Online, part-time
International Financial & Commercial Law LLMExpand your understanding of the law and the legal frameworks impacting global finance, trade, and commerce. Study with world-leading academics in one of the oldest, most respected law schools in the UK.
Key information
Study mode: |
100% online |
Duration: |
2 years, part time |
Next start date: |
7 January 2025 |
Application deadline: |
19 November 2024 |
Intakes: |
January, May and September |
Tuition fees: |
£22,632 * These tuition fees may be subject to increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions. (funding options and instalments are available) |
Course overview
This LLM aims to equip you with detailed knowledge and understanding of a range of areas within financial and commercial law.
It’ll prepare you for senior careers in a fast-changing global context. You’ll study the legal concepts, values, principles, and rules which underpin English, European, international, and transnational law in this area. Your familiarity with different legal frameworks and how they apply across jurisdictions gives you a competitive advantage in your career.
Informed by our own world-leading research, at the forefront of practice, you’ll also explore current problems and challenges facing financial institutions and commercial entities.
Webinars and online forums provide opportunities to discuss examples from your own jurisdictions and workplaces with a wide range of experienced legal professionals studying the course.
Apply nowWhy choose this online LLM?
World-class education
The Dickson Poon School of Law is recognised globally as one of the best law schools in the world. You'll develop cutting-edge legal expertise from from leading experts.
Part-time, flexible learning
You’ll get the same education quality and qualification as on-campus but with added flexibility and support. Attend live webinars or watch again via the recording.
Global online community
Grow your global network and gain fresh insight. Learn alongside professionals from different backgrounds and cultures.
Career progression
Study and enhance your education without interrupting your career. This LLM will develop your qualifications and skillsets while actively contributing to your professional role.
What you'll study
Course content is structured to provide you with an in-depth understanding of key areas of financial and commercial law. You’ll develop advanced knowledge of the approaches to governance of financial activities, sales, finance, shipping, energy and investment related transactions, dispute resolution and conflicts of law.
Your studies are underpinned by UK law, several other major domestic legal systems, and by the international and transnational commercial law instruments.
Module overview
This online International Financial & Commercial Law LLM is comprised of 12 core 15-credit modules (180 credits in total). All core modules on the course are compulsory and you must pass all these modules to complete the award. Please note modules are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.
You’re required to take the following 12 core modules:
This module focuses on the main steps of arbitral proceedings, from the drawing of the arbitration agreement to the enforcement of the arbitral award. You’ll get an overview of international commercial arbitration in both theory and practice. It provides a brief history of international commercial arbitration and examines the diversity of the legal systems that may apply during proceedings, either procedurally or substantively. You’ll learn to assess legal issues and the problems that may arise from international commercial arbitration. You’ll also understand how to propose and present recommendations to deal with them.
International trade is inherently risky. Sellers (exporters) run the risk of buyers failing to pay for goods, so they prefer payment upfront; buyers (importers) run the risk of not receiving the goods for which they paid, so they prefer to pay after receipt. Since medieval times and the Lex Mercatoria, innovative approaches have been developed to protect the financing of international trade. In this module, you’ll study different approaches, including the use of collections, documentary credits, and demand guarantees. You’ll consider the financial intermediaries and third-party principals or sureties who facilitate trade transactions. You’ll also examine the legal and practical implications of these key instruments and relationships.
This module introduces you to the principles of finance theory, and their practical implications in the context of equity and debt finance and secured lending. The focus is on equity and debt securities (shares, bonds, notes, hybrid instruments) and modern funding techniques (term loans, lines of credit, syndicated loans). You’ll also examine the mechanisms for securing repayment (security interests, quasi-security).
This module explores the purpose and function of mergers and acquisitions and the role that the legal framework plays in facilitating or restricting takeover activity. The focus of the module is on the regulation of public takeovers in the UK, but you’ll also study comparative elements of the EU and US regulatory frameworks. The module contains several case studies of recent transactions that allow us to discuss controversial elements of law and policy in context.
This module introduces you to the theory and practice of modern debt restructuring techniques. Firmly grounded in bankruptcy theory, it analyses relevant legal issues through the lens of a combination of a ‘commons/anti-commons’ approach and ‘contractualisation of bankruptcy’ models. It includes purely contractual arrangements, such as intercreditor agreements, security enforcement and release provisions. You’ll also look at statutory mechanisms, including (pre-pack) administrations, schemes of arrangement and company voluntary arrangement.
This module considers the objectives of transnational financial regulation, the governance structures, and legal problems facing financial markets and financial institutions. It examines forms of economic and financial integration, and rules governing selected aspects of regulation, including banking, credit rating agencies, insider dealing, and market manipulation. You’ll study the principal features of the law of Economic and Monetary Union and Banking Union of the European Union.
This module aims to introduce the principles of international banking regulation and supervision. The focus is on the risks that banks are exposed to in their day-to-day operations and in their interaction with other intermediaries within financial markets and within payment and clearing systems. The module also explores the ways banks, regulators and supervisors manage and mitigate these risks.
This module aims to introduce the students to modern financial products in the retail and wholesale markets. The focus is on modern funding techniques (syndicated loans, term loans, lines of credit); debt securities (bonds, notes, commercial paper, hybrid instruments); techniques for securing repayment (security interests and title-based financing) and complex financing structures (securitisation, collateralised debt obligations and the hedging of exposures through derivatives, as well as repo financing).
Delve into the operation and functioning of modern capital and financial markets in bonds, equities, and derivatives. This covers both the technical and legal side of the way different financial instruments are now issued, held, and traded. You will consider the provision of custodial services, the clearing and settlement of these instruments and the modern legal frameworks and regulatory principles that apply, including the impact of CSR and ESG frameworks on capital markets transactions. Of particular significance are innovative financial products, trading techniques and their regulation.
