Harvard Law School and University of Cambridge J.D./LL.M. Joint Degree Program
The Harvard Law School and University of Cambridge J.D./LL.M. Joint Degree Program enables Harvard J.D. candidates to earn a Cambridge LL.M. and a Harvard J.D. in a total of 3.5 years.
Students selected for the program spend their 3L year in Cambridge and are eligible to receive the Cambridge LL.M. at the end of the year upon successfully completing all LL.M. degree requirements. Students also simultaneously receive a semester’s credit toward their HLS J.D. This means that with one additional semester back at Harvard after their Cambridge study (i.e., a total of 3.5 academic years), they will have earned both a Harvard J.D. and a Cambridge LL.M. The HLS students are the only LL.M. students at Cambridge who are not required to have a J.D. or equivalent degree prior to enrollment.
The University of Cambridge is renowned for the distinguished members of its faculty, many of whom are noted experts in their particular fields. Cambridge is also home to a number of research centers, such as the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, which offer lecture series and other activities to augment studies.
“Being at Cambridge has been invaluable to my research post-law school. In additional to great professional contacts, it gave me a background in both English and EU law and inspired my desire to apply for the Knox and the Fulbright.”
– Emily Aguirre ’12
Many HLS students who read for their Cambridge LL.M. appreciate the different approach to learning law and value the opportunity to conduct independent research around their particular areas of interest. The program can provide especially helpful training for those thinking about pursuing more in-depth academic work. The HLS-Cambridge J.D./LL.M. Joint Degree Program also benefits students interested in learning about British or European law with an eye to practicing in Europe or for a transatlantic firm.
Up to six Harvard 2Ls are selected annually to spend their 3L year reading for the LL.M. degree in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The admissions process begins with an application through HLS in January of the candidate’s 2L year and ends with a decision by Cambridge in early spring for matriculation at Cambridge the following fall.
Eligibility
Up to six Harvard 2Ls are selected annually to spend their 3L year reading for the LL.M. degree in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The admissions process begins with an application through HLS in January of the candidate’s 2L year and ends with a decision by Cambridge in early spring for matriculation at Cambridge the following fall.
HLS students who are already enrolled in joint degree programs, either with other Harvard schools or other American universities, are not eligible to apply for the Cambridge program. Students who transfer to HLS after completing their first year at another law school are also not eligible for the Cambridge program.
Students who would like to discuss the possibility of obtaining disability accommodations for the Cambridge LL.M. should contact Lakshmi Clark, Director of Student Affairs, at lclark@law.harvard.edu or (617) 496-2437 prior to applying.
Applications
As a first step in the application process, students should submit the following materials by Wednesday, January 8, 2020 to Sara Zucker, Director of International Legal Studies, in Wasserstein Hall, Suite 5005 or by e-mail to szucker@law.harvard.edu:
- A statement of interest for review by the HLS Study Abroad Committee. The statement of interest should be five pages in length and should elaborate on the applicant’s educational and professional objectives and identify a proposed course of study at Cambridge, including specific classes.
- Cambridge college preferences. Please indicate a first and second choice of Cambridge colleges and explain the reasons for the selections. (Each student admitted to the Cambridge LL.M. program will be assigned to a college and must also indicate these first two college preferences on the Cambridge application form. It is not possible to amend these preferences after the application form is submitted, so students should think carefully about their choice of colleges. For further information, including details about Cambridge colleges that have reserved spots for HLS students, please see “Cambridge Colleges,” below.)
- An official copy of the student’s current HLS transcript. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the Office of the Registrar or, if delivered by the student, arrive in the original signed and sealed envelopes. Requests to the HLS Registrar’s Office for transcripts may take 3-5 days to process so students should plan accordingly. The transcript should include the student’s most recent reported grades as of the application deadline.
- A resume.
- Letters from two academic references. Although applicants may provide letters of reference from faculty members at schools other than HLS, it is desirable to provide at least one recommendation from an HLS professor. Students should bear in mind that letters of recommendation that explain how an applicant performed in their academic studies in comparison to their peers are of particular value to the Committee. The University of Cambridge puts considerable weight on academic performance. The University of Cambridge provides the following instructions for faculty recommenders: “Please comment on the applicant’s academic fitness and general suitability to undertake the proposed course of research or study, in relation to the qualification sought. Also include any other information which you think is relevant to the application. If the applicant’s native language is not English, please comment on the applicant’s level of fluency and proficiency, particularly in the context of their academic work, if known.”
Letters should be sent directly by the recommenders to Sara Zucker. If they are submitted by the student, rather than the faculty member, they should be provided in signed and sealed envelopes.
Applicants will be notified by February 1 if they are being nominated for the Cambridge LL.M. program. After that, each nominated student will receive instructions and an individualized application link from the Cambridge Graduate Admissions Office. Students will then have seven days to complete the on-line application and upload the supporting materials.
When completing the on-line application, students will provide their recommenders’ names and e-mail addresses. The system will generate an invitation for recommenders to submit materials via the reference portal. (It is expected that the content of these reference letters will be the same as that of the letters reviewed by the HLS Study Abroad Committee.)
Admissions decisions are ultimately made by the University of Cambridge.
For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/ils/hls-cambridge-joint-degree/eligibility-and-application-information/