Master of Law (LLM) in Criminal Law

Program Overview

The LL.M. in Criminal Law at UB is a 24-credit hour program, typically completed within one year of full-time study. The program offers professionals the flexibility to craft a highly specialized course of study, drawing on the law school's strengths in research, classroom instruction, and experiential learning. A key requirement is participation in the Criminal Law Colloquium, which serves as a writing requirement. Additionally, students must complete a minimum of three credits of experiential learning through externships, clerkships, clinical programs, or practicums, providing crucial hands-on experience. The program is advised by Professor Luis Chiesa, an internationally recognized criminal law scholar, ensuring expert guidance.

Curriculum: The 24-credit curriculum for the LL.M. in Criminal Law allows for a highly customized and in-depth study of the field. While students have access to nearly all courses offered at the law school to create a specialized focus, specific foundational courses are required, including "Criminal Law," "Criminal Procedure – Investigation," and either "Evidence" or "Criminal Procedure – Adjudication." The remainder of the coursework is comprised of electives, allowing students to explore diverse topics such as "Advanced Criminal Procedure," "Comparative Criminal Law," "Criminal Forensic Evidence," "Death Penalty Law and Practice," and "White Collar Crime." International students also take a dedicated legal research and writing class and a course introducing the U.S. legal system.

Research Focus: The LL.M. in Criminal Law at UB boasts a strong research focus, deeply integrated with the work of the Buffalo Criminal Law Center, one of the nation's premier research institutes in criminal law. The center is dedicated to the study of American, comparative, and international criminal law, and its activities directly enrich the LL.M. program. Faculty members are prominent scholars whose research spans a wide array of criminal law topics, including criminal procedure, constitutional criminal law, comparative criminal law, and specific areas like white-collar crime and the death penalty. Students benefit from engaging with the center's projects, participating in its annual criminal law conferences, and contributing to the Buffalo Criminal Law Review, a leading criminal-law journal. The program specifically prepares students for roles in teaching, policy work, and for contributing to the scholarly discourse in criminal justice.

Industry Engagement: The LL.M. in Criminal Law program at UB is designed to be highly engaged with the legal profession and related industries. A core component of the program is its experiential learning requirement, which mandates at least three credits of hands-on experience through clinics, externships, clerkships, or practicums. The Criminal Justice Advocacy Clinic provides students with opportunities to work on actual cases and interact with clients under the supervision of experienced attorneys. The law school also emphasizes connections with its strong alumni network, many of whom are leading practitioners in the Western New York legal market. While the program attracts those interested in policy and academia, it also provides practical skills and networking for those aiming to serve as prosecutors, defense attorneys, or judges in their home jurisdictions.

Global Perspective: The LL.M. in Criminal Law at UB offers a distinctly global perspective, particularly through its connection to the Buffalo Criminal Law Center. The center is dedicated to the study of American, comparative, and international criminal law. The program attracts lawyers and professors from "all over the world," creating a diverse learning environment that encourages comparative legal analysis. Students are advised by Professor Luis Chiesa, an internationally known scholar with extensive experience in Spain and Latin America. The program's activities, such as the Comparative Criminal Law Conversations Project, aim to bridge the gap between common law and civil law approaches to criminal justice, ensuring graduates are well-versed in global legal frameworks and prepared to work on international criminal law issues or apply their expertise in their diverse home jurisdictions.