J.D. / LL.M. in Transnational Law

Temple Law has always taken great pride in providing an excellent legal education which prepares its graduates for the challenges they will meet in practice. But globalization has significantly changed the nature of these challenges. Advances in technology and transportation have created a demand for lawyers who can practice in a global environment. Multinational corporations have become the rule, rather than the exception, and the practice of law is no longer limited by national borders. Moreover, many of the most rapidly expanding areas of practice including cybersecurity, trade, investment, intellectual property, and environmental law are inherently transnational. Temple’s faculty designed the Transnational Law curriculum to recognize the reality of legal practice in the modern world. We aim to ensure our graduates will have the skills and knowledge to compete successfully in the twenty-first century. Our graduates will be knowledgeable about international legal doctrines, adept at dealing with multiple legal systems and their interactions, while also developing familiarity with other cultures and their diverse approaches to the rule of law.

This is not a concurrent degree, but J.D. students can earn partial credit towards the LL.M.

Message from the Director

Duncan B. Hollis

Laura H. Carnell Professor of Law, Co-Faculty Director, Institute for Law, Innovation & Technology, Director, LL.M. and J.D./LL.M. in Transnational Law

Thank you for your interest in Temple’s Master of Laws (LL.M.) Degree in Transnational Law. I am confident that you will find the LL.M. in Transnational Law a dynamic and intellectually stimulating program. Let me suggest three reasons why our program is particularly attractive.

First, we are recognized globally and nationally to have one of the top faculties specializing in public international law and other transnational legal issues. The faculty also has a broad commitment to comparative law. Although we have strengths in a number of substantive areas, we offer particular expertise in international trade, foreign investment, international criminal law, citizenship, migration, international courts and tribunals, the law of treaties, as well as emerging areas like the application of international law to cyberspace, intellectual property, and electronic commerce. Members of our faculty are acknowledged leaders in these cutting edge fields. But they do not just study the law; they engage with it in concrete and practical ways. Nearly half of our faculty has taught or worked overseas. Our international law faculty supplement their teaching and research by advising or consulting governments, international organizations, and multinational corporations. Just as importantly, the faculty is committed to our students. We pride ourselves on our availability to students. You will find open doors to faculty offices and ample opportunity for interaction with faculty outside of class.

Second, our LL.M. program is structured to require a truly international legal education. To graduate, students must complete a term of study abroad. Temple is the only U.S. law school to offer a semester-long program in Japan as well as a long-standing summer program in Rome in our own facility. Thus, we offer a tremendously rich range of experiences for those interested in international and comparative law.

Finally, at Temple, you will be joining an intellectually vibrant community of students and faculty interested in international law. Temple Law’s Institute for International Law and Public Policy provides numerous opportunities for Temple students to interact with leading international law practitioners and scholars from around the globe. The Institute for Law, Innovation & Technology (iLIT) offers programming on digital issues that include international regulation, access, and equity on the global stage. In addition, several student organizations, such as the International Law Society, arrange a lively series of speakers and other events. Moreover, with a separate LL.M. program for foreign-trained attorneys and J.D. students from many nations, you will be enriched by dozens of talented peers who share your interests. In short, our students find a community where they can develop lasting personal and professional relationships that transcend national boundaries.

I hope that you decide to enroll at Temple. If you have any questions about this LL.M. program, feel free to contact me.

I look forward to seeing you at Temple Law.

Sincerely,
Professor Duncan B. Hollis

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