University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Law

University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Law
Back to search

About

The University of Connecticut School of Law prepares graduates for a lifetime of fulfilling service in any career they choose, including the bar, government, business, and education. UConn Law emphasizes intellectual discipline and the development of professional analytic skills required to respond effectively to continuing changes in law and in society.

Programs (4)

University Rankings (4)

 

 

Situated between downtown Hartford and the quaint New England town of West Hartford, students have ready access to restaurants, theaters, museums and much more.  The unique campus located in the west-end of Hartford provides UConn Law students a unique space to form a cohesive-diverse community focused on learning the law.   

Students have the opportunity to develop the legal skills needed to become an effective advocate while studying on a campus that is on the National Register of Historic sites.  In this beautiful environment, students gain experience in academics, professional development, community service, and experiential learning that helps them relate to clients, build networks and improve professional development opportunities for the future.  

How to apply

 

 

Throughout the admissions process, whether you are applying to the J.D., LL.M. or S.J.D. programs, admissions officers are available to answer questions and offer assistance as requested.  In order to give you the most time to plan for your LL.M. program, the admissions committee considers applications on a rolling basis.

 

 

 

Application Deadlines:

Fall Semester Start

Spring Semester Start

Applicants with U.S. residency

August 1

December 1

International applicants

June 15

November 15

 

 

Application Eligibility

Applicants are required to hold or expect to receive a degree from an ABA-approved law school or from a recognized law faculty outside the United States before matriculating in the LL.M. program at UConn School of Law and must also meet the school’s English fluency standards. 

There are a few exceptions to this policy for students in integrated law degree programs. For more information click here. 

 

Exceptions:

 

Students in 4 or 5-year first degree in law may attend in 4th or 5th year

Students in integrated masters/Ph.D. program may apply

Students in 3-year Juris Master may attend LLM in final year after coursework is complete

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Applying through Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)

The first step in the application process is to create an LLM account on the LSAC website.  Students should purchase the LLM Credential Assembly service (LLM CAS) to complete the assembly for transcripts and recommendations.

 

The following application documents can be assembled through LSAC:

 

  1. Application questionnaire;
  2. Upload a personal statement describing your educational background, reasons for enrolling in the LL.M. program, planned course of study, and career goals;
  3. Upload a writing sample in English;
  4. Upload final law school transcripts to LLM CAS from your degree-granting institution. The law degree should be the equivalent of the J.D. or LL.B. degree; correspondence course degrees will not be considered for admission;
  5. Submit two (2) letters of recommendation from either present or former law professors or supervisors of your legal work, which the recommender must upload electronically to LSAC;
  6. Submit your official TOEFL/IELTS/PTE test score, if applicable (our university code is 3915), as described in our Language Proficiency Policy; and
  7. Pay the application fee in the amount of $75 USD through LSAC.

 

 

Proof of English Language Proficiency

International applicants to UConn Law's LLM programs must provide proof of English proficiency or demonstrate qualification for an exemption from this requirement. Applicants may take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE exam.  UConn Law accepts a range of scores from TOEFL 80 or above, ITELS 6.0 or above and PTE of 60 or above.

There are also some exemptions to the language policy which students can access by clicking here.

 

 

Goals of Admissions Committee

Each year the admissions committee reviews files to consider the academic performance, intellectual curiosity and professional experience of each applicant.  The committee takes a holistic approach to each applicant reflecting on the individual strengths each student will bring to the program and how the program will benefit each student.  The work experience, career and academic achievements, public service and educational goals are all factors that demonstrate potential leadership and life experience that will be enhanced through a UConn Law LLM program.

Our goal is to train attorneys at the highest level of professional excellence so while students are building legal expertise, they are also making connections that will advance their careers.

 

 

LLM Programs

With four LLM programs and seven certificate programs designed specifically in areas of institutional strength, students have the opportunity to choose the program that best fits their needs.

 

Each LLM program is designed to create an individualized academic plan to meet the students’ needs while also developing professional opportunities for personal growth.

 

UConn Law’s LLM programs are flexible, affordable and each contains unique academic identifies.  Our Insurance Law LLM is one of a kind with the largest insurance curriculum in a city that headquarters some of the largest global insurance companies.  There are also a limited number of distance learning spots in the insurance LLM program.

 

The LL.M in Human Rights & Social Justice provides a unique opportunity to pursue integrated international and domestic aspects of social justice lawyering.  Exploring both business, non-profit and public policy arenas, students can take courses at the law school, the UConn School of Social Work in downtown Hartford or the Human Rights Institute at the Storrs campus.

 

In the Energy & Environmental Law LLM, students have unique opportunities in clinics and field placement programs. Students can move beyond the classroom, working in state agencies, law firms, energy and environmental corporations or regulated utilities, offering students the opportunity to use their foundational knowledge in a practice setting. 

 

Students interested in pursuing a career in academia, government service or the judiciary may choose to continue toe the SJD program. Students enrolled in the SJD program must have the ability to conduct sustained and original academic or professional research at a high intellectual level, culminating in the submission of a doctoral dissertation.  Strong preference is given to the Law School’s own LLM candidates. 

 

JD Program

LLM students choosing to pursue a JD after graduation may utilize the LLM to JD admissions process.  Students who meet the admissions requirements of this program will be able to utilize advanced standing for certain credits earned in the LLLM program.  

UConn’s Unique Academic Enrichment Programs

Regardless of which program a UConn Law student chooses to enroll, there are a number of opportunities that allow students to create a flexible and customized curriculum.

 

Certificates:  There are seven unique certificates in Corporate & Regulatory Compliance, Energy and Environmental Law, Financial Services Regulation, Human Rights, Intellectual Property, Tax Studies and Foundational Certificates in U.S. Law.

