LLM in International Corporate & Commercial Law
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-03 | - |
| 2025-01-06 | - |
| 2025-04-04 | - |
| 2025-09-09 | - |
Program Overview
The LLM in International Corporate & Commercial Law from King's College London is a 2-year part-time online program designed for professionals seeking expertise in corporate and commercial law within a global environment. The program offers a deep understanding of key areas within corporate and commercial law, critical analytical skills, and the ability to develop research skills in relevant areas of the law. Graduates may pursue diverse careers with international organizations in sectors such as public, private, and not-for-profit.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
Description
The LLM in International Corporate & Commercial Law is offered by the Dickson Poon School of Law (KPSL)at King's College London and designed for professionals seeking to build expertise in corporate and commercial law within a global environment. The program offers a 2-year part-time format delivered entirely online via King's online platform.
Objectives
The LLM is designed to equip you with:
- Deep understanding of key areas within corporate and commercial law
- Critical analytical skills and insights into corporate governance, commercial transactions, and dispute resolution
- Ability to develop research skills in relevant areas of the law
Approach
KPSL takes a commercially realistic approach, exploring linkages and interactions between the law and various aspects of the corporate and commercial world. This analysis is conducted from the perspectives of English, European, international, and transnational law.
Outline:
Program Format
The LLM comprises 12 core 15-credit modules (totaling 180 credits) to be completed over a minimum of two years. All modules are compulsory for obtaining the full LLM qualification.
Schedule
Each module runs for six weeks and utilizes a range of learning methods:
- Recorded video lectures
- Graphics
- Discussion boards
- Live webinars
Weekly Time Commitment
- 2 hours attending lectures or web content delivery (e.g., videos, readings, materials)
- 16 hours engaged in independent learning and assessment work (e.g., completing tasks, research, revision)
- 1 hour participating in the live seminar
- 1 hour contributing to discussions This totals around 20 hours of dedicated weekly study.
Corporate Actors: Powers and Responsibilities
This module delves into the roles and dynamics of corporate actors within large publicly traded companies, focusing on understanding the interactions between directors, management, and shareholders. Students will examine board-shareholder relationships and develop skills to analyze complex interactions among stakeholders. Key topics include theories of the firm, company law analysis, shareholder rights and responsibilities, board structures, director remuneration, and shareholder activism.
International and Comparative Oil and Gas Law
This module provides a comprehensive overview of the global oil and gas industry, covering its key players, challenges, and legal instruments used to regulate conduct, protect rights, and address environmental concerns. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of international commercial arbitration in theory and practice, including its history, diverse legal systems, procedural and substantive challenges, and effective approach to problem-solving.
The Corporate Form and its issues
This module examines the historical-legal development of the company form within the framework of international corporate practice and explores the challenges posed by multinational companies and global trade. Students will gain a deep understanding of the company form's historical context and legal principles while considering international regulation and emerging challenges of the 21st century.
International Sale of Goods
This module explores the key features of international sales contracts and applicable governing rules and principles. Students will examine English and international laws relevant to cross-border sales of goods, including:
- The Sale of Goods Act 1979 and common law
- Implied terms of sales contracts, e.g., quality and description
- Trade terms like CIF and FOB
Financing of International Trade
This module focuses on approaches to secure and facilitate financial transactions in international trade, covering both historical and modern methods. Students will delve into innovative approaches that protect financing, including collections, documentary credits, and demand guarantees while analyzing the legal and practical implications of key instruments and relationships involved.
Corporate Finance
This module introduces students to the principles of finance theory, their practical applications, and their role in various financial instruments and techniques. The focus includes:
- Equity and debt securities (e.g., shares, bonds, notes, hybrid instruments)
- Modern funding techniques (e.g., term loans, lines of credit, syndicated loans)
- Mechanisms for securing repayment (e.g., security interests, quasi-security)
Fundamentals of Mergers and Acquisitions
This module explores the purpose, function, and legal frameworks that govern mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities within a global context. The focus lies on public takeovers in the UK, while considering elements of EU and US regulatory frameworks. Students will examine notable M&A case studies to discuss legal and policy controversies within the field.
