"There is something special about the University of Virginia — amongst many other things you are constantly humbled by history, standing on the shoulders of Thomas Jefferson and his intellectual progeny. As a top-10 law school, at UVA you are at once intimidated by the rigorous courses, formidable students and professors — truly the cream of the crop — but at the same time you are inexorably asked to step up your own game and contribute to the legal community here in Charlottesville. Apart from the classes in which you study with J.D. students and are taught by highly engaging professors, during lunch and after hours there are a whole host of interesting seminars, conferences and colloquia held at the law school where you can supplement your American legal education, presented by esteemed public figures and practitioners in the United States, many of whom are UVA Law alumni. During my time here, I’ve attended numerous dinners at professors’ homes; they are warm in their welcome of international students and interested in our legal careers and lives.

"Unlike most top-10 law schools, UVA has a reputation for collegiality and a healthy social life in addition to academics. I was encouraged to get involved in extracurricular clubs and societies, law journals, softball games and public service projects in the Charlottesville community. You can socialize well with J.D.s and other LL.M.s at the Corner, downtown, and at various marquee events held by the Law School throughout the year.

"The best thing about studying for an LL.M. at UVA is spending time with and getting to know your fellow LL.M. students. Perhaps because of our small number, we formed close ties and strong friendships during our year here. I was impressed by the caliber of my LL.M. colleagues — leading lawyers and scholars in their home countries — and learned from them as much as I did from the classes I attended. For any lawyer looking for inspiration — be it through escalating their skills in the corporate sector, immersing themselves in constitutional theory or in igniting their passion for public service, like me — studying an LL.M. at the University of Virginia School of Law is the place to go."

“Being a part of UVA Law has broadened my perspective in many ways. Instead of taking courses that closely related to my practice as a corporate lawyer, I have used the opportunity of studying here to learn about subjects that are outside of my comfort zone, ranging from courses concentrating on implicit bias with Professor Dayna Matthew to human rights with Professor Mila Versteeg. The other thing I would like to point out is how amazed I am with the vast attention that the faculty gives to the students. All of the school-sponsored lunches and dinners provide a different room for professors and students to interact, exchange thoughts and learn from each other. Combined with the allocation of office hours, the amount of dedication that UVA Law professors show for the students is top-notch. Aside from that, their appearance at the Libel Show clearly depict each of them as fun and cool individuals. I did not expect to be as highly entertained as I was.

“I also had many chances to attend events at the Law School and the University that addressed and unpacked heavily debated legal, political and social issues, both domestically and internationally. By participating in these discussions with other fellow students and faculty, it taught me how to express my opinions while learning from others demonstrating totally different points of view. UVA Law and many of the student organizations must be applauded for their constant work in ensuring the Law School community engages in these conversations. 

“All in all, UVA Law is not just your regular top-10 law school. It’s a place where I will always call home because it was a place that helped me grow, not only as a lawyer, but as a better person.”

One of the most remarkable things about the School of Law is how smart the J.D.s are. The questions and interactions between students and professors are brilliant. This — along with professors who are true experts in their areas and LL.M.s that bring knowledge and experience from around the world — makes the UVA Law classroom experience unique, as well as extremely challenging. The full integration between LL.M.s and J.D.s is something extraordinary.

“The UVA LL.M. program combines academic rigor with the genuine warmth and friendship of an internationally diverse community, where you get inspired and led by highly accomplished professors to become the best version of yourself personally and professionally.”

“At UVA, you get the best of both worlds: Amazing academic opportunities surrounded by incredibly beautiful nature. The professors are genuinely interested in their students and are always available for questions and to give advice. The small classes allow for a lot of discussion about legal questions in the broader societal context. This creates a great environment for professional, but also personal development. As an additional benefit, Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains offer amazing hikes and views for a change of pace on the weekends.”

“I had a wonderful journey in the UVA LL.M. program. UVA Law has leading scholars in various fields. Taking business law as an example, the courses in this area are widely diverse. Students have access to learn from the top business law scholars and successful lawyers. That said, students can have comprehensive theoretical and practical training. 

“The faculty members here are also super approachable. All the professors are perfectly friendly and can always provide constructive advice, either on academic questions or career development.  

“For the record, I LOVE the cookie day every Friday. I feel healed every time I have cookies at the end of the week.  

“It is my privilege to have my time at UVA. I will miss everyone and everything here. ” 

“The days I spent at the University of Virginia School of Law in beautiful Charlottesville are the treasures of my life. I really enjoyed studying here very much.

“I chose UVA Law because it offers a wide variety of courses taught by outstanding faculty. Indeed, every course was very interesting, and all of the professors were kind, passionate and helpful. I learned a lot from amazing lectures, lively classroom discussions and team assignments. Each class brought a new sense of excitement and wonder. I had never experienced the thrill of learning in this way before. I also enjoyed having dinner with students at professors’ homes; I was grateful for their warm welcome to international students.

“Additionally, I chose UVA Law because it has a smaller number of LL.M. students than other law schools, hoping that LL.M. students would get to know each other better and would have more opportunities to befriend and study with J.D. students. Happily, this turned out to be true.

“I was able to get to know both LL.M. and J.D. students from all over the world and create strong friendships with them throughout the year. I will always cherish these close friendships.

“One of the most fun events at UVA Law was playing softball. The LL.M. students formed a team. The practices and the games were joyous. It didn’t matter if we won or lost; what mattered was that we bonded and became friends — and made precious memories that will last a lifetime.

“Also, Charlottesville is beautiful, rich in nature and a great place to live. I woke up to birds chirping and sometimes encountered beautiful deer while I ran, and enjoyed hiking and trail-running in the mountains.”