 

Clinics and Field Placements: UConn Law has been a leader in experiential education since its founding in the 1920’s.  Currently, UConn Law offers over 15 clinics and field placements opportunities in over government agencies, non-profits, private law firms, in-house legal departments, federal and state chambers and numerous administrative agencies.  Students work with individualized counselors to find a position that meets their academic needs and offer’s a suitable practice-based learning opportunity.

 

LLM+: Students interested in adding a third semester to the LLM program can choose to apply for the LLM+ program which allows for a full-time for-credit field placement opportunity in the final semester.  Students complete 21 credits in the first two semesters and complete 9 credits in a third semester in a placement in Washington, DC, Connecticut or some other preferred location so long as an appropriate placement is confirmed.

 

 

A complete learning environment with extensive course enrollment opportunities

With more than 200 day and evening class sections each year, as well as clinics, field placements and exchange programs, students may design their own courses of study on a full-time or part-time basis. The school prepares its students to practice law in any jurisdiction, with no special emphasis on Connecticut law. The diverse backgrounds, specialties and intellectual approaches of the faculty assure a wide variety of teaching styles and formats, including clinical instruction, skills training, interdisciplinary work, and courses and workshops employing the problem method. The Law School has adopted an Academic Plan, setting out our strategies for the coming years and highlighting both our strengths and our plans for reinforcing and building our areas of greatest distinction.

UConn School of Law

 

The UConn School of Law is one of the leading public law schools in the country. Its campus, listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, is probably the most beautiful of any law school in the United States. The Law Library is one of the largest in the world and was recently named among the 50 Most Amazing University Libraries in the World by Best Masters Programs. Two miles from the center of Hartford, the Law School is located in a neighborhood of large Victorian homes, where many students, staff, and faculty live.

The campus is a few minutes away from the State Capitol, courts and agencies, and the offices of Hartford's law firms and corporations. Students have ready access to all of these institutions for study, externships, clinical education and practice, and employment.

 

 

Faculty Student Connection creates a rich learning environment

UConn Law's legal education reflects a belief that the life of the mind is best stimulated by a high quality of civil discourse among students and faculty conducted on a small scale. The advantageous 4:1 student-faculty ratio, among the lowest in the nation, creates a welcoming and collaborative learning environment and gives students ready access to UConn Law’s leading faculty scholars. The faculty includes leading scholars whose ideas and interdisciplinary research enrich their classes, drive the evolution of legal thought and further the cause of justice throughout the nation and the world.  

Student Organizations

With over 40 active student organizations, there is a wide range of opportunities for students to be involved.  These range from sports teams like soccer, softball, ice hockey and running to the Connecticut Alliance of International Lawyers (CAIL), the Public Interest Law Group, the Women’s Law Student Association and many more.  For a complete list, click here.  There is something for every student.

 

CAIL – Connecticut Alliance of International Lawyers

CAIL is led by LLM and exchange students.  Students in this group lead events focused on meeting the needs of the many international JD, LLM, SJD and Exchange students who are regularly attending the campus.  Events may focus on bringing international customs to campus such as the Chinese New Year or various language cafes.  And sometimes the events focus on introducing international students to unique U.S. customs such as pumpkin carving, apple picking or campus Easter egg hunts.  

Diversity Committee

Students attending the UConn School of Law strive to create a community that is inclusive of all viewpoints, races, nationalities, religions, and sexual orientation. The UConn School of Law Diversity Committee, a standing Committee under the umbrella of the UConn School of Law Student Bar Association (SBA), acts both proactively and reactively to promote, ensure and protect the open and inclusive nature of our law school's community.

The Committee acts proactively to promote diversity and create an open and inclusive community by working with administrators and faculty to ensure diversity training for students during orientation, for faculty as a part of their regular professional development, and by sponsoring events — such as, but not limited to, Diversity Week — throughout the school year that bring all members of our community together for thought provoking debate and discussion on the creation and maintenance of an inclusive community.

 

 OneStop

UConn Law’s OneStop is an area within the library focused specifically on meeting the non-academic needs of students.  Encompassed within OneStop is the student services office, the information technology center, the career planning center, the graduate and international programs office, the financial aid office and the office of the registrar.

Each of these offices provides a unique student facing service.  The student services office focuses on offering programs on wellness, connecting students with resources for academic success and providing accommodations for students with different abilities.  The IT department supports student access to information systems on campus.  The career planning center supports students in finding appropriate employment opportunities.  The graduate and international programs office provides academic counseling to LLM students, creates new international partnerships for exchange and the financial aid and registrar’s office help students meet their academic goals with a solid financial plan.

Students can bring any question to OneStop for a solution or help designing a plan for the best course of action.

 

 

Diverse Student body engaged in the community

A strong commitment to diversity, embodied in a wide array of active student organizations and a highly supportive student services department, cultivates a warm sense of community. With over 40 students groups and four scholarly journals on campus, each managed, edited, and published by the students, there is something here for everyone. 

Students can engage with the wider community through volunteer and alumnae networks as well as through the career planning centers open events for students.  Students in off-campus field placements will gain invaluable hands-on experience guided by top-notch practitioners.

 

 

Affordable Excellence 

 UConn Law is one of the best bargains.  The LLM per credit rate ranges from $1,190 per credit to $1,326 per credit, the lowest rate in the New England and tristate region.  With a 24-credit LLM program costing $28,560 - $31,824 plus applicable fees, UConn Law students can access incredible academics, unmatched support services and a unique opportunity to create a program that fits individual needs.  

We invite you to explore the many advantages of a UConn School of Law education and to map a unique path to a rewarding and meaningful legal career