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Online LL.M. Degree

LL.M. in American and Transnational Law (Online)

Now Accepting Applications for the Summer Term starting in May - Apply Now - (Scholarship Priority Deadline - March 12; Application Deadline - April 12)

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Online LL.M. GraphicFor students—both U.S. and foreign-trained attorneys—interested in completing their LL.M. degree in American and Transnational Law, the University of Dayton School of Law offers a 100% online program.

Highlights & Benefits

100% Online Flexible Course Format

All courses are entirely online in an asynchronous format, allowing students to access course content on the days and times that work best for them. See what our students have to say!

Earn Your Degree in as Little as 1 Year

Earn your degree in as little as 1 calendar year—3 available semesters starting in January, May, and August.

Bar Oriented Curriculum

Our Online LL.M. curriculum aligns with the current requirements for the Washington D.C., California and Washington state bar exams.* Online LL.M. graduates have exclusive (and free of charge) access to our expertly designed mini bar prep program that supplements their LL.M. studies. In addition, they are eligible for reduced rates and/or special benefits with BARBRI, Helix, Kaplan, and Themis Bar Review

Affordability & Generous Financial Aid

Guaranteed partial tuition scholarships are offered to all degree-seeking students who apply by the priority deadline. Contact us for more information. No on-campus study requirement, and no additional costs for reading materials. 

Student Support

All Online LL.M. students receive access to free supplemental online resources and study guides, as well as free Career Services, Academic Success Services, and Library resources.

Faculty

Courses taught by critically acclaimed professors and legal practitioners with experience instructing via an online platform.

Career Support

One-on-one career counseling available to help you tailor your job search, leverage your LL.M. degree and connect you to University of Dayton alumni throughout the world (over 120,000 alumni living worldwide).

*Eligibility requirements for bar admission vary by state. Dayton Law cannot guarantee bar admission. Students are responsible for contacting the state bar to determine their eligibility.

More Information

Interested in learning more about the Online LL.M. Program?

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Online LL.M. Program Overview

Margaret Ioannides, Program Director for the University of Dayton School of Law’s Online LL.M. Program, provides background information about the law school and a comprehensive overview of the 100% Online LL.M. Program in American and Transnational Law.

Online LL.M. Program Overview

Margaret Ioannides, Program Director for the University of Dayton School of Law’s Online LL.M. Program, provides background information about the law school and a comprehensive overview of the 100% Online LL.M. Program in American and Transnational Law.

Program Overview

The Online LL.M. program is for law school graduates who already hold a first degree in law. There are no additional testing requirements for this program—no GMAT, GRE, or LSAT required for admission.

This Online LL.M. Program appeals primarily to foreign-educated law school graduates interested in:

  • Careers in global law practices like business, immigration, trade, investment, IP, etc.
  • Learning more about U.S. law and legal practice
  • Establishing a path to U.S. bar eligibility*
  • Earning a graduate law degree from an A.B.A. accredited U.S. law school

*Eligibility requirements for bar admission vary by state. Dayton Law cannot guarantee bar admission. Students are responsible for contacting the state bar to determine their eligibility.


The mission of the Online LL.M. program is to provide an affordable online legal education while upholding UD’s quality and reputation. Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $1352/credit, but generous partial tuition scholarships are available to all pursuing the full degree. 

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to email Margaret Ioannides for a preliminary scholarship assessment. University fees are currently $25/semester. There are no additional costs for students in the online LL.M. program.

Outside of the partial-tuition scholarships awarded by Dayton Law at admission, there are limited outside scholarship resources. AccessLex, an non-profit organization, has a database of outside scholarships available that students may qualify for: https://www.accesslex.org/databank. In addition, there are private lenders who offer loans to international students. We keep a complete list of past lenders students have used on our website.

Financial aid is available for U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens who are taking a minimum of 3 credit hours. A small personal allowance of $2,605 per semester is available with the following breakdown:

Living Allowance: $2,332.50 per semester
Professional Licensure Fees: $200 per semester
Loan processing Fees: $72.50 per semester
Total: $2,605 per semester

Please direct all questions about Financial Aid to the University of Dayton School of Law’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, +1.937.229.3555.


Students can obtain their degree and take the next step—both professionally and academically—without ever having to leave their job, home, or family. Classes in the LL.M. in American and Transnational Law program are designed for the working professional. All courses are offered in an asynchronous online format, where content is pre-recorded and available to students to review at their convenience during the semester. (The LL.M. degree and transcript do not reflect the program as being “online.”)

Graduates of non-ABA accredited law schools (including foreign-educated attorneys) holding a first degree in law or equivalent are required to complete 12 courses (30 credits) to earn the LL.M. degree. Pending course availability and sequencing, students may complete the 30 credits in as little as one year (3 semesters).

Reading materials are available—online and for free—within each course. In order to stimulate class discussion and the exchange of ideas, each course also includes interactive components, including community building activities, discussion boards, announcements, live online review sessions (with your professors and classmates), and more! 

Contact Online LL.M. Assistant Dean, Margaret Ioannides, to schedule a one-on-one virtual tour of an online LL.M. classroom.

