Law graduates can now take their Master of Law in Cebu regardless from which school they graduated from.
This after the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) signed a consortium agreement on February 8 with the San Sebastian College – Recoletos (SCCR) to offer Master of Laws, also known as Legum Magister (LL.M).
“What’s unique about it is that, it’s the first time for the school of law of the University to actually offer a Master of Laws program and we are pleased to partner with San Sebastian Graduate School of Law to be able to offer it,” said Atty. Mae Elaine Bathan, Assistant Dean of USJ-R School of Law.
Starting this month, the USJ-R School of Law will now accept inquiries and applications for the said program which will start on April 2019.
The classes will be held once every month for a period of four semesters including the Thesis preparation and defense. Contact and lecture hours will be conducted by professors from SSCR Graduate School of Law and other top lecturers and professors in the country.
“We find it timely because the legal education board has also given its mandate that law professors, or the school of law must have a master’s degree and we are doing this to also provide law practitioners an avenue to grow and to further professionalize their fields of specialization,” Bathan explained.
She also shared the significance of taking up a program.
“Enrollment in the Master of Law program will allow a lawyer to explore and market his/her field of specialization. With the ASEAN integration, there is a need for lawyers within the region to gain more knowledge of international commercial law, contracts, taxation, family law, labor law and arbitration as these are common trends of law practice. Having a Master of Law degree gives a lawyer an edge over other lawyers because an LLM degree is an added qualification in law practice,” she said.
Anyone who has earned his or her diploma in Law (LL.B) or Juris Doctor (JD) may enroll in the LL.M program. Passing the Bar examination is not a pre-requisite to enrollment in the Master of Law thus those who have been conferred the Juris Doctor or previously the Bachelor of Law are eligible to enroll in the program.
USJ-R will facilitate and assist the students in the processing of the enrollment and transfer credentials of the enrollees. Graduation and conferment of the LL.M degree will be in Manila.
Aside from the LL.M program, USJ-R School of Law also offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) Non Thesis program and Refresher courses as well as Pre- bar review. The USJR School of Law is also assisting the applicants for the Philippine Law School Admission Test (PhilSat) for those who want to take up law. Interested applicants may inquire by sending an email to law@usjr.edu.ph or calling 253-7900 local 266.
Written by Lorraine Mitzi A. Ambrad
