Aug. 27, 2021 - Incoming Master of Law students were welcomed to the University of Houston Law Center earlier this month during online and in-person orientation that connected students from around the world with the next step in their legal education.
“We are very excited to have you here at the University of Houston Law Center,” said Karen Jones, Executive Director of Global and Graduate Programs. “I know what it takes to get to this point.
“All of you have come from so many different places and different countries. It’s quite impressive, the countries that are represented in this class of LL.M. students. We have people that have studied in Nigeria, Ghana, Bolivia, the U.S., France, Honduras, Colombia, Mexico, India, and more.”
This year’s LL.M. cohort includes 36 students, all of whom have diverse life and work experiences. Many of the incoming students have been working internationally in the legal field for a number of years and have at least one or more advanced degrees. The majority of the students plan to sit for the bar.
“Throughout your program you will have an opportunity to meet each other, which I think is one of the greatest values of studying at the University of Houston Law Center in the LL.M. program,” Jones said. “The opportunity to meet so many different people from so many different countries, and the opportunity to share your professional and personal experiences–that really just enhances the whole educational experience.”
The orientation was a combined event for both U.S. and foreign students, in keeping with the “collaborative environment” Jones said she hoped would be fostered throughout the program. The second day of orientation gave students an opportunity to visit the University of Houston campus, including a brief tour of the campus and the Law Center.
“Houston has a lot to offer in many fields of the legal world, and I’m sure you’re going to discover that,” said Alfonso Lopez de la Osa Escribano, Director for the Center for U.S. and Mexican Law and Adjunct Professor at the Law Center.
The majority of the students in the program are pursuing the LL.M. specialization in U.S. Law. This degree can be used to get a “well-rounded legal education” so candidates can sit for the bar, according to Suzanne Gordon, Director of Graduate Legal Studies at the Law Center.
Professor Katherine Brem, Faculty Course Advisor and Clinical Associate Professor, encouraged students to consider the list of promised courses available in the fall and spring; plan their classes for the remainder of their time at the Law Center in advance; and take courses they find interesting, even if it is not a bar course.
“Find a course that speaks to your heart, not because you want to take the bar exam but because you love the study of law,” Brem said. “There’s always room like that for a course or two in your schedule.”
Click here to learn more about the Law Center’s LL.M. offerings and Global and Graduate Programs.
