In 2021, German-educated attorney Monika Marrs began working as a paralegal at a family law practice in Ardmore, Oklahoma. She had relocated to the US the year before during her maternity leave, leaving behind her practice back home, which spanned both civil and criminal courts.
In December 2025, Marrs graduated from Texas A&M University School of Law’s LLM programme with a 4.0 GPA. She immediately sat for the Texas Bar Exam in February 2026 and successfully passed. Since then, she’s continued her work at her firm in Ardmore, focusing primarily on criminal defence in Chickasaw Nation courts, while also handling select family law matters.
“My journey to Texas A&M was driven by necessity to transition into a new legal system, and the desire to continue my career as a trial attorney,” she says.
The Texas A&M LLM make journeys like Marrs possible for all foreign-trained lawyers. Here’s how:
1. A top-ranked law programme
Texas A&M Law now ranks #22 nationally (US News & World Report 2026) – the fastest rise in law school rankings history, from unranked to Top 25 in a decade. Behind that trajectory is a faculty of internationally recognised scholars whose work shapes US and global legal discourse. LLM students learn directly from them, taking classes alongside JD students in an environment designed for working professionals.
“My classmates in Evidence showed a strong curiosity about the differences between Germany’s civil law system and the US common law system,” says Marrs. “The interactions allowed me to contribute my background while expanding my understanding of American legal principles.”
That same spirit of exchange runs through every corner of the programme, including specialty areas ranked among the nation’s best: Dispute Resolution (#3) and Intellectual Property (#6).
Texas A&M School of Law puts your career first, and it shows – consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally for employment outcomes. Source: Texas A&M University
2. Study where the legal work happens
Texas is the third-largest legal market in the US by lawyer headcount, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex – home to Texas A&M Law – has the country’s highest concentration of corporate headquarters, with more than 10,000 companies based in the region. Fortune 500 firms, global law offices, and federal and state courts are minutes from campus – and for LLM students, that proximity translates into real opportunity.
“It creates immediate access to real work,” says Sara Paglialunga, an Italian-trained attorney serving as both a Texas and Vatican attorney for the Catholic Church. “I was already working within the Diocese, and after completing the LLM, I expanded into civil legal responsibilities and was promoted within the same organisation.”
3. Join a global community of Aggies
With nearly 600,000 graduates worldwide, the Aggie Network opens doors, creates opportunities, and connects you to professionals wherever your career takes you. Aggies hire Aggies, and that culture of mutual support runs deep across industries and practice areas.
Maria Ruiz, a Mexican-trained attorney from the Class of 2025, chose Texas A&M in part because of Aggie colleagues she had worked alongside: “Beyond its strong reputation and ranking, I was drawn to the university’s sense of community and shared values,” she says. “I wanted to be part of an environment where people are not only driven to succeed but also support one another along the way.”
The on-campus LLM programme enables non-US law graduates to study alongside JD students and earn a credential qualifying them for the Texas bar and other jurisdictions. Source: Texas A&M University
4. Small cohorts, real access
Texas A&M’s LLM cohorts cap at 30 students, small enough that faculty access is genuine and consistent. “In most of my classes, I had the opportunity to talk to professors and receive good quality attention,” says José Eduardo Peña Cabral, a Mexico City-trained attorney in the Class of 2024.
That intimacy shapes peer learning. Ruiz describes her cohort as diverse, spanning jurisdictions, legal interests, age, and cultural backgrounds: “It allowed me to engage with different perspectives on law and better understand how legal systems operate across jurisdictions,” she says. “I formed meaningful friendships that I take with me post-graduation.”
That diversity carries into the classroom, where LLM students sit next to JD peers, gaining exposure to American exam preparation – a practical edge when bar study begins. Staff and targeted programming ensure academic support and bar exam readiness are built in from day one.
5. Strong ROI, affordable tuition
For international lawyers weighing the ROI of an LLM, Texas A&M’s numbers are hard to ignore. On-campus tuition runs US$25,361 for Texas residents and US$37,638 for non-residents – among the lowest of any Top 25 law school in the country. Every admitted on-campus LLM student is automatically considered for merit scholarships, with no separate application required.
But the value extends beyond fees. “I can confidently say that the ROI at Texas A&M is absolutely worth it,” Ruiz says. “The tuition is comparatively accessible, but you still have top-tier faculty and other school services. Bar preparation begins on day one, and that sustained practical support really makes all the difference.”
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