LLM in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Crafting an opening statement. Studying the evidence. Delivering oral arguments. Perfecting these skills (and many more) can transform an attorney into a great advocate. The Masters of Laws (LLM) in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Alternative Dispute Resolution degree program is designed for practicing attorneys refocusing their careers toward litigation or dispute resolution as well as recent graduates who wish to sharpen the skills developed in a JD or equivalent degree program.
Your coursework combines lectures, faculty demonstrations, and student presentations. And you'll gain invaluable experience through simulated depositions, jury trials, oral arguments, arbitrations, and mediations. All three areas of dispute resolution will be covered.
Our Commitment to You
Upon graduation with an LLM in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Alternative Dispute Resolution from Loyola, you will possess the following knowledge, skills, and professional values:
Knowledge
You will possess advanced knowledge of procedural and evidentiary rules as applied in a litigation setting. You will also gain an in-depth practical understanding of how to conduct a trial and argue an appeal. You will become proficient in various forms of dispute resolution techniques and be able to determine when these types of methods are most appropriately used throughout the litigation process.
Skills
You will be able to:
- Try a complex case before a court of law in a bench trial and jury trial setting;
- Engage in critical case analysis that leads to the development of a persuasive theory of the case;
- Conduct challenging witness examinations that adhere to the rules of evidence for direct and cross examination of lay and expert witnesses;
- Develop a communication style that results in the delivery of persuasive opening statements and closing arguments;
- Lay the foundation for admissibility for all forms of evidence, including electronic, and make and respond to evidentiary objections;
- Analyze and compose a substantial written work of advocacy, including motions, briefs, position papers and research papers in a complex litigation, appellate setting;
- Draft, present, and defend a persuasive written advocacy document in the context of complex litigation at the appellate court setting;
- Build upon the fundamentals of mediation, negotiation, arbitration and other dispute resolution venues and assess the dispute resolution process appropriate to the situation; and
- Assist clients in achieving goals in any dispute resolution setting by analyzing party interests and crafting and designing creative solutions in a mediation or settlement negotiation or employ oral and written advocacy skills in an arbitration setting.
Professional Values
You will be able to ethically counsel clients in all stages of litigation and dispute resolution, including:
- Identify, analyze, and address issues of professional and ethical responsibility as applied in litigation, appellate, and dispute resolution settings;
- Ethically counsel clients and persuasively present clients' interests in a litigation setting;
- Ethically and persuasively present a substantial written work of advocacy in an appellate court venue; and
- Ethically and competently practice the skills of problem solving, collaboration, counseling and negotiation.
By The Numbers
1
Loyola's Advocacy LLM can be Completed in as Little as One Year
70+
Courses in Advocacy and Dispute Resolution to Choose From
#23
In Trial Advocacy, According to U.S. News & World Report
Curriculum
Beginning each fall, you can complete the program in just one year on a full-time basis or in two years on a part-time basis. Courses are offered exclusively on campus.
