Cornell Law School: JD/MLLP

Program Description:

U.S. students are selected for the J.D./Master of German and European Law and Practice (M.LL.P.) on the basis of their academic records and fluency in German. Students spend the first two years studying at Cornell Law School, followed by one year at Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin. Upon successfully completing the program, students receive the Juris Doctor degree from Cornell Law School and the M.LL.P. from Humboldt.

About the M.LL.P.:

It is designed to impart a profound basic knowledge of German and European law at both an academic and a practical level. Courses are in the framework subjects of German law. Students in the program complete a series of law firm or institutional clerkships in Berlin or elsewhere over the course of the one-year program.

Admission to the Program

Applicants must be completely fluent in German. It is possible to apply at either of two points. First, one may apply in conjunction with the initial to the Cornell J.D. program. Alternatively, or in addition (for those whose pre-law school application to the program was unsuccessful), following admission to Cornell Law School, one may apply during the Spring semester of the first year, in response to an invitation circulated to the first year class.

See the First Year Application Form.

First and Second Year Curriculum At Cornell Law School

Students will be required to complete 62 credits of study.
The first year of study will be identical to that of regular J.D. students at Cornell Law School, totaling 32 credits.
In the second year of study at Cornell, the students must complete at least 30 credit hours of study, including a professional responsibility course, a skills course and a course satisfying the Law School’s writing requirement.
The program includes restrictions to avoid course offerings counting toward the J.D. credit requirements that: (1) would be better taken as part of the curriculum of Humboldt Universität or (2) are outside of the regular Law School curriculum (regular J.D. candidates are allowed to take one course in each upperclass semester in other divisions of the university in areas related to their legal studies).

Third Year Curriculum at Humboldt-Universität:

In the third year, the students study the basics of German private and criminal law, constitutional law, business law, and European Union law. They write a Master’s thesis and undertake two internships in Berlin or elsewhere.

Please see the M.LL.P. program description here.

Following the award to the students of the M.LL.P., Cornell Law School will evaluate their performance and grant an additional 24 credits in advanced standing toward the Juris Doctor degree.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Applicants admitted by Cornell pay full Cornell tuition and fees during the first two years of study at Cornell, as well as during the third year at Humboldt. Students may continue to receive financial aid during the year in Berlin. Their package will reflect the expenses of living in Berlin as opposed to Ithaca.

Bar Examinations/Admission

Program graduates have the necessary legal training to qualify for the bar examination in the United States, but further study would be necessary to take the German First State Examination. It also should be noted that graduates should expect to take the February bar examination in the U.S.

Program Administration
(for information and inquiries, contact Larry Bush)

Professor John J. Barceló III
William Nelson Cromwell Professor of International and Comparative Law and Elizabeth and Arthur Reich Director
Leo and Arvilla Berger International Legal Studies Program

Larry S. Bush
Executive Director
Clarke Center for International and Comparative Legal Studies

Humboldt
Prof. Dr. Christine Windbichler

Rene Pawlak
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Juristische Fakultät
Büro für Internationale Programme
Raum E16/E18
Unter den Linden 9
10117 Berlin

Tel.: +49 30 2093 3336
Fax: +49 30 2093 3414
E-Mail: int@rewi.hu-berlin.de
website: www.rewi.hu-berlin.de/int/