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SAL Africa Program

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About the SAL Africa Program

The School of American Law (SAL Program) has been associated with the Chicago-Kent College of Law of the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, USA). The SAL Program is implemented in various European and Asian countries. The program is based on Chicago-Kent's experience offering American Law studies in Europe since 1998. 

The School of American Law (SAL Program) was established as a special overseas program for Nigeria in 2025. The program's mission is to help the Nigerian community achieve its potential, providing Nigeria with internationally qualified lawyers.

SAL Africa is the first and only program in Nigeria that offers the opportunity to obtain a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in the USA with a 70% discount on tuition, and without requiring the TOEFL exam.

Chicago-Kent College of Law, part of the Illinois Institute of Technology, is the second-oldest and one of the most prestigious law schools in Illinois. Chicago-Kent’s intellectual property law program is ranked as the ninth (#9) program in the U.S., and its trial advocacy program is ranked as the twelfth-best program in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report 2025 rankings.

Chicago-Kent College of Law, a nationally recognized institution and part of the Illinois Institute of Technology, has been accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) since 1936 and has held that accreditation continuously for over 90 years. It is also widely known for its rigorous legal training and commitment to academic and professional excellence.

The SAL Africa Program consists of two interlinked phases:

  • Pre-LL.M. (mandatory) — online (October-December 2025);
  • LL.M. (optional) — on campus at the Chicago-Kent College of Law of the Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, USA) after successfully completing studies at the Pre-LL.M stage and receiving a diploma of 10 academic credits signed by the dean of the Chicago-Kent College of Law of the Illinois Institute of Technology.

After successfully completing the first phase and meeting all admission requirements, all SAL Nigeria students will be guaranteed the right to earn a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree at Chicago-Kent (Chicago, USA) in 9 months within 3 years of graduation with significant benefits and a tuition discount.

The SAL Africa program is also open for students and professionals of non-law majors from Nigeria and other African countries, primarily economists, specialists in applied sciences and information technologies, management and administration, political scientists, historians, sociologists, journalists, etc.

For the 2025 academic year, the SAL Africa program offers courses conducted exclusively either by full-time Professors or Adjunct Professors of Chicago-Kent College of Law with global industry experience. 

The Pre-LL.M study period covers October - December 2025, and the learning mode is two courses per month, covering weekends through full-day workshop sessions.

After completing the first (Pre-LL.M.) stage of the SAL Africa program, participants of law majors will be able to continue their studies at the following master’s (LL.M.) programs of the Chicago-Kent College of Law of the Illinois Institute of Technology:

While, participants of non-law majors will have the right to continue their master's studies in one of the following majors: 

After graduating from the Pre-LL.M stage, SAL Africa program (law and non-law majors) students may also choose to continue their studies with the two-year Dual LL.M. & M.B.A. degree program, including M.B.A. in business analytics (STEM).

Learning at the SAL Program is in English. Thus, all applicants should be at least intermediate in English. However, applicants are not required to submit a TOEFL or LSAT score to start the program.

Students attending the SAL Pre-LL.M. program will be graded solely by the Chicago-Kent College of Law Professors.

Lecturers

Lecturers of the first phase of the SAL Africa Program are among the best legal practitioners, including:

  • Prof. Richard Warner, SAL Worldwide Director, Professor of Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law IIT (Chicago, USA), member of the U.S. Secret Service's Electronic and Financial Crimes Taskforce, member of the U.S. Secret Service's Cyber Fraud Task Force;
  • Prof. Adam Weber, a former prosecutor at the Office of the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Associate Dean of International Programs at Chicago-Kent College of Law IIT;
  • Prof. Jonathan Decatorsmith, Director of Clinical Education at the C-K Law Group, Chicago-Kent College of Law IIT, civil litigator and tax specialist, supervises the CK Tax Clinic;
  • Prof. Douglas Godfrey, Professor of Legal Research and Writing at Chicago-Kent College of Law, IIT;
  • Prof. Graham Dutfield, Professor of International Governance at the School of Law, University of Leeds (Leeds, UK);
  • Prof. Edward Harris, Associate Professor of Legal Research and Writing, Former Associate Dean of International Programs at Chicago-Kent College of Law, IIT;
  • Prof. Geoffrey Mazullo, Professor of Law, ESG Expert in Emerging Markets Organization, adjunct professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law IIT.

For more information about the SAL Program lecturers, please find it here.

Courses 

Students of the School of American Law in Afreica have the opportunity to study 5 of the following courses: 

  • Administrative Law
  • Antitrust Law
  • Business Associations / Corporations
  • Comparative Law
  • Copyright Law
  • Corporate Governance
  • Corporate Finance
  • Criminal Law and Procedure
  • E-commerce
  • Global IP Law
  • In-House Corporate Law Practice
  • Introduction to the American Legal System
  • Introduction to US IP Law
  • International Business Transactions
  • International Criminal Law
  • Managing and Licensing IP
  • Online Contracting
  • Technologies in Corporate Transactions
  • Tort Law
  • Trade Law
  • U.S. Corporate Law

For more information about the SAL Africa courses, please find it here.

