An Innovative and Unique
Educational Opportunity . . .
Why a St. John's LL.M. in
Bankruptcy?
Although sometimes thought of as a specialty, bankruptcy is quite
generic in nature. Virtually every legal discipline is affected by
bankruptcy. Successful bankruptcy practice therefore requires not
only specialized knowledge of the complexities of the Bankruptcy
Code and Rules, but also knowledge of a broad range of discrete
substantive areas — including accounting, taxation, real estate,
securities, finance and domestic relations — as they apply to
bankruptcy cases. At the same time, expertise in bankruptcy does
not always afford the global outlook needed for effectively
handling bankruptcy cases in these and other areas.
As a result, many large firms often form teams of lawyers with
expertise in the various disciplines involved in any particular
case. The team approach, however, is very expensive for the
bankruptcy estate. Also, it may not provide a completely
satisfactory solution unless there are members of the team with
broad enough multidisciplinary perspectives to integrate the
bankruptcy issues with the other legal disciplines involved.
With this in mind, St. John's LL.M. in Bankruptcy is designed to
be multidisciplinary in nature — integrating elements of legal
disciplines into the curriculum in a way that will permit the
graduate to see and understand the interrelationship between
bankruptcy and other substantive areas of the law — even where
expert advice must be brought in to provide the direction required
in seeking such advice. Students will be given intensive advanced
training, both in bankruptcy law and in related subjects as they
apply to bankruptcy — training generally unavailable at the J.D.
level. Graduates will thus be in a position to make a major
contribution to any law office in which they practice, and to make
significant contributions to the development and administration of
the bankruptcy laws of the nation.
The LL.M. in Bankruptcy is also unique among masters programs.
It is the premier masters program in the nation devoted to
bankruptcy law. More important, it will be a distinctly different
type of program. In addition to providing advanced classes in
subjects covered at the J.D. level, the LL.M. in Bankruptcy is
designed to produce a special kind of bankruptcy lawyer. By doing
so, it will make an important impact on the field of graduate legal
education.
An Intensive and Rigorous
Program
The St. John's LL.M. in Bankruptcy program is intensive and
rigorous. While most LL.M. programs consist of 24 credits, the
School of Law’s LL.M. in Bankruptcy requires the completion of 30
credits, six of which are devoted to two Advanced Research
Seminars. These seminars require each student to prepare a major
thesis on a significant bankruptcy topic under the supervision of
the professor in charge of the student's seminar and an individual
mentor/expert in the paper’s subject matter. The paper will be
defended orally by the student before experts in the field.
This program, which combines academic rigor with a unique
multidisciplinary approach, is designed to produce bankruptcy
attorneys with the skills, the ambition and the knowledge to become
leaders in the insolvency field. We do not attempt to mask the
intensity of the program; on the contrary, we want each applicant
to understand the commitment that this program requires. We also
want leaders of the insolvency community to appreciate the effort
that each graduate will have made to successfully master such an
enormously comprehensive program, and to understand that each is
prepared to accept the responsibility of leadership that will go
with the degree.
In return, the administration of St. John's University School of
Law pledges hands-on assistance and dedicated understanding to the
LL.M. students as they make their way toward their leadership
role.
Non-Discrimination Policy
St. John's University has a long-standing policy of
nondiscrimination. We do not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, creed, age, gender, national origin, marital or parental
status, sexual orientation, alien status, citizenship, or
disability. Rather, we try to make all feel a part of the St.
John's community, regardless of their background or physical
condition.
Full Accreditation
The St. John's LL.M. in Bankruptcy Program is fully accredited. It
has been approved by the New York State Department of Education,
and has received the acquiescence of the American Bar
Association.
Information
For more information, please contact:
Yvette Gutierrez
Director, LL.M. in Bankruptcy
St. John's University School of Law
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
Phone: (718) 990-1923
E-mail: yvette.gutierrez@stjohns.edu