Core Course Credits
Introduction to U.S. Law and Legal Institutions for LL.M. Students 2

Legal Analysis, Reasoning, Research, Writing, and Communication For LL.M. Students

2
Professional Responsibility for LL.M. Students 2
Business Associations for LL.M. Students 2
Evidence for LL.M. Students    2
Real Property for LL.M. Students 3
Torts for LL.M. Students 2
Trusts and Estates for LL.M. Students 2
Civil Procedure for LL.M. Students 3
Constitutional Law for LL.M. Students 3
Criminal Law & Procedure for LL.M. Students 4
Contracts & Sales for LL.M. Students 3

The online LL.M. courses are open to both U.S. and foreign-educated attorneys and are designed primarily for foreign-educated law graduates seeking to obtain a better understanding of U.S. law and U.S. legal practice, as well as a potential path to bar eligibility.

Students obtain a foundation of knowledge in the areas of law that are most commonly tested on the bar examination as well as practical experience in the type of legal writing and communication tested on the bar examination and used in United States legal practice. The online curriculum aligns with the current requirements of the California, D.C., and Washington state bar examinations.*

*Eligibility requirements for bar admission vary by state. Dayton Law cannot guarantee bar admission. Students are responsible for contacting the state bar to determine their eligibility.

Check out our helpful Bar Prep Part 1 and Bar Prep Part 2 videos below.


Degree-seeking students and graduates from our Online LL.M. Program have exclusive access (free of charge) to online interactive experiences and personal support oriented to the bar and professional development.

  • Bar Webinar Series: Customized LL.M. oriented webinars co-hosted by Dayton Law's Bar Preparation Department and leading commercial bar preparation companies (BARBRI, Kaplan, Themis, Helix). Topics included: 
    • "Which Bar Should I Take"
    • "Prepare for the Bar Exam: Study Strategies for LL.M. Students"
    • "Building U.S. Legal Writing and Exam Skills for LL.M. Students"
    • "Crafting a Study Plan for Bar Exam Success"
  • Mini Bar Prep Course: Expertly designed by Dayton Law's Director of Bar Preparation, Associate Professor Tommy Sangchompuphen, our mini bar prep program supplements our graduates’ LL.M. studies and their commercial bar prep course to put them in the best position to succeed on the bar exam.
  • Program in Law and Tech Fellowship: The PILT Fellows Program provides opportunities for Online LL.M. students and graduates interested in Law and Technology and Intellectual Property Law to participate in activities (alongside JD and MSL students) that enhance their related subject matter knowledge and promote their visibility in these fields (at the national and international level).
  • Publication Opportunities (including mentorship for first-time authors) in Dayton Law's new Law & Tech Journal. Students and graduates are invited to submit short articles (1,500-5,000 words) on topics related to law and technology, intellectual property, and/or AI. 
  • Intellectual Property (IP) Law & Tech Seminar- International and US Perspectives (Sept. 23 - Dec. 2) - Taught by Dayton Law's Director of the Program in Law and Technology Pablo Iannello this seminar meets "live" every two weeks (via zoom) and provides Online LL.M. students with a survey of international and US perspectives on IP and Law & Tech topics.

In addition, Online LL.M. students and graduates are offered reduced rates and priority registration for specialized courses leading to a Certificate of Completion, including for example in Immigration Law.


In addition to being at the forefront of internationalizing online legal education, the University of Dayton School of Law received its highest ranking ever in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report for Best Graduate Schools and is ranked 32nd in Part-time Law for its innovative Online Hybrid J.D. program. 

Human Rights Center of Excellence — In addition to partnering with various schools across the globe in an effort to illuminate the topic of Human Rights, Dayton Law’s Online LL.M. program is proud to have highly accomplished legal scholar Carlos Bernal among its faculty. Professor Bernal is a top 5 most cited constitutional law scholar in the world and is currently serving as an Inter-American Human Rights Commissioner.


In addition to earning the LL.M. degree, students completing the online LL.M.Program within three years also earn (at no additional cost) a Certificate in United States Legal Practice.

Benefits of U.S. Legal Practice Certificate:

  • Make yourself more marketable to employers and clients by providing a credential attesting to your competency, commitment, and specialized training in the area of U.S. Law.
  • Ensures that you receive recognition for the successful completion of a specialized course of study in United States Legal Practice.

Students can obtain their degree and take the next step—both professionally and academically—without ever having to leave their job, home, or family. To help our students pursue and explore enhanced career opportunities, Dayton Law Online LL.M. provides customized career counseling through the University of Dayton School of Law’s Career Services Office. Learn more about our customized career counseling services.

All Online LL.M. students also have access to the UD online library and online supplemental study tools and resources to reinforce the concepts covered in your courses. Many students appreciate the targeted resources to get a “head start” on bar exam preparation.


Check out articles about the benefits of earning an Online LL.M. degree.

LLM vs. JD: Which Law Degree Is Right for International Attorneys? Find out whether a LL.M. or J.D. degree is the best option for you based on what your career goals are.


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Online LL.M. Student Journeys

See what our students are saying about their experiences in the Online LL.M. Program.

Online LL.M. Student Journeys

See what our students are saying about their experiences in the Online LL.M. Program.

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Contact Us

Margaret Ioannides, Assistant Dean for Online LL.M. Programs

Phone: +1.937.329.8651

Email: mioannides1@udayton.edu 

CONTACT

Online LL.M. Program

Keller Hall
300 College Park
Dayton, Ohio 45469 - 2772
937-329-8651
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