Tulane law program gets high marks

International Jurist magazine has ranked Tulane Law School’s Master of Laws (LLM) program among the best for foreign attorneys looking to study in the United States.

Tulane was listed as one of the top nine LLM programs for career opportunity and one of the top 11 for academic quality. The magazine did not individually rank schools within the categories, but said it used “data from law schools, the American Bar Association and other sources” to identify schools that excel in several specific areas.

With its dual curriculum in civil and common law, along with internationally leading programs in maritime/admiralty law and comparative law, Tulane regularly attracts LLM students from across the globe.

“I made the decision to hop on a plane and fly all the way across the world, to get out of my comfort zone and take the opportunity to become part of a new, international community.”

Ifigeneia Xanthopoulou, 2016 Tulane LLM recipient

During 2015-16, Tulane hosted 40 LLM students from countries and regions around the world in addition to the United States. Graduate lawyers came from Albania, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, China, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Senegal, Taiwan, Turkey, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom.

Ifigeneia Xanthopoulou of Greece, who completed the LLM program in 2016, called her year at Tulane an “extraordinary experience” that allowed her to study with world-renowned faculty, experience the unique culture of Tulane and New Orleans, and build friendships that will last a lifetime.

She said the LLM program familiarizes students with the American legal system, helps build a solid foundation of legal research and writing skills, and gives students the ability to focus on their preferred fields.

“I made the decision to hop on a plane and fly all the way across the world, to get out of my comfort zone and take the opportunity to become part of a new, international community,” said Xanthopoulou. “This decision did not only make me a better lawyer, but a more open, understanding and mature person.”

Xanthopoulou served as president of Graduate Lawyers at Tulane and is joining the admiralty section of Chaffe McCall in New Orleans.