Required Courses
- Advanced Evidence
- Advanced Mediation Certification and courthouse Practicum
- Advanced Trial Practice
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Advanced Appellate
Elective Courses
- Access to Justice
- Advanced Health Justice Project
- Advanced Legal Research
- Advanced Litigation Skills
- Advanced Mediation Advocacy Practicum
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Business Practice
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Civil Litigation
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Employment Discrimination Litigation
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Public Interest Law
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Illinois Civil and Criminal Litigation
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Judicial and Scholarly Writing
- Advanced Writing for Legal Practice: Responsible Email and Letter Drafting
- Advanced Writing for Litigation
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Arbitration Workshop
- Business Law Center Clinic I
- Child and Family Law Mediation
- ChildLaw Clinic
- ChildLaw Trial Practice
- Class Actions
- Client Counseling and Negotiation Weekend Workshop
- Collaborative Law Workshop
- Community Law Center Clinic I
- Community Law Center Clinic II
- Conflict of Laws
- Deposition Advocacy Workshop
- Education Law Practicum
- Electronic Discovery Law and Problem Solving
- Employment Discrimination Litigation
- Externship - Intensive Field Placement
- Family Law Practicum
- Federal Courts
- Federal Litigation Practice
- Federal Tax Clinic I
- Federal Tax Clinic II
- Health Care Litigation and Medical Malpractice
- Health Justice Advocacy
- Health Justice Policy Clinic
- Health Justice Project
- Human Trafficking Seminar
- Illinois Civil Litigation Practice
- International Arbitration Oral Advocacy
- International Arbitration: Public and Private
- International Commercial Arbitration and the CISG
- The Law of Jury Selection
- Legislation and Policy Clinic
- London Comparative Advocacy Program
- Mediation Advocacy
- Mediation Seminar
- Mediation Workshop
- Negotiations Seminar
- Patent Law Litigation
- Patent Prosecution Seminar
- Personal Injury Law and Advocacy
- A Practical Introduction to Daley Center Courtrooms
- Police Accountability
- Pre-Trial Litigation: Personal Injury Cases
- Prosecuting and Defending Terrorism Cases
- Remedies
- Separation of Powers
- Special Education Law and Advocacy
- Special Education Dispute Resolution
- Storytelling and Presentation Skills for Lawyers
- Student Initiated Capstone Project
- Transactional Skills Seminar
- Trial Practice I
- Trial Practice II
The list of elective courses is updated frequently. Consult the current schedule of courses for most current course offerings.
Degree Requirements
To earn an LLM in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Alternative Dispute Resolution, you must complete 24 credits of course work. Visit our Registrar for a complete list of degree requirements, academic calendars, and registration process. You may access full course descriptions through our student information system through guest access.
Admission
To apply to the program, you must possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or the international equivalent as well as a primary law degree.
JULY 1:Fall enrollment Application Deadline
Tuition and Fees
The School of Law and Loyola's Office of Student Financial Assistance are committed to helping students secure the necessary financial resources to make their legal education at Loyola affordable.
FAQs
Do I need a JD degree and need to be a member of the Bar?
LLM applicants must possess a primary law degree. For U.S. lawyers, this is a JD degree. For international lawyers, the degree may vary per country. If you have earned a JD degree from a non-ABA accredited institution in the United States, you must also be a licensed attorney.
Is there is an accelerated option for this program?
Loyola offers an accelerated option for students who complete advocacy courses at Loyola University Chicago School of Law while enrolled as a JD student. With approval upon admission to the LLM program, Loyola JD students may apply credit for elective LLM courses taken during the JD program, with approval, toward the LLM in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Dispute Resolution degree.
Applicants wishing to pursue the accelerated degree option must indicate this preference on their application to the LLM program. Approval of accelerated status is at the discretion of the admissions committee.
Crafting an opening statement. Studying the evidence. Delivering oral arguments. Perfecting these skills (and many more) can transform an attorney into a great advocate. The Masters of Laws (LLM) in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Alternative Dispute Resolution degree program is designed for practicing attorneys refocusing their careers toward litigation or dispute resolution as well as recent graduates who wish to sharpen the skills developed in a JD or equivalent degree program.
Your coursework combines lectures, faculty demonstrations, and student presentations. And you'll gain invaluable experience through simulated depositions, jury trials, oral arguments, arbitrations, and mediations. All three areas of dispute resolution will be covered.
Our Commitment to You
Upon graduation with an LLM in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Alternative Dispute Resolution from Loyola, you will possess the following knowledge, skills, and professional values:
Curriculum
Beginning each fall, you can complete the program in just one year on a full-time basis or in two years on a part-time basis. Courses are offered exclusively on campus.
Degree Requirements
To earn an LLM in Trial Advocacy, Appellate Advocacy, and Alternative Dispute Resolution, you must complete 24 credits of course work. Visit our Registrar for a complete list of degree requirements, academic calendars, and registration process. You may access full course descriptions through our student information system through guest access.