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For US-Trained Lawyers

Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation

Gain comprehensive training in tax law through rigorous coursework, specialized instruction, and individualized attention from leading practitioners and full-time faculty in our taxation LLM program.

Program Overview

The LLM in taxation offers a rigorous course of study in the field of tax law. The program provides comprehensive training to lawyers and law school graduates who plan to practice tax law. Our full-time faculty and leading practitioners in the field offer specialized, practical training and individualized attention in small class sizes, typically fewer than ten students.

The program requires the completion of 24 credit hours of our tax curriculum. It can be completed full-time in a one year period or part-time for up to four years. We require students to complete (or obtain a waiver in appropriate circumstances) Federal Income Tax, Corporate Taxation, and Partnership Taxation. In addition, we offer a wide-ranging selection of tax electives as part of our unique tax curriculum.

Certificate Programs

LLM students have the opportunity to pursue a Certificate in one of four specialty areas. A Certificate is optional and requires 9 credit hours in the specialty area as part of a 24-credit LLM requirement. Students may earn an LLM and one Certificate in an academic year.

  • Certificate in Negotiation & Dispute Resolution
    Provides substantial foundation in conflict theory and dispute resolution, with hands-on opportunities to gain practical skills in business negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.
  • Certificate in Business & Corporate Law
    Develops knowledge and skills necessary to become well-rounded business lawyers, with training in corporate finance, law and economics, publicly traded corporations, and taxation.
  • Certificate in International Law
    Equips students with a strong foundation in international law and specialized training in areas such as international human rights, international intellectual property, and international commercial arbitration.
  • Certificate in Intellectual Property and Technology Law
    Allows study of introductory and advanced intellectual property law under the guidance of leading scholars, covering patent, trademark, copyright issues, and emerging technologies.

Why WashU Law?

St. Louis offers all the resources of a large city while retaining a strong sense of community and emphasis on neighborhoods. Besides an Internal Revenue Service District Office, the St. Louis metropolitan area is home to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri; the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, located just across the river; and several Fortune 500 companies including Emerson Electric, Express Scripts, Monsanto, and Nestle Purina. The wealth of area law firms comes in all sizes and specialize in all fields of tax law.

FAQs

Your questions answered.

Candidates for the LLM degree must have graduated from an accredited US law school. If you are a current or prospective WashU Law J.D., you are eligible to get a joint J.D./Tax LL.M. degree in 6 semesters. In some situations, we may consider students with an undergraduate law degree or its equivalent from a foreign institution of higher learning based on the strength of your law school record and any tax coursework. For lawyers in practice, we also consider relevant work experience. Students holding an LLB from a non-US law school are required to take a two-semester course: Introduction to US Law and Legal Methods.

Interested candidates must submit:

  1. An application
  2. Official academic transcripts (in English) from all undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools attended, whether or not a degree was awarded, with class rank

We cannot review your file until it is complete. We will continue to accept applications and admit students up until the first week of classes each semester on a space contingency basis.

Need-based and credit-based loans, as well as a limited number of merit-based scholarships, are available for full-time students who meet federal requirements.

For more information, contact Professor Sarah Narkiewicz.