Graduates of the SAL Africa program who successfully complete the program are provided with:

  • 3 years after graduation from the SAL Program, students have a guaranteed right to continue their LL.M. studies at Chicago-Kent College of Law, IIT;
  • 100% guarantee of admission to Chicago-Kent College of Law IIT (Chicago, USA) after successful completion of the SAL Program and meeting the admission requirements;
  • 70% tuition waiver for the LL.M;
  • No need to take the TOEFL exam;
  • Support with obtaining an American student visa.

 Program duration:

  • Pre-LL.M. — 5 weekends (2 times a month) from September to November 2025
  • LL.M. in Chicago, USA — 9 months

*During the Pre-LL.M. stage, classes are held twice a month via Zoom, only on Saturdays and Sundays. Sessions will begin at 3:00 PM Nigeria time and last 5–6 hours with breaks.

 Opportunities after receiving an LL.M in the USA:

  • Work in international companies that require quality international legal education
  • Obtain the right to take the bar exam in the USA  (in nearly all the 50 States, including New York and California Bar)
  • Start legal practice in the USA upon being licensed by the Bar

Who can apply?

  • Practicing lawyers, attorneys, judges, and prosecutors, regardless of age
  • Bachelor’s, Master’s of Law, Doctor's of Philosophy in Law
  • Law students (4th, 5th year)
  • Professionals of non-legal majors (primarily economists, specialists in applied sciences and information technologies, management and administration, political scientists, historians, sociologists, journalists, etc.)

All applicants must be proficient in English at the Intermediate level or above.

SAL Program Advantages:

  • The program is unique, the first and so far the only study program of this kind in Nigeria with the guaranteed opportunity to continue studying in Chicago for an LL.M. degree.
  • After successful completion of the SAL Program, each graduate has a guaranteed right to receive admission to Chicago-Kent College of Law and obtain an LL.M. degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
  • After completion of the SAL Program, students will receive a waiver for the TOEFL.
  • During the SAL Program, each student has an opportunity to study without leaving the workplace and changing their everyday lifestyle.
  • All SAL Program lectures are conducted strictly by Professors and Adjunct professors of the Chicago-Kent School of Law.
  • The Chicago-Kent Professors develop program curricula, exam policy, grading system, and reading materials.
  • Students' assignments, exam marking and review, as well as all exam evaluations during the SAL Program, are conducted by Chicago-Kent Professors based on GPA standards.

The advantages of LL.M. study at Chicago-Kent College of Law, IIT are as follows:

  • Chicago-Kent IP Law LL.M. program is ranked as the ninth (#9) program in the U.S. in 2025 by the U.S. News & World Report;
  • Chicago-Kent Trial Advocacy LL.M. program is ranked as the twelfth-best program in the U.S. in 2025 by the U.S. News & World Report;
  • 90,57% - ultimate bar pass rate based on 2021 law school graduates who passed the bar exam in any jurisdiction within two years of graduation;
  • Moot Courts - Chicago-Kent trial advocacy team, consistently ranked among the best in the U.S.;
  • Legal Clinics - C-K Law Group is an in-house law firm staffed by practicing attorneys, some of whom allow first-year students to work on a wide range of legal matters alongside them;
  • At Chicago-Kent, you will study and collaborate with one of the most influential groups of legal scholars in the country;
  • Intensive Skills Training: Chicago-Kent combines rigorous theoretical course work with first-rate training in lawyering skills, legal writing, and advocacy;
  • Individual Career Planning: Beginning in your first term, you are assigned a career counselor who helps you create a career development plan that fits your personal and professional goals;
  • Dynamic Student Body: Chicago-Kent students come from 42 states and 19 countries, with backgrounds in biochemistry, journalism, engineering, teaching, fine arts, and more.

Tuition

Tuition fee for the SAL Africa Program for the 2025-2026 academic year is as follows:

  • Pre-LL.M -- $2,900 (tuition can be divided into two parts)
  • LL.M (optional) -- *$14,000 (9-month program (one academic year); 24 credits; tuition can be divided into two or four parts)

or

  • Dual LL.M. & M.B.A. (optional) -- *$53,570 for two academic years (SAL Nigeria students will pay $13,393 per semester for the Dual LL.M. & M.B.A. program and become eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) employment during their second year of enrollment at Chicago-Kent)

*Paid upon commencement of studies in the USA.

Admission process

All applicants are required to submit the following:

  • CV with 1 page of a cover letter (in English);
  • Copy of diploma or academic transcript

*First and last names in the CV must be indicated as in your foreign passport.

Documents should be submitted in PDF format (copies of the diploma may also be sent in JPEG or PNG) through the application form below or by e-mail hello@salkentlaw.com.ng

All candidates will receive a decision on enrollment within two weeks from the date of document submission.

SAL program partners in Nigeria are: Eagle Altitudes Law Practice, MOU Legal Practitioners.

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