USD Law Advocate, Spring 2026

Students from the USD Law LLM in U.S. Law (online in Spanish) traveled to Washington D.C.

needed to thrive in a competitive and interconnected legal market.” Sigmond points out that the LLM programs for international students are not intended as prep courses to pass bar exams. They are “for professionals who want to strengthen their knowl edge of U.S. law while keeping an eye on bar exam eligibility, rather than as a substitute for a dedicated bar review course.” Najem expects his studies at USD will grant him access to a global network, allowing him to gather knowledge that could be applied in his home country. “This degree will open doors for me anywhere in the world—whether in the U.S., Europe or the Middle East— enabling me to gain diverse experience and ultimately apply that knowledge to help my country prosper through more transparent and effective legal finan cial practices,” he said, adding that he chose to study U.S. law because of its sophistication, particularly with regard to financial regulation, and because it is based on common law. Lebanon’s legal system is based on civil law. “I wanted to broaden my perspective by immersing myself in the common law tradition,” Najem said. “The U.S. is the quintessential place to experience this system in action—to learn from the best legal minds, understand how lawyers and professors reason and apply the law, and capture the strengths that make this approach so effective.”

DEEPENING EXPERTISE Yasemin Dilber ’25 (LLM) is an interna tional student who chose to pursue an

the kind of specialization that Dilber is pursuing is built into the LLM programs. “The programs offer students the flex ibility to tailor their studies to emerging areas such as business and corporate law, international law, and taxation, fields that are in high demand among employers worldwide,” she said, adding that such “adaptability ensures that our graduates are prepared for both traditional legal practice and the rapidly growing areas of compliance, policy and advisory work that require a strong foundation in U.S. law.” For Dilber, moving to the United States offered her the opportunity to study IP law not only in her academic program, but also through exposure to San Diego’s technology and biotech companies, “making it an ideal place to deepen my expertise in IP law,” she observed. She was also drawn to USD Law because of its reputation as a top-quality school with a friendly atmosphere. “When I decided to continue my legal

LLM in U.S. law to prepare herself for work in the United States. A native of Turkey, she earned her law degree in

Istanbul, as well as an LLM with a focus on commercial law. Her course of study at USD Law focused on intellectual property (IP) law. “In practice, legal issues rarely appear in isolation,” Dilber said. “IP disputes often involve commercial agreements, corporate structures and international trade considerations. By combining my background in commercial law with IP law, and my understanding of both the U.S. and Turkish legal systems, I aim to provide legal solutions that are compre hensive and internationally informed.” Sigmond explained the opportunity for

Yasemin Dilber ’25

“ The relevance of an LLM from USD lies in its ability to bridge global legal systems, expand professional mobility, and provide the skills and credentials needed to thrive in a competitive and interconnected legal market. ” —ASSISTANT DEAN KAREN SIGMOND ’96 (JD)

SPRING 2026

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