LLM in International Dispute Resolution

International Dispute Resolution

Fordham’s LLM program in International Dispute Resolution focuses on the various ways that international disputes are resolved, including through traditional litigation as well as alternative methods of dispute resolution, such as arbitration and mediation. While traditional methods of dispute resolution remain important, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms are growing rapidly as a preferred method of resolving disputes between parties in public and private international law matters. It is increasingly important for lawyers to have a strong understanding of both the principles underlying each of these methods and the processes involved. This program offers students the opportunity to explore in-depth the various options for the adjudication of disputes, and especially to examine how they are played out in the international arena. Foreign students will develop an appreciation for the U.S. common law system generally and will learn some of the particular characteristics of the U.S. litigation model.

Fordham Law School’s LLM programs combine rigorous study and a warm and welcoming environment, all in the heart of New York City—the nation’s legal, financial, and cultural capital.

The Fordham Law curriculum offers a perfect mix of courses devoted to the theoretical inquiry as well as practical exposure. LLM students have the opportunity to enroll in drafting courses, clinics, and externships that offer them hands-on legal experience. LLM students may also apply for special staff positions on student-run journals. Each year LLM students also serve on the boards of student organizations, such as the Student Bar Association.

Fordham Law offers the flexibility to accommodate today’s global professionals. You can begin your studies in either August or January. Our dual-concentration program allows you to study for three semesters and have the unique advantage of receiving the LLM in any two of our areas of specialization. We have a robust evening curriculum to enable working students to advance their studies. Our professional track allows busy professionals maximum flexibility in scheduling their studies over a period of up to two years. Students also have the option of taking our Legal English Institute (LEI) on a credit basis as part of a dual-concentration LLM program in US Law and the second concentration of their choice.

Fordham Law has a state-of-the-art building just steps from Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, blocks from Central Park, and a short walk or subway ride from all that New York City has to offer. In addition to innumerable social and cultural opportunities, Fordham Law’s location offers students unparalleled access to networking and other professional opportunities.

Fordham Law professors are as well known for their teaching as they are for their scholarships. Our faculty members devote themselves to the educational experience and do so with a personal touch. Our full-time faculty is supplemented by a cadre of adjunct professors, drawn from some of the most prestigious law firms, companies, and international organizations in the world.

LLM Programs/Areas of Specialization

Our nine LLM degree programs are built on the interdependent principles of globalization and specialization.

Banking, Corporate, and Finance Law

Students seeking the LLM in Banking, Corporate, and Finance Law acquire a sophisticated appreciation of corporate structure, an understanding of the laws relating to capital markets and financial institutions, and genuine insights into the goals and strategies of US executives and business lawyers. In this program, students enroll in core courses, including Corporations, International Banking Law, Banking Law, or Financial Institutions, and choose from a broad array of additional courses in corporate, banking, and finance law and related topics such as bankruptcy, corporate finance, corporate governance, corporate tax, cross-border insolvency, mergers and acquisitions, and securities regulation and enforcement.

Corporate Compliance

The Corporate Compliance LLM program is the first of its kind in the United States. Students will be trained in the skills that are essential for any professional in this field of rapidly emerging and growing importance, which is often global in scope. Students study the basic regulatory framework, the role of in-house counsel, the corporate compliance office, and the varied elements of compliance. This LLM program is also available online.

Fashion Law

LLM students in the Fashion Law program will study with the most distinguished faculty in the discipline—including both academics and industry insiders—in New York City, the capital of the world’s fashion industry.

You will explore what we’ve defined as the four pillars of fashion law:

• intellectual-property
• business and finance, including areas such as investment, employment law, and real estate
• international trade and government regulation, including sustainability, privacy, and issues related to wearable technology
• consumer culture and civil rights

You will also gain direct access to events and networking opportunities available through the nonprofit Fashion Law Institute. Established with the assistance of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, this is the world’s first center dedicated to the law and business of fashion—and it is based at Fordham Law.

Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law

Fordham Law’s unique program in Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law combines the classic study of intellectual property rights with the rapidly developing field of information technology law. Students study fundamental and advanced intellectual property rights issues in copyright, patent, and trademark law, and also learn about issues that lie at the head of today’s digital information society, such as cybercrime, e-commerce, information privacy law, and Internet law.

International Business and Trade Law

The LLM program in International Business and Trade Law prepares students to meet the challenges of an increasingly global economy by giving them the knowledge and training needed to handle the complex transnational transactions that define the current legal and business environment. Students choose courses from an evolving curriculum that reflects current global economic power players.

International Dispute Resolution

The International Dispute Resolution program offers students the opportunity to explore in-depth, from both a theoretical and a practical perspective, the various options for the adjudication of disputes, and especially to examine how they are played out in the international arena. Foreign students will develop an appreciation for the US common law system generally and will learn some of the particular characteristics of the US litigation model.

International Law and Justice

The International Law and Justice program offers students the opportunity to gain an advanced understanding of human rights protection and promotion on international, regional, and domestic levels. This degree is designed primarily for those who work or intend to pursue a career in the public sector, including high-level government attorneys and leaders in nongovernmental organizations and academics.

Real Estate Law

The Real Estate Law program provides students with a solid foundation in real estate law, including key areas such as real estate finance, residential and commercial leasing, land use, affordable housing, environmental law, corporate law, tax, and related legal fields. The program is intended for attorneys looking to deepen their understanding of real estate law or to open new career opportunities in real estate.

US Law (also available online)

The US Law program is designed for students who have received their primary legal education in a civil law country and who are interested in an introduction to the fundamental principles of the US legal system and basic concepts of US law. Students in this program have the flexibility to develop a curriculum in US law topics that suits their particular needs and interests. This LLM program is also available online.