Because the degree is meant to enhance students' understanding of American law topics, certain specific classes in international and comparative law do not count towards the degree's credit requirements, though LL.M. students may enroll in them. Clinics, externships for credit, and trial advocacy classes are not open to LL.M. students. All LL.M. students receive a general introduction to American law and the U.S. legal system through the fall semester class, Introduction to American Law. It examines the role of state law and state courts in the American system of federalism. The course also studies the American judicial processes of constitutional analyses, interpretation of statutes, and development of common law.
Some attention is paid to court procedures, including trial by jury.
Finally, students study a few topics that are illustrative of the treatment of individual rights in American law, such as freedom of speech, anti-discrimination law, and protection of private property. The class grants two credits towards the American Law degree. All LL.M.'s take a fall semester two-credit Legal Research and Writing seminar, specifically designed to introduce foreign lawyers to the basic principles of American legal writing. In small class settings and individual conferences, students receive guidance on drafting and editing memoranda and agreements. Their work is critiqued and rewritten.