Animal Law LL.M.

Lewis & Clark Law School is proud to offer the world’s first advanced legal degree in animal law.  With a rich, pioneering history in the field of animal law, Lewis & Clark is uniquely positioned to offer an LL.M. degree that provides students both rigorous academic and professional training. 

Our commitment is to educate students who will become the leading legal educators and advocates in the field.  Students will have the opportunity to develop a curriculum specific to their career aspirations, whether it is teaching, or practicing law in a private firm, non-profit organization, corporation or government agency.

  Accepting applications for 2013-2014

Deadline Extended until June 30th

If interested in applying please contact Natasha Dolezal for further information.

 

Apply now via LSAC or Downloadable PDF Version

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Admissions

Do I need a law degree to apply to the LL.M. program?

Yes, all US applicants for admission to the LL.M. program must have earned a J.D. from a fully accredited institution.  All international applicants need to have graduated with a law degree from a country that would qualify you to take the professional examinations to become a lawyer or judge in that country.

Is the program accepting international students?

Yes, we are accepting international students beginning Fall 2013.  If you are interested, then you may apply now for Fall admission.  Please check the website for further information or contact us. 

When is your LL.M. application deadline?

For US students, applications for fall semester admission are due March 15th; applications for spring semester (January) admission are due August 15th.  For international students, applications for fall semester are due February 15th.  However, we will consider all US and international applications on a rolling basis and accept applications throughout the year.  We will also consider applications past the admissions deadline if there is still room in the class.

Fall and spring entrance: US students can apply to begin their LL.M. studies in the fall semester, which begins in late August, or in the spring semester, which begins in mid-January. International students can only apply for fall admission.

When are admissions decisions made?

Admissions are made on a rolling basis.  If admitted to the program, you will be notified by an official letter of admission and by email.  This letter will detail the manner and time frame in which to respond and confirm your acceptance.

Do you require interviews for admission?

Interviews are not required, but may be requested by the program director or other members of the Admissions Committee in order to gather more information about an applicant.  Applicants are encouraged to come and visit the campus at any time and meet with faculty and staff. Please contact us if you are interested in visiting.  For those who can’t, our Admissions Office has created a virtual tour to give you an idea of our campus.

How many students do you accept into the program?

We intend to keep this program small (less than 12 students) to allow students the opportunity to work closely with our animal law faculty and staff. 

Are deferrals granted?

Deferrals may be granted on a case-by-case basis, but for no longer than one year.  In those cases, a deposit will be required.

How do I apply?

Applicants can apply using LSAC or by a Downloadable PDF Version of our application form and sending it by mail to:

Natasha Dolezal
Director, Animal Law LL.M. Program
Lewis & Clark Law School
10015 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97219

What are the application requirements?

Application requirements for admittance to the Animal Law LL.M. Degree Program are outline in our PDF application.  Required items include: a completed LL.M. application, nonrefundable $50 application fee, statement of purpose explaining why you seek an LL.M. in animal law, current resume, legal writing sample (10-15 pages) demonstrating research and analytical skills, official transcripts from each law school and graduate schools attended and three letters of reference written by people who know you well. These letters should be written to help the Admissions Committee evaluate your academic capacity and ethical character, writing and research skills, and professional ability as a lawyer. The letters do not need to be sealed and may be submitted directly to the law school or with the other application materials. 

English language requirements?

In order to be successful in our program, students must have excellent English comprehension and writing ability.  Like most US law schools, our program requires extensive reading and writing on a daily basis.

If you are from an English speaking country, have received a degree from an English-speaking school, or can submit acceptable alternative evidence of a high-level of proficiency in English then you may speak with the program director to establish your fluency.

Otherwise, the minimum scores required are below.

Computer-based TOEFL: 245

Internet-based TOEFL: 100

IELTS: 8

 

Curriculum

What is required to complete the LL.M. degree?

The LL.M. program requires students to complete 26 semester hours of credit* and receive a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better. A full-time student can compete the program in one academic year (two semesters).  Students are allowed to attend the program part-time and will have up to two and a half years to satisfy all degree requirements.

*International students are required to take 28 semester hours.  The two additional credit hours are earned during a mandatory course designed to help prepare international students for studying law in the US.

Students may also take classes toward their degree through the Animal Law Summer Program.

 

Are there required courses?

All students are required to take a two-credit Graduate Animal Law Seminar (one credit in the fall, one credit in the spring).  Students are also required to take Administrative Law (3 credits) and Animal Law Fundamentals (3 credits) classes if they had not already satisfied these requirements in their J.D. programs.

For the remaining credits, students may choose from any of our animal law courses, including up to 8 credits in non-animal law classes.

A major written thesis (6 credits) is an option for selected students subject to the approval of the program director and faculty thesis supervisor.

The LL.M. program director will counsel students on class selection, graduation requirements and other matters.  Students will work with the director to register for classes once registration opens.

Do you offer online courses/distance learning?

Currently, this option is not available.

Finances

How much is tuition?

Tuition for Fall 2013 is $1,432* per credit. 

*Please check the Law School Tuition and Fees page for more detailed and up to date information about tuition, fees and living expenses.

Do you offer scholarships?

At this time, we are not offering any dedicated scholarships but we hope to in the future.  In reviewing applications, the Admissions Committee may decide to offer some students a tuition reduction.  Applicants are encouraged to investigate other sources of funding early on in their application process.
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• Animal Law LL.M. online brochure

• Animal Law LL.M. announcement

• Campus Virtual Tour

• Admitted Students Information
  

 

Questions?

 

Please contact:

Natasha Dolezal

Director, Animal Law LL.M. Program
Center for Animal Law Studies
Lewis & Clark Law School
10015 S.W. Terwilliger Blvd.
Portland, OR 97219-7799
p: 503.768.6976   
f: 503.768.6917

ndolezal@lclark.edu