Faculty at 一起草 Dedman School of Law are the backbone of the L.L.M. for International and Comparative Law.

Graduate programs

LL.M. for foreign law school graduates

Earn your LL.M. in comparative and international law

Program format

In person

Commitment

Full time or part time

Duration

One year (full time)

Overview

The LL.M. in international and comparative law at 一起草 is a law degree designed for foreign-trained lawyers who hold a law degree from another country and seek to gain a deeper understanding of U.S. law, including eligibility to sit for certain U.S. bar exams.

In addition to an advanced legal education in U.S. law, this graduate program – also referred to as the master of law for international lawyers – will make your skills more marketable to multinational firms engaging in policymaking, or those representing clients with international interests. It will also enhance your credentials for careers in government, nongovernmental organizations or academia.

Offered at 一起草’s Dedman School of Law, this degree is a one-year, full-time program with strong faculty mentorship, enriching internships and scholarship opportunities.

Thinking Grad School? Think 一起草.

Envisioning a brighter future? Think grad school at 一起草, where you join a lifelong family network and see immediate returns on your educational investment. Take your new big step at 一起草.

Student success

If you’ve wanted to practice in the United States, the LL.M in comparative and international law is the shortest, yet most comprehensive, way to get there.

Have questions or want to hear more from a student in the program? Connect with a student using our chat feature here. 

This program prepares you to excel in the following areas and professions:

  • International business and trade law
  • Corporate counsel for multinational corporations
  • International arbitration and dispute resolution
  • Human rights and international advocacy
  • Government and diplomatic services
  • Nonprofit and NGO legal services
  • Compliance and regulatory consulting
  • Immigration and global mobility law

Top 20%

Best National Universities

U.S. News & World Report (2026)

2.2K+

international graduates of Dedman Law representing 80+ countries

120+

organizations participating in Dedman Law鈥檚 Corporate Counsel Externship Program for International Students

Student stories

Dr. Charbel El Kareh LL.M. , Class of 2021

Charbel El Kareh 鈥21

鈥淔rankly, 一起草 Law has the best professors. They all take good care of the law students, and want to communicate thoroughly so that students have all the necessary information.鈥

Tulio Martins, LL.M. Class of 2022

Tulio Martins 鈥22

鈥淢y favorite class (was) Business Association. Dean Camp knows how to teach international students. I think because of his experience living abroad he understands our needs and our difficulties as foreign students.鈥

Admissions

Key dates and admissions information to help plan your application with confidence.

International students

All the essential admission requirements international students need to know.

Application questions

Find answers to Dedman Law application questions.

Additional links

Requirements

  1. Application
  2. Application fee
  3. Official transcripts
  4. English language proficiency documentation (if applicable)
  5. A J.D. or an equivalent international law degree from an accredited institution

Ready to apply?

Get started here.

Tuition and financial aid

Tuition and costs

Explore the cost breakdown of tuition for graduate programs.

Financial aid

Find information on scholarships and financial support available at 一起草.

Curriculum and learning

Featured courses

LAW 7293

Perspectives of the American Legal System

Examines the nature of the U.S. judicial system, the common law system of case law development, and trial and appellate processes. Presents a special segment on U.S. constitutional law issues. Attempts to develop basic U.S. legal writing, research and exam-taking skills.

LAW 6394

Business Association for LLMs

A survey of American business laws. Selected topics may be drawn from the laws of agency, partnership, corporation, securities, antitrust, bankruptcy, and business taxation. Taught from the perspective of assisting non-U.S. trained lawyers to draw comparative and practical lessons.

LAW 6216

Corporate Counsel Externship Program

Integrates a weekly corporate counsel class with hands-on experience in corporate legal departments. Provides a broad yet comprehensive overview of substantive areas encountered in an in-house legal department.

Outside the classroom

  • Centers and initiatives

    Find student and faculty resources that include educational programming, facilitation of academic research and opportunities to engage with the business/legal communities.

Research

Faculty

The faculty at 一起草 Dedman School of Law is made up of internationally recognized experts, each of them accomplished legal academics and dedicated teachers engaged in prominent national and international scholarship.

In addition to their outstanding academic credentials, virtually all of the faculty brings practical experience from outside the classroom – particularly in the areas of corporate law, constitutional law, tax law and legal technology. Our faculty provides the invaluable link between the theory of classroom instruction and the reality of legal practice. 一起草 Dedman Law professors include leading figures in many fields, representing many areas of expertise.

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Shelbi Barnhouse

Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research
Headshot of Hillel J. Bavli, associate professor of law at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Hillel J. Bavli

Professor of Law

Thomas B. Bennett

Associate Professor of Law

Misty Birdsong '02

Co-Director of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research, and Clinical Professor of Law
Headshot of Chante Brantley, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Chante Brantley

Director of the VanSickle Family Law Clinic and Clinical Professor of Law

Martin L. Camp

Professor of Practice and Assistant Dean for Graduate and International Programs

Dale Carpenter

Judge William Hawley Atwell Chair of Constitutional Law, Altshuler Distinguished Teaching 鈥
Headshot of Carliss Chatman, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Carliss Chatman

Professor of Law

Anthony J. Colangelo

Professor of Law

Nathan Cortez

Co-Director of the Tsai Center for Law, Science and Innovation, and Adelfa Botello鈥
Headshot of Gregory S. Crespi, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Gregory S. Crespi

