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Posted March 4, 2019

Top 10 LLMs in Employment Law in the United States

LLM in Employment Law In The USEmployment Law and Labor Law are often studied together with Commercial Law or Business Law and they have significant areas of overlap.

Course Search Employment Law

What is an LLM in Employment Law?

An LLM in Employment Law is the highly specialised study of the areas of the law that impact on employees. These are diverse fields, encompassing discrimination law, maternity and paternity leave, harassment law and the regulations governing official whistleblowing. Specialists in Employment Law help companies to avoid employment disputes and trade union strike action, along with assisting in the transferring of employees during the sale of a business to ensure their terms and conditions do not change.

What modules are covered?

The modules that LLM students can expect to study on an LLM in Employment Law can include:

  • Equality at Work
  • International Labour Law
  • Human Rights
  • Trade Union Law
  • Termination of Employment
  • Individual Dispute Resolution
  • Labour Market Institutions
  • Employment Dynamics
  • Individual Employment Law
  • Civil Liberties in the Workplace


Law schools also offer law clinics to help employees who may be involved in a dispute with their employers, and this gives law students the chance to gain valuable legal experience.

Where can you study Employment Law?

Most law schools with General LLM programs will offer a module on Employment Law, however, if you wish to study Employment Law in depth there are a range of law schools to choose from. In the UK there are several online or distance learning options, such as the programs at the University of Leicester and De Montfort University. On-campus options include the University of Bristol and Ulster University. In the Netherlands, Tilburg University offers an LLM in Labour Law and Employment Relations in English as does the University of Minnesota and the University of San Diego in the US. In Australia, the University of Sydney offers an LLM in Labour Law and Relations.

Why should you study it?

Employment Law specialists are always in demand for companies and organisations who want to ensure that they and their employees are following the necessary laws and regulations. Some employees need helping if they have a dispute with their employer or employers who need assistance with contracts and adjusting terms and conditions. Lawyers interested in this area could work for regulatory bodies in employee Health and Safety Law and ensure that workers are paid mandatory minimum wages. Employment Law is a great area of the law to specialise in as companies will always require specialist lawyers to advise them.

10 of the best LLMs in Employment Law in the US

Here are 10 of the best LLM programs covering Employment Law in the United States*.

LLM – Harvard Law 

Cost: $62,792 for all students. 
What You Will Study: The Harvard Law LLM is restricted to foreign-trained lawyers and those American trained lawyers who wish to pursue an academic career in the Law. It takes one year to complete when studying full time. Students are able to study any legal subjects they wish and attend the Employment Law Clinic or attend the modules on Employment and Labor Law. 

LLM – University of Chicago 

Cost: $62,865 for all students. 
What You Will Study: There are numerous modules on Employment and Labor Law that the LLM students are free to study at the University of Chicago, as well as participate in the Employment Law Clinic. The LLM course is studied on a full-time basis in one year. 

LLM – Columbia University 

Cost: $67,532 for all students. 
What You Will Study: Labor and Employment Law is one of the modules available to LLM students who take courses along with the JD students at Columbia University. The LLM course is studied full time over one year. 

LLM – New York University 

Cost: $63,986 for all students. 
What You Will Study: LLM students at NYU are able to tailor their studies to their interests and participate at the Center for Labor and Employment Law at the law school. The course is usually undertaken one year with full-time study. 

LLM – University of Pennsylvania 

Cost: $63,364 for all students. 
What You Will Study: The LLM course at the University of Pennsylvania is aimed at internationally trained students who wish to learn more about the US legal system. There are modules available on both Employment Law and Labor Law. 

LLM – University of Michigan 

Cost: $57,262 for in-state students / $60,508 for out-of-state students 
What You Will Study: Labour and Employment Law modules at the University of Michigan include Disability Rights, Sports Law, and Employment Discrimination. This LLM is aimed at foreign-trained lawyers who usually take one year to complete the course studying full time. 

LLM – University of California Berkeley Law School 

Cost: $49,364 total cost for all in-state students / $53,315 total cost for all out-of-state 
What You Will Study: The LLM course at Berkeley Law School takes between one and two years to complete depending on the method of study which can be a combination of online and on-campus courses or purely on-campus. The Berkeley Law School produces the well respected Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law. 

LLM with Employment and Labor Law Concentration – University of Virginia 

Cost: $58,300 for in-state students / $61,300 for out-of-state students 
What You Will Study: The LLM course at the University of Virginia is undertaken on a full-time basis in one year. Modules include Employment Law: Principles and Practice, Employee Benefits Law, and Retirement Security. 

LLM – Duke University 

Cost: $62,247 for all students 
What You Will Study: Aimed at internationally based lawyers who want to learn about the US legal system the LLM at Duke University takes one year to complete studying full-time. Modules available include Labor Law, Sports Law and A Practitioner's Guide to Labor Law and Employment. 

LLM – Northwestern 

Cost: $62,084 for all students. 
What You Will Study: Modules available at Northwestern include Employment Law, Immigration Law, Labor Law and Entertainment Law. The LLM course is only available for law graduates from foreign law schools who wish to learn more about the law in the US. Students study on a full-time basis and it takes nine months to complete the general LLM.

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