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LLM (Master of Laws) Corporate/Company Law

With increasing trans-border trade and investment and the expanding popularity to do business in emerging markets, the marked importance of understanding different nuances of trade, finance and corporate governance within one discipline has become necessary. Students and legal professionals are now looking for options to choose from among diverse modules under the LLM in Corporate and Company Law program. Therefore universities have begun to offer a wide range of courses ranging from comparative and international corporate governance to economic analysis of corporate law and finance, from regulation of multinational enterprises to grasping the legal implications of transactions involving international institutions and corporations. Modules for the LLM in Corporate and Company Law courses typically deal with global and regional regulation on international trade, structuring and managing international business transactions and understanding the economic foundations of trade and corporate law. Several law schools in the UK and US provide LLM courses in Corporate and Company Law.

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Graduates or legal professionals who are interested in developing an understanding of the key matters in corporate law, trade and finance could opt for this course. If you are keen in investigating the corporate outlook in decision-making, studying contemporary issues in relation to for example, a director's duties, or wish to examine the role of corporate governance in the world economy, then this can be the course for you.

An understanding of corporate law is key for anyone interested in advising businesses. The course can enable graduates to pursue careers with in-house corporate teams, law firms or the public services. After studying an LLM in Corporate Law, students can also go on to pursue a further research career through a PhD.

Where can you study an LLM (Master of Laws) in Corporate/Company Law?

Corporate LawIn the US, several universities provide LLM courses on topics pertaining to Corporate and Commercial Law. The New York University (NYU) School of Law has several business course groups. Three of the popular programs within this discipline include Contracts and Commercial Law, Corporate and Securities Law and Corporate Compliance and Enforcement. Harvard University - Harvard Law School (HLS) offers (a) Foundational Courses in Business Law Corporations, (b) Intermediate courses that build on Corporations include topics in Securities Regulation and Corporate Finance and (c) Advanced Corporate Law Courses that cover advanced areas of corporate law practice in more detail using a variety of methodological approaches. Apart from these universities, UCLA School of Law and Fordham University School of Law also offer comprehensive modules on the topic.

In the UK, University of Oxford, Queen Mary (QMUL), The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the School of Law at the University of Southampton are among several colleges that offer LLM courses on Corporate, Finance and Commercial Law topics.

University of Oxford’s Masters in Law and Finance (MLF) is jointly taught with the Saïd Business School and offers outstanding students with a legal background the opportunity to integrate the study of finance with advanced legal study. Queen Mary University’s LLM in Commercial and Corporate Law covers a broad range of commercially focussed modules that draw on the wealth of commercial expertise across the School of Law. See here for more details. Similarly, Birmingham Law School's LLM program in Commercial Law is one of its popular courses and is very much related to this area of study.

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What qualifications do you need to study an LLM in Corporate/Company Law?

In the US, students enrolled as LLB students (or the equivalent) who are expecting to graduate in the coming spring are welcome to apply.  A number of factors are considered, including academic achievement and professional experience and applicants who can demonstrate both a history of strong academic and relevant professional experience have a better chance of being accepted. Some universities may look for further specific requirements in the applicant, therefore students are advised to look at their website information carefully.

Holders of an American JD may also apply to US universities offering LLM programs, but they should explain in their application why the particular LLM program makes sense in light of the three years of education at an American law school they have already received. Apart from these, international applicants must submit a TOEFL or IELTS, wherever needed, satisfying the minimum marks required for these tests. Click here to find out more about studying law in the English language as an international student.

In the UK typically, the usual qualification for entry to the LLM program is a degree in law, or a degree with a substantial law content. Law graduates who also have other legal qualifications and/or substantial professional legal experience may qualify. The minimum grades may from each university. Non-law graduates that have a Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) recognised by the UK professional bodies, may also qualify to apply. For an international student, in order to undertake a program of study at a UK university, you will typically need to demonstrate your level of English with the prescribed IELTS minimum score requirements or alternative qualifications as specified by the university.

Recommended reading

Introduction to Company Law, Paul L Davies (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010)

Company Law, Janet Dine (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009)

Business Organization and Finance: Legal and Economic Principles, 11th ed, William A Klein and John C Coffee (New York: Thomson Reuters, 2010)

Transnational Commercial Law: Text, Cases and Materials, R Goode, H Kronke and E McKendrick (Oxford University Press, 2007)

International Finance: Transactions, Policy and Regulation, Scott Hal S (New York Foundation Press, 2008)

LLM (Master of Laws) in Commercial Law

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