Chicago-Kent College of Law with School of American Law
Announces LL.M Program with Guaranteed 75 % Scholarships
Chicago-Kent College of Law - US based law school along with School of American Law for Caucasus announces two interlinked programs with guaranteed 75% scholarships for lawyers from Armenia.
- School of American Law Certificate Program located in Tbilisi, Georgia and
- One-semester LL.M program in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
School of American Law in Tbilisi is hosted by Educational Management Park LLC – the exclusive partner of Chicago-Kent College of Law for programs of School of American Law covering Caucasus, Balkans & Mediterranean countries. School of American Law (SAL program) begins in September 2017 and completes in May 2018. This two-semester program covers ten mandatory courses conducted only in English and delivered solely by Chicago-Kent Professors visiting from USA. Learning mode is one or two courses per month covering only weekends through full day lectures starting at 10 am by 5 pm. Ten mandatory courses cover contemporary subjects: International Business Transactions, E-Commerce, Online Contracting, Antitrust Law, IP Asset Management, Intellectual Property Law, Securities Law, Global Intellectual Property Law, Trademark Law, Comparative Law, Introduction to American Legal Systems & Legal Writing. Exact titles and content of courses are subject to change.
After completion of SAL Program in Tbilisi graduates continue LL.M education at Chicago-Kent in Chicago, IL, USA. Credits earned during SAL Program are fully recognized by Chicago-Kent. Therefore, Master’s study at Chicago-Kent is finished with earning LL.M in “U.S., International and Transnational Law” in one semester (which equals five months) instead of regular one academic year.
SAL Program for Caucasus was established in 2012 in cooperation with Chicago-Kent College of Law to support the mission of expanding knowledge, promoting global law and providing equal access to contemporary legal education for emerging market countries lawyers. Since 2012 SAL Program educated more than 295 students from Georgia, Armenia, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania with opportunity to receive an immersive overseas experience and gain the global competencies that will define their future role in the global landscape.
Advantages
- Getting benefits from the blended structure of the program starting in Tbilisi without leaving current jobs by attending live, interactive classes in a face-to-face;
- TOEFL Waiver for SAL Program graduates, submitting SAL & LL.M applications without TOEFL scores;
- Preferential and immediate admission to Chicago-Kent LL.M after completion of SAL Program;
- Earning M in “U.S., International and Transnational Law” at Chicago-Kent in one semester instead of one academic year;
- Significant tuition scholarships;
- After completion of one semester at Chicago-Kent, students may continue education for the optional second semester and earn LL.M degree in the most demanding directions: M in Trial Advocacy, LL.M in International Intellectual Property Law and LL.M in Financial Service Law with significant scholarships;
- Affordable tuition payment plan within two or more installments while studying at SAL Program & Chicago-Kent;
- Deferring Chicago-Kent’s Admission for LL.M during the next three academic years;
- On-campus & off-campus employment opportunities in the USA;
- Access to externships and internships in the USA;
- The world best location, world-class city – downtown campus of Chicago-Kent is located in the heart of Chicago - one of the nation's top legal & financial markets;
- Development a strong professional network, foster connections with a diverse community of professionals across the USA;
Program impact on applicants’ career
- In past years, after graduation from Chicago-Kent LL.M, graduates have continued career building in the states by passing US Bar exam and applying for OPT;
- Others have returned to the practice of law in their respective countries with a better understanding of US law and the ability to work better with international, European and US lawyers, law firms and government agencies. Most of them was immediately promoted or integrated into leading business industries or top law firms;
- In each case, the knowledge obtained and the contacts made in Chicago through the Chicago-Kent SAL program continue to have enormous personal and professional value.
Scholarships & Tuition Fee
- Tuition fee for School of American Law Program for Armenian Lawyers amounts to USD 5 000 payable in several installments;
- Tuition fee for LL.M at Chicago-Kent College of Law amounts to USD 10 000 instead of regular USD 44 000 after guaranteed 75% scholarships;
- Tuition fee for the optional second semester at Chicago-Kent College of Law amounts to USD 7 250 instead of USD 22 000.
Eligibility
Applicants with a first degree in Law (LL.B) or last year law school students are eligible to apply. The majority of students in this program are practicing lawyers.
All applicants are required to submit the following documents electronically by July 20, 2017
- CV in English by indicating referee’s contact information;
- Copy of the Passport and/or ID;
- Electronic copy of diploma or University statement for Bachelor students.
The documents should be sent to the following email addresses: admission@chicagokentlaw.ge, lbakumya@kentlaw.iit.edu, m.meskhi@chicagokentlaw.ge, k.jeladze@chicagokentlaw.ge
Employment Issues
After completion of two semesters LL.M graduate are eligible for off-campus employment. Work permits are required for all off-campus employment and may be granted by the U.S. immigration authority for paid practical training. Students with F1 visas may apply for a 12-month period of Optional Practical Training (OPT), which begins after the completion of their two-semester study, during which student with F1 status who has completed his/her degrees for more than nine months are permitted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work for one year under Employment Authorization Card on a student visa towards getting practical training to complement their education.
BAR Exam
Bar Exams are administered nation-wide in February and July. Bar admissions requirements differ from state to state and as a result, students are advised to visit the web site of their state bar office for the most accurate information. For information on various exams and links to most state bar authorities, visit the web site of the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
University
Chicago-Kent College of Law is nationally recognized the second oldest law school in the state of Illinois. Chicago-Kent was gained accreditation by the American Bar Association in 1936 and membership in the Association of American Law Schools in 1951. In 2016-2017 US News & World Reports assigned the following ranking to Chicago-Kent among the most demanded and popular program: Trial Advocacy the 4th place. According to US News & World Reports Chicago-Kent graduate employment rate right after the graduation amounts to 66.2% and 90.7% within 9 months following the graduation.
Useful Links:
School of American Law: www.salchicagokent.com
Chicago-Kent College of Law: www.kentlaw.iit.edu
SAL Program at Chicago-Kent: http://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/academics/llm-programs/special-llm-and-overseas-training/school-of-american-law-caucasus
Business Facebook Pages: https://www.facebook.com/SALtbilisi/ and https://www.facebook.com/SALyerevan/
What Makes a Law School Great: Inside Chicago-Kent http://youtu.be/pKu1V5UTjUQ
For more information, please contact Ms. Lusine Bakumyan In-country Director lbakumya@kentlaw.iit.edu +374 093190180,
Viber calls are welcomed to: +995 577 77 40 30 +995 577 97 40 01