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LLM (Master of Laws) Family & Child Law
An LLM in Family/Child Law is often required for those who wish to practice family or child law as a career. There are also instances when an LLM is necessary to obtain a position within larger companies or a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The main point of obtaining an LLM in Family and Child Law is to be able to appreciate the "bigger picture" in regards to how legal issues are approached. Therefore, anyone who plans to work with large governmental bodies or intends to travel abroad could benefit from the added experience associated with this type of degree.
Find LLM programs in Family LawNumber crunching an LLM in Family/Child Law
According to Payscale.com, the average salary for people who possess an LLM degree in Family and Child law is just over £61,000 pounds. This is assuming that one has only been practising for between one and three years. This same source illustrates that 50% of current practitioners have between one and four years of experience. Unlike many other professions, the ratio between men and women is evenly split. Only 17% of solicitors have more than ten years of experience.
Where can you study an LLM in Family/Child Law?
Much like other LLM degrees, there are a number of law schools where you can study an LLM in family or child law. In the United States, several reputable institutions currently offer this field of study. Some of the most prominent include: Loyola University Chicago, Columbia Law School (New York City), The Chicago-Kent College of Law. Those wish to study their LLM in the UK also have a wide choice of universities to chose from, including: The UCL Faculty of Laws, Queen Mary University of London, University of Cambridge, University College Cork.
In addition to the United Kingdom and the United States, some European Universities provide an LLM degree in family and child law. Examples here include the University of Amsterdam, the University of Vienna and Stockholm University.
What qualifications do you need to study an LLM in Family/Child Law?
The required qualifications will depend upon where the applicant resides and where he or she plans to study. In the United States, it is compulsory to possess a Juris Doctor (JD). A certification known as a First Law Degree may also be necessary for those who have attended a foreign school of law. A knowledge of English is also important. Either a TOEFL or an IELTS degree is required for those who do not speak English as a native language.
Popular law quotations
- "It is not wisdom, but authority that makes a law." Thomas Hobbes
- "More law, less justice." Marcus Tullius Cicero
- "The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly." Abraham Lincoln
An LLM in Family/Child Law advances careers in...
- Those looking for regulatory positions in the future.
- Solicitors hoping to secure a role within an international organisation.
- Anyone seeking to practice international law.
- Those involved with cross-border disputes between family members.
5 fascinating facts about an LLM in Family/Child Law
- It is technically legal to marry someone who is deceased in France.
- In Dubai, both partners who intend to marry need to undergo a physical examination before the ceremony can take place.
- A widow living in the Philippines must wait no less than 301 days until she is able to marry again.
- There have been precedents within New York to bring a lawsuit against a third party who may have been responsible for a divorce.
- In some portions of China, it is still traditional to dispose of the pen used to sign the marriage papers.
Recommended reading
- The Routledge Handbook of Family Law and Policy, Eekelaar and George (2014)
- The Research Handbook on European Family Law, Scherpe (Edward Elgar Publishing 2015)
- European Human Rights and Family Law, Choudhry and Herring (2010)
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