2020-2021 Law School Catalog

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Master of Laws Requirement

Overview

The LLM curriculum is primarily elective in nature. Students should meet with the assistant dean of graduate law programs to select courses to best fulfill their career objectives. International students are required to enroll in the seminar entitled, Introduction to US Law, Legal Reasoning and Writing in their first semester. The Legal English Institute is recommended for LLM students whose primary language is not English.

Twenty-four (24) credits are required to complete the Master of Laws degree. Students may select courses from this list to complete their 24 credits (JD graduates) or 22 credits (international law graduates).

You may also choose to take part in the LLM internship program, a unique opportunity to acquire practical experience for credit in the United States or abroad.

All LLM students must satisfy the LLM Legal Writing Requirement prior to graduation by completing a substantial legal research and writing paper in connection with a course, a Directed Study or an LLM thesis. Students must file the LLM Legal Writing Requirement form, signed by the supervising faculty member, with the Law Registrar before graduation.

Requirements and Rules

Degree Requirements

A candidate must satisfactorily have completed 24 credits in the Suffolk University Law School (SULS) LL.M. curriculum and have been a student at SULS for at least one academic year.

A candidate's complete LL.M. Law School record must show a cumulative weighted average of at least 2.00 in order to receive the degree of Master of Laws.

Degrees are awarded by the Trustees of Suffolk University on the recommendation of the Law Faculty. Recommendations may be withheld by the Faculty for good cause.

General Requirements and Rules

  1. Part time LL.M. students must enroll in a minimum of 4 (and a maximum of -8) credits per semester. Full-time LL.M students must enroll in a minimum of 9 (and a maximum of 14) credits per semester. With the approval of the Director up to 6 credits earned in summer school may be applied to reduce these semester requirements.
  2. A Part time LL.M. student may not register for less than 4 credits per semester without the prior approval of the Director. A Full-time LL.M. student may not register for more than 14 credits in a semester without the prior approval of the Director and the Associate Deans.
  3. LL.M. students who wish to transfer between the Part-time and Full-time Divisions must obtain the written approval of the Director and Associate Deans. Approval must be obtained prior to registration for the semester the transfer will take effect.
  4. No more than 6 credits may be accepted as Transfer Credits from another similarly accredited LL.M. Program or Summer School towards the Master of Laws (General) at Suffolk University Law School. Such Transfer Credits must have been earned after the completion of a basic law degree, within a reasonable period of time before acceptance into the LL.M., and not already counted towards another program or degree. The award of Transfer Credits shall be at the discretion of the Director and the Associate Deans.
  5. Admission to the LL.M. Program does not entail admission to the J.D. degree program. Advanced Standing for the J.D. degree program is a separate decision to be made by the Dean of Admissions and the Associate Deans of the Law School.
  6. The LL.M. degree alone will not normally suffice for eligibility to sit for the Massachusetts bar exam. Bar exam requirements vary from state to state. It shall be the responsibility of each student to determine for themselves their eligibility to sit for a bar exam or gain admission to practice law in any jurisdiction.

IV. Credit Requirements

  1. No more than 5 credits from any ungraded activities may be counted toward the LL.M. degree. Ungraded activities include an LL.M. Internship, Directed Study, Research Assistant, and participation on the Journal of High Technology Law.

V. Grading and Examinations

  1. LL.M. students must choose between the alternative grading system (see V B, below) or the numerical scale of 0.00 to 4.00 for every class in which they are registered, and for every semester of the program. Faculty may request a half-step grade increase for a student's class participation provided such participation was not already accounted for in the original grade submitted. Faculty must submit to the Assistant Dean of Academic Services a list of students receiving grade increases at the time of, or prior to, submission of grades.

    Reports of grades are made as follows:

    A
    		 4.00
    		 Satisfactory
    A-
    		 3.67
    		 Satisfactory
    B+
    		 3.33
    		 Satisfactory
    B
    		 3.00
    		 Satisfactory
    B-
    		 2.67
    		 Satisfactory
    C+
    		 2.33
    		 Satisfactory
    C
    		 2.00
    		 Satisfactory
    C-
    		 1.67
    		 Unsatisfactory
    D+
    		 1.33
    		 Unsatisfactory
    D
    		 1.00
    		 Unsatisfactory
    D-
    		 0.67
    		 Unsatisfactory
    F
    		 0.00
    		 Fail

  2. As an alternative to the numerical grading system described above in V.A., LLM students may elect to have a grade in a course or courses for which a numerical grade is ordinarily assigned, recorded in accordance with the following alternative grading system:
    HH
    		 High Honors
    H
    		 Honors
    P
    		 Pass
    F
    		 Fail

    A student's election of the alternative grading system must be made prior to the examination period for the relevant semester by timely submission of the LL.M. Student Grade Election form to the Assistant Dean of Academic Services. When an LLM student elects the alternative grading system the Assistant Dean of Academic Services will translate the assigned grade as follows:

    A, A-, B+
    		 HH
    B, B-
    		 H
    C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-
    		 P
    F
    		 F

