious as you are.

Connect with us today to learn more:

Email:

gradprograms@law.columbia.edu

Phone:

212-854-2655

Instagram:

@columbialawschool

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Columbia Law School

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law was the first top law school to introduce an Executive LLM degree for experienced lawyers. Since its inception in 2001, our executive LLM programs have proudly graduated more than 1000 lawyers from over 50 countries. The Executive LLM Programs provide the opportunity to truly focus on your studies so you can maximize your time away from work.

The Executive LLM Madrid Program is a joint degree offered by two of the world’s leading law schools: IE Law School and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Uniting these two academic powerhouses ensures participants get the best of both worlds in a unique program that expertly integrates business administration content into a cross-border legal framework. On completion of the program, you will receive an LLM from Northwestern Law and a Business Administration Certificate from IE Business School, which will establish your profile and uniquely position you to act on legal and business matters with challenging international dimensions.

Our alumni, which represent over 35 countries worldwide, are located throughout the world’s legal community…law firms of every size, consulting, finance, the public sector, government agencies, corporations, technology, construction, pharma, and oil and gas to name a few.

Program Structure

In addition to online coursework, participants complete two intensive, three-week sessions: one on the IE Madrid campus and one on NU Law’s Chicago campus. This format allows students to earn their degree while taking minimal time away from their professional and personal obligations.

Each course is carefully designed and taught by world-class faculty from both institutions, all of whom bring a lifetime of expertise and real-world experiences to help bring the curriculum to life. Every element of the ELLM program is tailored to the needs of international lawyers who are looking to gain strong knowledge and understanding of U.S. common law and legal concepts. Its multi-jurisdictional focus equips participants with a 360-degree strategic legal and business vision to empower them to break barriers and develop their career on the global stage. Completing the ELLM program at Northwestern Pritzker Law qualifies students to sit for the California Bar Exam.

Join us in two world class cities: Chicago and Madrid. Chicago is the third largest city in the U.S. and home to dozens of Fortune 500 companies. Northwestern Law’s proximity to courts, commerce, transportation, and world-class venues gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in one of the most vibrant legal and business communities in the world. Madrid is the third largest city in the European Union and is centrally located with easy access to markets in Europe, Latin American and North Africa. It is home to one of the largest telcos in the world, Telefonica, alongside rapidly growing companies such as Google, Amazon, and Cabify.

Admissions are on a rolling basis and the academic year begins in September. Applications are submitted online through our partner institution IE’s portal.

Email:

ellm@law.northwestern.edu

Phone:

312-503-0725

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/school/northwestern-university-school-of-law/

Instagram:

@northwesternlaw

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Northwestern Law