Practice or Academia: Choosing a Path After Your Master of Laws in International Dispute Resolution

Find the right path for your career after studying online for your LLM

Many ambitious legal professionals know that they want to pursue an LLM in order to further their careers. However, they may be torn about what career moves they should make upon graduating, especially when it comes to deciding whether to pursue professional practice or academia.

An LLM is an interesting qualification in that it prepares individuals for both areas, and it can be difficult for ambitious professionals to know which path will provide the most reward. Keep reading to learn about some factors you should consider when the time comes to make your choice.

An Online LLM in International Dispute Resolution Puts Teaching on the Table

One unique aspect of an academic career is the prospect of teaching. For many individuals who pursue further postgraduate studies through PhD and postdoctoral programmes, teaching is a major component of their career.

Whether as a teaching assistant, lecturer, or tutor, many legal scholars have the opportunity not only to study and research the law, but also to pass this knowledge on to young, developing legal professionals. If you find yourself drawn not only to learning new knowledge, but to communicating it to others and helping your peers understand new concepts, pursuing an academic path with your LLM could give you the chance to integrate this into your professional career.

Pave the way for further postgraduate study and teaching with an LLM

Use Your Master of Laws in International Dispute Resolution in Commercial and Treaty Arbitration

While research and teaching may draw some legal professionals into the world of academia, an online LLM in International Dispute Resolution is also an incredibly compelling option for those who want more specialised professional knowledge.

The Queen Mary University of London Online LLM degree, for instance, can help you get in on the ground floor of the increasingly important international arbitration process. The course provides students with strong theoretical and practical backgrounds in international arbitration and dispute resolution. If you discover that your studies inspire you to find innovative legal solutions to international puzzles, using your LLM as a springboard to further your career as a legal practitioner may be your best move upon graduation.

Your LLM can help you enter the world of commercial or treaty arbitration

Use the Research Skills From Your Online LLM in Either Career Path

Like many other masters degrees, an LLM is an advanced postgraduate qualification that not only equips you with a practical mastery of the subject matter, but also helps you develop your skills in research. If you find the dissertation component of your Master of Laws in International Dispute Resolution to be the most compelling aspect of your studies, this could be a good indicator that you have a knack for research, which is a useful skill in both the practice and study of the law.

If you enjoy delving deeply into the theoretical aspects of international dispute resolution, this preference may lend itself more strongly to an academic career and further study – perhaps through a PhD programme. If you find that your research is more oriented around practical issues and cases, you may want to apply these skills to real legal cases through professional practice. Regardless of the path you choose, you can be confident that the knowledge from your QMUL LLM will help drive your career success.

Do you want to know more about what your career prospects could be with an LLM?

Contact Queen Mary Online to learn about student progression from our international dispute resolution university programmes.