  3. Grades
    1. LL.M. students' grades will not be factored into the recommended curve for the purposes of grading in the J.D. program. LL.M. students will not be given a class rank. Cumulative and yearly grade point averages (GPAs) will be computed and recorded by a 0.00 to 4.00 system.
    2. A student's official transcript will also show the letter grades awarded for all courses taken and will translate those letter grades into yearly and final cumulative GPAs, unless a student has chosen the alternative grading system in all courses.
    3. All ungraded activities shall be graded on a Pass/Fail basis, which shall result in Credit or No Credit.
    4. The instructor in any non-anonymously graded course may elect to grade the course on an Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis. The instructor must notify the students at the first meeting of the course if the instructor is going to elect the Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail basis of grading.
    5. Activities graded on a Pass/Fail; Honors/Pass/Low Pass/Fail; Credit/No Credit basis or under the alternative grading system (see VI, B.) will not be calculated into a student's cumulative grade point average, except as noted in IV. G. below. For all purposes under these Regulations, the grades of Honors, Pass, Low Pass, and Credit shall be satisfactory grades.
    6. A student shall not be granted credit for a grade of No Credit or Fail. Grades of No Credit and Fail shall be equivalent to a grade of an F. In this instance the numerical equivalent of an F will be calculated into the student's GPA.

    Attendance and assignments for courses in the LL.M. Program shall be governed by Regulation II. B of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program.

  4. Elective Add/Drop Period

    During the first week of classes a student who has registered for an elective LLM course or courses may add or drop the course or courses. Course changes are not allowed before the first day of classes or after the close of the designated add/drop period, except with the permission of the Associate Deans. Failure to withdraw within the add/drop period may result in a grade of No Credit (F).

  5. Extensions Beyond End of Semester

    Any paper or other project required for a final grade in a course must be submitted no later than the end of the examination period for the semester in which the course is taken. If, for compelling reasons, the instructor allows an extension of time to complete the paper or project, the extension may be for a period no longer than 90 days from the end of the examination period. No further extension may be granted. During any extension, the course grade will be recorded temporarily as "Incomplete." However, if by the end of the examination period or extension the paper or project has not been submitted, a grade of No credit (F) will be recorded.

  6. Examinations

    Regulations III. D. (Examination Numbers), E. (Failure to Take Examinations), and H. (Privacy) of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program shall apply.

Academic Standards

  1. A single "F" grade under either the numerical or alternative grading system (see V. B. Alternative Grading System) shall result in an LL.M. student coming before the LL.M Academic Standing Committee for a review of the student's performance. Two grades of less than "C" under the numerical grading system shall result in a student coming before the LL.M. Academic Standing Committee for a review of the student's performance.

    A cumulative grade point average of below 2.00 at the end of a semester shall result in an LL.M. student coming before the LL.M. Academic Standing Committee for a review of the student's performance.

  2. The Committee may impose one or more conditions for continued study upon the student, including but not limited to repeating a course, reexamination in accordance with Regulation II.F. of the JD Rules and Regulations governing reexamination, an assistance program prescribed by the Committee, limitations on employment or extracurricular activities, or taking a semester or year's leave of absence prior to continuing.

    The Committee may dismiss an LL.M. student when in the Committee's judgment imposing conditions for continued study are not reasonably likely to lead to the student's successful completion of the program or if the student fails to satisfy previously imposed conditions.

  3. The LL.M. Academic Standing Committee shall be appointed by the Dean and consist of an Associate Dean and 3 members of the resident faculty. The Director will serve on the Committee as an ex officio member.

Academic Integrity

Any violation of academic integrity shall be viewed as a serious infraction of the Rules and Regulations of the Law School. Violations of academic integrity shall include, but are not limited to, dishonesty in the examination process, harassment and plagiarism in written work, as defined in the Regulation II. F. of the Rules and Regulations for the J.D. Program.

Leaves of Absence and Withdrawals

  1. Leave of Absence

    If a student is currently unable to continue the study of law, an Associate Dean may grant the student a leave of absence for up to one year. The student must request a leave of absence by writing a letter to the Associate Dean specifying the reason for the requested leave and the anticipated return date. A student granted a leave of absence is entitled to return to the Law School's LL.M. program at the end of the term of the leave without reapplying for admission. A leave of absence will be granted to a student during the first semester of study in the LL.M. program only under extraordinary circumstances.

  2. Withdrawals

    A student who wishes to withdraw from the Law School's LL.M. Program must file a written request to do so and obtain permission from an Associate Dean. No student may withdraw after the examination period begins or while consideration of his or her academic standing is pending. A student who withdraws from the Law School's LL.M. Program must reapply for admission to the LL.M. program if he or she wishes to return.

Changes to Rules

The Law Faculty reserves the right to change the schedule of classes, the program of instruction, the requirements for credits or degrees, and any rule or regulation established for the government of the student body in the school. Any such change may be made applicable to students already enrolled in the Law School.