Transnational Corporate Law and Practice
This interdisciplinary module delves into the complex issues related to corporate social responsibility and law in an era of transnational business activity, economic globalization, and increased capital mobility. Students will analyze interplays between various rules, including those imposed at national, international, and supranational levels. The module also emphasizes the significance of soft law instruments and self-imposed or self-enforced rules (private ordering).
Carriage of Goods by Sea
This module focuses on legal relationships arising from charterparties and bills of lading, using English law and the Hague-Visby Rules as the primary framework. Students will develop skills to address legal issues in maritime transport, including those concerning charterparties, bills of lading, cargo damage, or loss claims.
Transnational Corporate Restructuring
This module introduces students to theoretical and practical aspects of modern debt restructuring techniques within a bankruptcy framework. Through a combination of analytical approaches, including "commons/anti-commons" and "contractualization of bankruptcy," students will analyze relevant legal issues related to:
- Contractual arrangements (e.g., intercreditor agreements, security enforcement, release provisions)
- Statutory mechanisms (e.g., pre-pack administrations, schemes of arrangement, company voluntary arrangements)
Transnational Business Instruments
This module critically explores diverse legal instruments regulating transnational business, focusing on "non-sanctioned" legal documents that exert an increasingly significant global influence. Students will engage in discussions and debates regarding the practical and ethical impact of such instruments on businesses.
Assessment: Assessments primarily consist of forum participation and take-home essay-style exams. Please note assessment methods are subject to change in the next academic year.
Teaching:
Teaching Methods
The program utilizes a blended learning approach involving:
- Live webinars to interact with professors and peers
- Engaging multimedia content
- Interactive exercises
Faculty
The program features a distinguished faculty composed of academics, professionals, and experts in diverse areas of corporate and commercial law.
Unique Approach
KPSL is recognized for integrating practical scenarios with academic rigor and emphasizing commercial realism through contemporary case studies and simulations. This approach equips students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to excel in corporate and commercial law careers.
Careers:
Potential Career Paths
Graduates may pursue diverse careers with international organizations in sectors such as:
- Public
- Private Examples include roles like:
- Lawyer
- Legal consultant
- Legal researcher The program also provides a strong foundation for further academic research in related fields.
Benefits
- Enhance career options through specialization in high-demand areas
- Grow your global network by connecting with diverse legal professionals
Other:
- Online format offers flexibility
- The Dickson Poon School of Law has strong connections with leading global firms and employers
- Graduates are highly-sought in the field
-
EU Students/UK Home Students:
- 2.1 (Hons) or above in Law degree or joint Law degree, OR
- 60% or above in LLM or Graduate Diploma in Law (or international equivalent).
Non-EU Students:
- High 2:2 (57%) in Law or 2.1 in non-Law subject, along with three years' relevant legal work experience.
- Master's degree (or above) in non-Law subject and three years' relevant legal experience.
- Note: Candidates who don't meet these criteria are unlikely to be successful.
In addition to academic requirements, all students must demonstrate English Language Band: B
Further Requirements & Considerations:
- Applicants whose degree is not in Law may need to demonstrate additional legal knowledge (e.g., through relevant coursework or professional qualifications).
- Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Students can be exempted from English language requirements if their prior degree was obtained from a majority-English speaking country or university within a specified timeframe.
- All students are required to submit a personal statement, CV, and two reference letters as part of their applications. This personal statement should specifically outline:
- 1) reasons for applying and how the program fits future career goals
- 2) how past experience and education make the student suited for this specific LLM
Language Proficiency Requirements
- English language band: B. This means applicants need to be able to effectively communicate in written and spoken English in an academic setting.
- Applicants from majority-English speaking countries as defined by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) are typically not required to provide further proof of English proficiency.
- The same exemption applies to those who completed an undergraduate or postgraduate degree lasting at least three years within five years of the course starting date, or a PhD within the same timeframe, at an institution in a majority-English speaking country.