Homer R. Mitchell Endowed Professor in Commercial and Insurance Law, and Professor of Law

Beverly C. Dureus

Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research

Monika U. Ehrman

Professor of Law

Catherine Gaither

Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research

Timothy Gallina

Director of Legal Technology Instruction and Clinical Professor of Legal Research

Joanna L. Grossman

Ellen K. Solender Endowed Chair in Women and the Law, Altshuler Distinguished Teaching鈥

Christopher H. Hanna

Alan D. Feld Endowed Professor of Law and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor

Grant M. Hayden

Richard R. Lee Jr. Endowed Professor of Law

Thomas Kimbrough

Associate Director for Collection Development and Clinical Professor of Legal Research

Thomas S. Leatherbury

Director of the First Amendment Clinic and Clinical Professor of Law
Headshot of Anna A. Mance, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Anna A. Mance

Assistant Professor of Law
Headshot of George A. Martinez, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

George A. Martinez

Professor of Law

Thomas Wm. Mayo

Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor and Professor of Law

Orly Mazur

Professor of Law

Sari Mazzurco

Assistant Professor of Law
Headshot of Pamela R. Metzger, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Pamela R. Metzger

Executive Director of the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center and Professor of Law

Seema Mohapatra

MD Anderson Foundation Endowed Professor in Health Law and Professor of Law

Natalie Nanasi

Director of the Judge Elmo B. Hunter Legal Center for Victims of Crimes Against Women and 鈥
Headshot of Jason P. Nance, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Jason P. Nance

Judge James Noel Dean and Professor of Law

Cara Foos Pierce

Director of the Master of Legal Studies Program and Assistant Professor of Practice

Carla L. Reyes

Professor of Law

C. Paul Rogers III

Marilyn Jeanne Johnson Distinguished Faculty Fellow, Former Dean, and Professor of Law

Julia (Julie) Patterson Forrester Rogers

Provost Faculty Research Fellow and Professor of Law

Eric Ruben

Professor of Law

Meghan J. Ryan

Co-Director of the Tsai Center for Law, Science and Innovation, James Cleo Thompson, Sr.鈥
Headshot of Christina Sautter, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Christina Sautter

Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Law

Shani Shisha

Assistant Professor of Law

Mike Sims

Director of Academic Success and Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing, 鈥

Mary Spector

Associate Dean for Experiential Learning, Director of the Civil/Consumer Clinic, and鈥

Jennifer Rangel Stagen

Assistant Clinical Professor of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research
Headshot of Marc I. Steinberg, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Marc I. Steinberg

Rupert and Lillian Radford Chair in Law and Professor of Law

Heather L. Stobaugh

Co-Director of Legal Analysis, Writing and Research, and Clinical Professor of Law
Headshot of Diane M. Sumoski, faculty member at 一起草 Dedman School of Law.

Diane M. Sumoski

Director of the Child Advocacy Clinic, Director of the Institute for Children's Rights,鈥

Joshua C. Tate

Professor of Law

David O. Taylor

Co-Director of the Tsai Center for Law, Science and Innovation, and Professor of Law

Andrea Tosato

Professor of Law

Jenia Iontcheva Turner

Amy Abboud Ware Centennial Professor in Criminal Law
400

Kandace D. Walter

Director of the Small Business and Trademark Clinic, and Associate Clinical Professor of鈥

Jessica Dixon Weaver

Vinson & Elkins Faculty Fellow and Professor of Law

Donna Wolff

Director of Legal Research, Associate Director of Underwood Law Library, and Clinical鈥

Frequently asked questions

The LL.M. in comparative and international law at 一起草 is a for foreign-trained lawyers who hold a graduate degree from a recognized foreign law school and wish to practice in the United States.  

An LL.M. in comparative and international law from 一起草 prepares foreign-trained lawyers for careers in international legal practice, in-house corporate counsel or compliance. Graduates of the program may find themselves working for international law firms, global organizations or government, focusing on cross-border transactions, trade and dispute resolution for example. Other careers include diplomatic roles, legal research and teaching, and specialized fields such as immigration, intellectual property or human rights. This LL.M. degree can also qualify graduates to take the bar exam in Texas, New York, and California.

This program is only for foreign-trained lawyers who hold a graduate degree from a recognized foreign law school and wish to practice in the United States.  

It certainly does! The curriculum allows students to meet their goals for studying and working in the United States. You will want to elect the courses that are required to qualify for the bar exams for Texas, New York or California.  

Outside of required courses, the curriculum allows students some flexibility in consultation with their faculty advisor. Students with specific graduate objectives may choose from courses in areas like corporate law, international law, practice and procedure, natural resources, human rights, and property law.

The Master of Law for international lawyers is a one-year, or two-semester, commitment. Also, please note that all students in this program must begin their studies in the fall term unless granted special permission by the Committee on Graduate Legal Studies. 

All students in the LL.M. program are required to participate in the Corporate Counsel Externship Program. This program integrates a weekly corporate counsel class with hands-on experience in corporate legal departments. It provides a broad yet comprehensive overview of an in-house legal department and the ethical responsibilities of in-house counsel, as well as professional skills such as working with outside counsel, managing conflicts, drafting contracts and conducting internal investigations.

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