Tax LLM Admission & Scholarship $ Chances Forum

[aspiringtaxllm2025]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a mid-level associate (corporate) at a V20 firm. I've always wanted to pursue a Tax LLM (one of the tax profs suggested it during my 2L (one of the schools reached out to him/her asking for referrals), which I politely passed saying I'll reconsider once I've paid off my student loans) and finally conjured up the courage (read: enough savings for sticker) to apply this cycle. Had some strong personal reasons to not choose tax for practice, which I'll be explaining in my personal statement.

YHSCCN alum, cumulative GPA at around 3.42 and Tax GPA (7 classes) at 3.83, both out of 4.00. No tax experience post-bar but did a fair amount of pro bono work (clinic and VITA) while in school. Thinking of applying exclusively to NYU, GULC, NU and UF. My recommenders are big names in the academia (with quite close ties to some of said institutions) so I suspect LORs will boost my shots. I however do fear that my GPA is too low when compared to the incoming class (esp. those coming in with shiny latin honors) and would like know if there is any solid shot at the admission and some scholarship $.

I have searched high and low for stories of $ being offered to someone of similar stats, but the only anecdotes were from graudates of top % in their class. As schools don't post class profiles for Tax LLMs, it's hard to gauge what my chances would be. If you have attended an LLM program in recent years at NYU/GULC/NU/UF and open to share your stats or personally know someone who's received an offer, I'd really appreciate hearing your 2c. Thank you all!

[jdkale]

There would be no question about admission.

As for the cost, if a V20 midlevel associate gets a tax LLM, the firm pays. If your firm is not supportive of transition to tax or you haven't discussed it with them, then that is a bigger issue than tuition.

[nealric]

You'll get in. Merit scholarships for LLM programs are relatively rare compared to JD programs. Most people pay full sticker or an employer pays.

As the other poster said, if you are at V20, have you not spoken to the tax group about a possible switch? It's pretty standard to do the LLM while working in biglaw. If your firm isn't interested in adding a tax associate, I'd look into a potential lateral into tax at another firm first rather than starting the LLM right away. The LLM really is designed around practicing attorneys who want to scaffold their existing practice. You certainly can do it as a bootcamp for tax, but I think that's not the ideal way.

[aspiringtaxllm2025]

As for the cost, if a V20 midlevel associate gets a tax LLM, the firm pays. If your firm is not supportive of transition to tax or you haven't discussed it with them, then that is a bigger issue than tuition.

Thank you for chiming in! I did speak with the firm's global head of tax practice. Despite the firm's decent performance this financial year, they stopped sponsoring a number of internal policies that cost them (in my personal opinion would be) petty change, including visa sponsorships, subscription to publications, bar stipends for existing associates, etc. so that's a no-go. All of the LLMs I've spoken with at the firm landed here post-LLM and I doubt they'll be sponsoring my LLM should things get better next year.

[nealric]

As for the cost, if a V20 midlevel associate gets a tax LLM, the firm pays. If your firm is not supportive of transition to tax or you haven't discussed it with them, then that is a bigger issue than tuition.

Thank you for chiming in! I did speak with the firm's global head of tax practice. Despite the firm's decent performance this financial year, they stopped sponsoring a number of internal policies that cost them (in my personal opinion would be) petty change, including visa sponsorships, subscription to publications, bar stipends for existing associates, etc. so that's a no-go. All of the LLMs I've spoken with at the firm landed here post-LLM and I doubt they'll be sponsoring my LLM should things get better next year.

Would they let you just transfer to the tax group without the LLM? The LLM is a nice feather in your cap, but it's secondary to actual tax practice experience. I know some successful tax attorneys who never got it. It just seems to me you are taking a huge risk and financial hit by quitting to do a full time LLM. You could also just do it part time and pay for it yourself if the firm won't pay. It's not cheap, but firm associates typically spread it out over ~3 years, so you are really only out ~$20k/yr. That's a LOT cheaper than quitting your job.

[aspiringtaxllm2025]

As for the cost, if a V20 midlevel associate gets a tax LLM, the firm pays. If your firm is not supportive of transition to tax or you haven't discussed it with them, then that is a bigger issue than tuition.

Thank you for chiming in! I did speak with the firm's global head of tax practice. Despite the firm's decent performance this financial year, they stopped sponsoring a number of internal policies that cost them (in my personal opinion would be) petty change, including visa sponsorships, subscription to publications, bar stipends for existing associates, etc. so that's a no-go. All of the LLMs I've spoken with at the firm landed here post-LLM and I doubt they'll be sponsoring my LLM should things get better next year.

Would they let you just transfer to the tax group without the LLM? The LLM is a nice feather in your cap, but it's secondary to actual tax practice experience. I know some successful tax attorneys who never got it. It just seems to me you are taking a huge risk and financial hit by quitting to do a full time LLM. You could also just do it part time and pay for it yourself if the firm won't pay. It's not cheap, but firm associates typically spread it out over ~3 years, so you are really only out ~$20k/yr. That's a LOT cheaper than quitting your job.

Thanks for weighing in, nealric. Fair point, but it's not something I had not considered. My firm won't, and I've interviewed with a handful firms who didn't seem to have much appetite for mid-level lateral lacking solid real-life tax experience (don't blame them). This is despite my willingness to take a huge class cut (i.e., basically restart at Year 1 or 2). Honestly, I to date fail to understand why they wanted to speak to me in the first place if they were so adamant about not taking in non-tax transaction lateral in their team. When I touched base with my profs for LOR, they suggested same - it wasn't unheard of when they were big law partners but did add that it may be an uphill battle at my seniority. I only decided to resort to LLM following a quite a protracted process of elimination. I'll revisit this thread to post my admission results for the forum's future ref, but should all else fail (sticker at all four schools), I think I'll stick to my practice area. Thanks again!

[CanadianWolf]

Have you considered earning a part-time, online LLM in Taxation from NYU or Georgetown ?

[bbsexclusively]

You'll probably get into NYU/GULC with $$$. I know someone from my lower T14 who got full ride. And he was the only person in his class from T14. And you'll probably land multiple offers if you don't screw up you grades in the first semester.