J.D./LL.M. (Taxation)

Combined-Degree Program

| Eligibility Requirements | Application to Enter Program | Conditional Acceptance |

Program Description

Qualified J.D. students to apply up to 10 credit hours (or 12 with permission of the Graduate Studies Committee) of UMKC tax courses approved for this purpose toward an LL.M. in Taxation or LL.M. (General, with Estate Planning Emphasis) degree as well as toward the J.D. degree. This will allow students to earn an LL.M. in one of these two areas on an accelerated basis, generally requiring only one additional semester (or two summer sessions) beyond that required for the J.D. degree.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for either of the Combined J.D./LL.M. programs, a student must:

1. Enroll in the program before (s)he receives the J.D. degree,

2. Take the graduate courses at UMKC (courses taken at other schools will not be eligible),

3. Have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.7 (on a 4.0 scale) at the time of graduation from the J.D. program (see “Conditional Acceptance” below), and

4. Satisfy all of the requirements for obtaining the applicable LL.M. degree.

Application to Enter the Program

An application form for the Combined J.D./LL.M. programs is available in the UMKC School of Law Administration Office. Students may apply as follows:

1. Persons Applying to the J.D. Program: Students who are applying to the J.D. program at the UMKC School of Law may apply to enter either of the Combined J.D./LL.M. programs with their J.D. application. No LL.M. courses may be taken until the student has completed all first year courses.

2. Law Students Already Enrolled at UMKC: UMKC law students may apply at any time to enter either Combined J.D./LL.M. program, although no LL.M. courses may be taken until the student has completed all first year courses.

3. Law Students Enrolled at other Law Schools

a. Transfer Students: Students at other law schools may apply to transfer to the UMKC School of Law and enroll in either J.D./LL.M. program as they pursue a J.D. at UMKC.

b. Visiting/Certification Students: Alternatively, students may apply to the program in their fourth semester of law school and enroll at UMKC for their fifth and/or sixth semester as visiting/certification J.D. students. After receiving the J.D. degree from the student’s “home” law school, the qualified student may continue at UMKC as an LL.M. student (see “Conditional Acceptance” below). It is incumbent upon visiting/certification students to ensure that the LL.M. courses taken at UMKC will be credited toward the J.D. degree at their “home” law school. Toward this end, law students interested in either Combined J.D./LL.M. program are encouraged to begin discussions with their law school toward this end as early as possible in the J.D. studies.

Conditional Acceptance into the LL.M. in Taxation Program

Since an LL.M. program is a graduate program, no person can be formally accepted into the program until the successful completion of the J.D. degree. Consequently, students in either J.D./LL.M. program will be conditionally accepted into the LL.M. program. Formal acceptance will depend upon whether a student has met the minimum eligibility requirements to enroll in either LL.M. program (for example, a minimum law school grade point average of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale upon graduation from the J.D. program).

Requirements After Completion of the J.D. Program

1. During their post-J.D. degree period, Combined Degree program students are considered LL.M. students at the UMKC School of Law and are subject to the rules and regulations of the School applicable to LL.M. students.

2. Students participating in either Combined J.D./LL.M. program must complete at least 24 credit hours in graduate courses which must be taken at UMKC from the list of required and elective courses for the applicable program. Up to 10 credit hours (twelve credits with the permission of the Graduate Studies Committee) of LL.M. courses taken at UMKC while a J.D. student may be applied to the 24 credit hour requirement.

3. Students must have an LL.M. cumulative grade point average of at least 2.7 to receive either the LL.M. in Taxation or the LL.M. (General with Estate Planning Emphasis) degree.

4. Students must enroll in a minimum of four credit hours each semester and must complete the LL.M. degree requirements within three years of obtaining their J.D. degree.

Comments or Questions to law@umkc.edu