English for American Law School

Get a head start on an LL.M program or advance your ability to use Legal English!

English for American Law School (EALS) is a short pre-semester program designed to help foreign-trained lawyers boost their knowledge of the U.S. legal system and its vocabulary before starting their regular LL.M. studies at St. John's Law or elsewhere.

EALS is also open to any professional who wants to gain a career advantage by improving their Legal English. Most students in the program will have a minimum English language evaluation of 95 (Duolingo), 6 (IELTS), 70 (TOEFL IBT), or B2 (CEFR).

You will learn from lawyers who have extensive training and experience teaching non-native English speakers. They will guide you and your classmates through engaging and interactive coursework in:

Fundamentals of the American Legal System
Legal Writing and Argument
Reading Legal Texts

These learning modules include lectures, discussions, writing assignments, and other exercises that will help you build the knowledge, skills, and confidence you need to:

Read and understand U.S. case law, statutes, and legal texts
Write, deliver, and defend a legal argument
Work with American lawyers in professional settings

In the summer, EALS is usually offered over four weeks in mid-July to mid-August. The winter schedule varies to accommodate the winter holidays.