A typical private equity transaction involves the acquisition of a business by borrowing money from a third party which is to be repaid with the business' own cash flows. Until repayment is complete, the business' assets secure the outstanding debt. With the number of private equity transactions on the rise, this module analyses the economic rationale and legal nature of these transactions. It addresses the policy concerns in terms of disclosure and transparency, as well as minority shareholder and employee protection.
The aim of this module is to highlight and reflect on the variety of ‘types’ of legal instruments regulating transnational business. Specifically, we’ll explore the legal documents which are not sanctioned as national or international law yet exercise a national or global sway. These range from codes of conduct about corporate responsibility to so-called 'informal international law’ on trade. They also encompass transnational human rights requirements for businesses, drafted by one person to private dispute resolution mechanisms for Internet disputes and other areas of transnational business. We’ll discuss and debate the practical, sometimes ethical impact these instruments can have on businesses.
While the business of project finance is far-reaching and involves financing an offshore wind farm in the North Sea one year and a mining project in Central Asia the next, the fundamentals always remain the same. Since these fundamentals permeate the legal considerations and the actual work of drafting documentation, a lawyer working in this field must have a good understanding of how the fundamental concepts of project finance translate in terms of legal documentation. Our objective is that at the end of this course, students will have a grasp of the principles of project finance and how these form the structural background of the legal documentation.
Module assessments
A small percentage of the final module mark is based on a forum and the remaining percentage on a take-home exam in the form of an essay. Assessment methods are subject to change for the upcoming academic year.
Meet the leadership and academic team
Dr. Anat Keller
Director of Law Online Programmes
Dr Keller is a qualified solicitor of England and Wales and holds a PhD from the Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University of London, an LLM from the London School of Economics and double first-class bachelor’s degrees in management and law (magna cum laude).
Dr. Soterios Loizou
Programme Director
Dr. Soterios Loizou, Senior Lecturer at The Dickson Poon School of Law since 2006, holds prestigious fellowships and degrees, including a PhD from the University of Cambridge and Harvard Law School. His research in commercial law and international arbitration has won him top honors such as the Colin B. Picker Prize.
Entry requirements
A 2:1 (Hons) or above (or international equivalent) in a Law degree or joint Law degree, or 60% or above in an LLM or Graduate Diploma in Law (or international equivalent).
If you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may be considered if you can demonstrate significant relevant work experience, or offer a related graduate qualification (such as a master's or PGDip).
Please note that if you have a lower degree classification, or a degree in an unrelated subject, your application may still be considered if ONE of the following criteria can be met (all applications are considered on a case-by-case basis):
- A high 2:2 (57%) in a single or joint degree in Law or international equivalent and at least three years’ professional legal experience.
- A 2:1 in a non-Law honours degree or international equivalent and at least three years’ professional legal experience.
- A previous master’s degree (or above) in a non-Law subject area or equivalent and at least three years’ professional legal experience.
Candidates who fail to meet the criteria above are unlikely to be successful.
English language band: B
To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You’re usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.
Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed:
- An undergraduate degree (at least three years duration) within five years of the course start date.
- A postgraduate taught degree (at least one year) within five years of the course start date.
- A PhD in a majority English-speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.
For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.
You'll need to submit a personal statement, CV and two reference letters as part of your application.
Your personal statement should address the following two questions:
- Why are you applying for this specific programme and how does it fit in with your future plans?
- How does your experience and education make you a suitable candidate for the programme?
You’ll also need to submit a copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
Not sure if you meet the requirements, or if the course is right for you? Speak to our team to get tailored support:
Discuss my optionsCareer options in Financial and Commercial Law
This programme will enhance your career options by allowing you to specialise in the highly sought-after areas of financial and commercial law. You could work as a lawyer or consultant to international organisations across the public, private and not-for-profit sector. It’s also an excellent foundation for students who are considering pursuing legal research.
Attracting a diverse and appealing cohort, a big advantage of the course is the chance to grow your global network. You’ll be studying with legal professionals at various stages of their career from every corner of the globe. From top lawyers, senior partners, and judges to rising stars and new graduates, some of our students bring decades of experience to discussions, enriching your learning.
The Dickson Poon School of Law has strong connections with some of the world’s leading legal firms and international employers. You’ll join a legacy of graduates that are sought out by some of the leading employers in the field.
Ready to join us in 2025?
Discover more
In the International Financial and Commercial LLM programs, we provide students with in-depth understanding and enhance their expertise in various areas in financial and commercial law. The objective is for students to develop skills and analytical tools to enable them to analyze, think critically about and apply the law. The International Financial and Commercial LLM program are taught 100% online.
There are lots of advantages to studying online, the first being that it does offer a degree of flexibility. The majority of our students are working professionals and this is something that we fully expect from our students studying on the online LLM.
The International Financial and Commercial LLM program aims to connect finance with law.
Every module will start and run for a period of eight weeks. Students will take one online webinar a week. There are two assessments that they will take towards the end of their teaching period, and then they will receive their results at the start of the next teaching period.
We have designed modules that look at at global trading, at the free flow of capital and investment, new products, new technologies, and legal innovation that needs to capture financial innovation. The topics explored range from the financial products available on the markets to the normative framework of financing and dispute resolution proceedings for financial law disputes.
The advice I would give to prospective online students is that the online LLM is exactly that. It's online, but it is a full robust LLM as well.
We ultimately take a truly global perspective as the programs and the various modules are designed in a way that it would be useful to students regardless of their respective jurisdiction and legal and educational background. The graduates have acquired a strong theoretical foundation in law and gained invaluable insight into best practice in the field. As a result, they can be found in top law firms.
You have the potential. We’ll help you unleash it. Take charge of your future today.
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