Advice needed!

[Bigboi]

Hi,
Here's the story everyone.  I am in the second year of an LLB in Edinburgh, and am considering making it a 3 yr ord degree and getting an LLM immediately after with a view to practicing in the USA.  For my LLM to follow right after my LLB I would have to apply to unis in the US at the beginning of my third year.
Do universities accept applications where the LLB diploma is not finished, but nearly there (like some sort of conditional)
Clearly I have no experience and my grades are all upper seconds (Bs) so I don't think I am Ivy league material , can you recommend a decent place or three where I have a half-chance at acceptance?
thanx,
bigboi

[Maharishi]

It won't be easy.

[Bigboi]

Well I didn't think it would!  Can you please recommend which type of unis would accept a an overseas student with no experience?  I have also won a mooting competition etc although I doubt that really changes much.

[Maharishi]

Depending on your grades, I think you should go for schools between top 10 and top 50.

[Bigboi]

Cheers, I don't know how it is done in the US, over here we only apply to around 6 unis in all...but I think you guys send out a lot more applications...what is the average?

[Maharishi]

I'm French, and I only sent 5. ;-)

But I hear people in the US actually send a lot, like 10 or so.

[d_e_pearson]

Bigboi,

Here are a few pointers which I have picked up, since I was in similar shoes to you and contacted a few US sschools to see what the deal was.

Firstly, if you have a 2.1, check the equivalent US score, since a US 'B' isn't as impressive as a UK one. I scored a 2.1 (67%) and this turned out to be an 'A-' in the US with an equivalent GPA of approx 3.7, so game on there. You can refer to the British Council website for details:

http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa/usa-education/usa-education-advisors/usa-education-advisors-us-institutions/usa-education-advisors-us-study-abroad/usa-education-advisors-us-study-abroad-faqs.htm

(Look at the 'How do grades compare' section)

Secondly, if you want to do an LLM in the US to improve your chances of being eligible for bar exams in more states other than California and New York (for which the LLB and LPC/BVC is sufficient without an American LLM) then I suggest you at least complete a training contract/pupillage here in the UK BEFORE applying. This will greatly improve your chances.

Harvard/Pepperdine/Ivy League are not out of reach for you with a 2.1, providing you finish the degree, but they will want you to have completed the LPC/BVC to be in with a chance. I think this may well extend to other non-ivy schools-do the LPC!!!

Finally, my girlfriend is American, so trust me when I say I've looked into all available routes for Brits to qualify in the US. BY FAR the best way is to work for an American firm with a London Office and get a transfer. Firms like White and Case, Reed Smith, Mayer Brown Rowe and Maw, Coudert Brothers, Watson Farley and Williams, and Dechert will be your best bet, as they are the big US players here in the UK.

Good luck, and hope this helps you some. (I am assuming money is no object, an LLM in the US is damn expensive for British people - US$50000).

[dgatl]

i wanted to suggest an alternative route.  just apply to a JD program in the US.  your A- average will make you competitive at nunmerous 25-50 ranked universities, if not higher based upon your LSAT.