As promised, I am keeping you all posted. U of L has acknowleged my LLM application and requested an official law school transcript outlining "subjects taken and the marks achieved" in my JD. I wonder why they didn't ask for that in the FIRST place? Joybaum
I didn't follow the previous post. Is the U of L here the University of London, Liverpool, or another school? What do you plan to do the LL.M. in and what do you plan to do with it? EsqPhD
Well, IF they let me into the program, I intend to offer Admiralty, Carriage of Goods by Sea, Marine Insurance and, as an elective, EU institutional law. IF I pass the exams over the next two or three years, they should give me an LLM in Maritime Law. I selected this specialty becuase of its international flavor. Joybaum
Joybaum, best of luck with your LLM studies, and do keep us updated with your progress and opinions of the program! Bruce
If you're wanting to practice maritime law in the US, you should suck it up & go to Tulane for a year. Its the only ABA approved LLM in Admiralty program available & worth the investment if you actually want to use the degree.
I think one of the main advantages of DL is that you can attain a degree in those cases where it's impossible to "suck it up" and move across the country for year. In Joybaum's case, I guessing it would be a bit impractical to pack things up in NM and go to LA for a year. Bruce
Actually, if I were serious about maritime law, I STILL wouldn't go to Tulane. It's just too darned EXPENSIVE. Tulane gets roughly $30K for tuition, books and fees plus the loss of a year's income (for me a paltry $60K) plus the cost of the move...I figure about $100K all told. I won't LIVE long enough to pay that off! No, I am doing this largely from long standing interest. I have served in the U.S. Navy and also in the U.S. Merchant Marine. My Navy Reserve career can't but benefit from the additional credential. As to prefering an American degree, well, I would not seek an English LLM in any subject except those that are in international law, such as international taxation, maritime law, law of armed conflict, and the like. (For those who may not know, maritime law is founded largely upon treaties and international conventions as well as the customary relationships between states.) Joybaum
I'm sure the 30K doesn't include living expenses. My LL.M. in Taxation by the time you factor in living costs was about 70K for that one year, plus not being able to make my humble income. Would 60K in NM be equivalent to 120K in San Francisco?--if so, it wouldn't be so bad. EsqPhD
Not that I want to inspire further competition for the few really good Admiralty jobs out there, but I agree with EsqPhd: your earning potential will greatly offest the loss of a year's income by earning a Tulane LLM (plus, everyone should live in New Orleans for at least a year!). If you want to do strictly charter parties and foreign COGSA cases (which are typically handled by big NY or London firms who have spent years cultivating the business and are typically resolved in arbitration), a UofL LLM as you described will work. If you want to do typical "American" maritime law (Jones Act, LHWCA, US environmental laws, collision work, etc.), a foreign LLM will not prepare you, as the practice of maritime law in US courts is very specialized (which leads to the downfall of many casual practitioners who step into the field for a case or two). OTOH, if you want to earn a nifty degree and expand your horizons, go for it (speaking as someone who will study forensic psychology via DL in the near future), but be very careful in the professional sense in terms of holding yourself as an admiralty practitioner.
1)60K in NM probably is roughly equivalent to 120K in San Francisco. I did some salary/cost of livinbg comparisons last summer and it seems to be about right. However, one must consider retirement. A retirement following a 120K career will be a lot better than mine will be, or at least I assume so. 2) I know New Orleans fairly well and agree that it is a wonderful city. It is not, however, sufficiently wonderful to warrant mortgaging what remains of my future. 3) There actually IS one whole maritime case in New Mexico jurisprudence. It concerned a collision on Navajo Lake. The case was mostly concerned with whether Navajo Lake was "navigable waters". The Court decided that it was, but from the opinion I can't tell if the Court was serious. There have been no further claims of the sort. 4) The posting that stated that there are few good Admiralty jobs out there is right on the money and another reason for avoiding Tulane. The University of Washington has a sort of maritime law LLM program in my native Seattle. In their bulletin the school specifically warns potential students that jobs are hard to find. I am in this for personal interest and the challenge of the thing, not with any idea of actually attempting to PRACTICE. My practice now is solely criminal defense and has been for many years. I just feel the need for some mental stimulation. Joybaum
Sorry Tom, When the big one hits everything EAST of the San Andreas fault falls into the ATLANTIC ocean Dan
In our quest to earn degrees that will benefit us either professionally or financially (and I'm as guilty as anyone), I think sometimes we forget that education can be simply stimulating, or even just fun. I'm looking forward to the day that I can pursue a degree just because it interests me, and nothing else. Bruce
