The Diamond Graduate Law Program

Thomas Jefferson School of Law offers specialized graduate degrees and certifications through the Walter H. and Dorothy B. Diamond Graduate Law Program in International Tax and Financial Services. Established in 1998, the Diamond Program remains the first and only program to offer graduate law degrees and certifications through an entirely online course of study at an ABA accredited law school.

Earn a Degree or a Certificate on Online

Initially created to culminate in an LL.M. in international tax, the Diamond Program has grown to meet the wide range of career objectives and needs represented by the individuals who seek the flexibility that only this online program can offer. Today, aside from working toward an LL.M., a student can earn either a J.S.M. (Master of Science of Laws) or a J.S.D. (Juris Scientiae Doctor). In addition, students who do not seek a traditional law degree can pursue a course of study that culminates in a certificate in one of six areas of specialization.

Director and Founder

The Diamond Program is distinctive in part because of the people who have come together to create and sustain it. Ever since its inception, the Diamond Program has been under the direction of Professor William H. Byrnes, IV, a former director of international tax at the global tax and accounting firm now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers. A pioneer of the online format, he assembled an international faculty of individuals whose scholarly publications and years of practical experience have made them widely recognized leaders in their areas of expertise.

The Student Body

The student body adds an interdisciplinary element to the educational experience. Although individuals with law degrees make up roughly half of the student body, the other half is drawn from the fields of accounting, finance, economics and other business disciplines. The result is an educational environment that permits the students to learn as much from each other as they do from the instructors and the courses they teach. Eventually, each student will belong to a growing international network of alumni who work in the most influential law firms, financial institutions and government agencies throughout the world.

This unique learning experience honors the continuing work of the individuals for whom the program is named, Walter H. and Dorothy B. Diamond. Leading figures in the international tax community, have authored over 80 tax and trade books and over 100 investment booklets. The Diamond Program is producing future generations of leaders in a field that these two visionaries helped define.

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