Careers

Expand Your Law Career with an LLM

A Master of Laws (LLM) can lead to many exciting career opportunities. Internationally-trained attorneys are able to prepare for the California bar exam, and domestic attorneys can specialize in a myriad of ways. For example, an attorney who wants to work as an IP licensing counsel would benefit from the Intellectual Property and Technology Law specialization.

Below are the average and median salaries of several LLM career paths.

Sources: Burning Glass, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, and PayScale
These salaries are based on national averages at the time of compiling, and do not reflect the salaries of Northeastern LLM graduates.

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Master of Laws Careers and Salary Information

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In-House Counsel

In-house counsels work directly for a business or organization. Depending on the size of the company, they might be the only lawyer on staff, or they might be part of a bigger team. One of the key responsibilities of in-house counsel is to advise the company/employer on all things legal, including legal risks, contract status and legal liabilities. Some job titles include general counsel, head of legal and chief legal officer.

In-house counsel median salary: $126,780

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Compliance Counsel

Compliance counsel is the primary person to handle ethics and compliance issues at a company, including audits and compliance investigations. Compliance attorneys work closely with human resources and company management to respond to issues within the company. Compliance counsel also manage, implement and maintain compliance related training. In addition, they advise employees on regulatory and legal issues.

Compliance counsel average salary: $146,609

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Intellectual Property (IP) Lawyer

Intellectual property (IP) attorneys advise their clients on how to establish and protect their ideas, inventions and intellectual capital. Patents can be issued for artistic work like books, plays and songs, and also be used for technology, slogans, logos, licensing agreements and product names. Key responsibilities for IP attorneys include preparing licensing agreements, service agreements and trademark documents.

Intellectual property lawyer average salary: $128,913

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Digital and Privacy Legal Counsel

Digital and/or privacy legal attorneys work with data privacy matters, including U.S., state and federal privacy information security laws. They also work with cybersecurity laws. Some responsibilities include conducting privacy assessments of business initiatives, leading privacy compliance documentation, and supporting compliance certifications.

Digital and privacy legal counsel average salary: $129,716

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Lawyer

Lawyers (or attorneys) are licensed to practice in one or more states or territories within the U.S.. They advise clients in court and interpret rulings and regulations for businesses and individuals. A lawyer’s hours and salary can vary significantly based on the organization they work for and the field they work in, which can include the public sector, business, healthcare and private practice.

Lawyer median salary: $126,930

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International Business Lawyer

International business lawyers represent their clients’ business interests in situations that involve at least two different countries. These attorneys must have an understanding of other countries’ laws, agreements and policies. Some subjects important for international business lawyers to be knowledgeable in include international business law, and comparative law and global economies. Attorneys who wish to work in some fields, such as healthcare, will also benefit from studying specific laws related to the field (e.g., HIPAA in healthcare).

International business attorney median salary: $125,031

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International Trade Attorney

International trade attorneys work in both the U.S. and internationally, negotiating and drafting trade agreements. These lawyers work for government organizations like the United States Department of Commerce, international organizations like the World Trade Organization and in private practice. International trade attorneys need to have a solid understanding of tax law in different regions, as transactions may occur across multiple countries.

International trade attorney median salary: $129,146

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Assistant U.S. Attorney

An Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) works in one of the 93 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country, each serving a federal judicial district. In turn, these offices are split into a criminal division, which prosecutes violations of federal law, and a civil division, which defends government agencies and engages in affirmative litigation to enforce regulations. Working as an AUSA often involves gaining a great deal of trial experience while working on complex cases that protect the public interest.

Assistant U.S. attorney average salary: $94,331

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