The John Marshall Law School

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LLM in Real Estate Law

Our LLM in Real Estate Law program has been offering attorneys substantial and practical legal education in commercial real estate law since 1995. Degree candidates include recent law school graduates, as well as experienced attorneys looking to refocus their careers or to expand their understanding of real estate law. Many of our graduates are practicing commercial real estate law with law firms, corporate law departments, and government agencies. Other graduates are working in the real estate industry as developers, project managers, and title officers.

Our LLM curriculum, developed with input from our Real Estate Law Advisory Board and the faculty, takes a transactional approach to legal education by using real-life situations and material in the classroom. This approach aims to teach real estate law in the context of real deals and supports the goals of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Education's report "Educating Lawyers Preparation for the Practice of Law." Course materials include the forms and materials real estate attorneys use to document and close transactions.

Degree candidates may earn some or all of their elective credits in one of the areas of concentration or may take their elective courses across the curriculum. The areas of concentration include: Development, Finance, Sustainability, and Transactional.

Courses are taught by full-time professors, who are recognized experts in areas of commercial real estate law, and practicing adjunct faculty who offer degree candidates the unique opportunity to learn about real estate law in the context of the real estate industry and to learn to understand the business objectives and concerns of real estate clients.

Requirements

LLM in Real Estate Law candidates must complete 24 credits to earn their degree. In addition to 14 credits of required course work, candidates will select elective courses to focus their degree. Certain Center degree candidates will also participate in the Real Estate Legal Practicum. Through the practicum, degree candidates have worked at offices such as Freeborn & Peters, Ticor Title, Motorola, Hinshaw & Culbertson, and Holland & Knight. An externship in a law firm, corporation, or non-profit offers real-life practice experience, and is a highlight of the program. No thesis is required for graduation, but students are encouraged to undertake an Independent Research Project and write a publishable article.

Classes are held during late afternoons, evenings, and on Saturdays to accommodate those who practice while earning their LLM. Full-time LLM candidates may earn their degree in an academic year. Part-time LLM candidates often complete the degree in 2-3 years, but have 5 years in which to complete the program requirements.

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