International Commercial Law LLM modules

Module description:

This course explores the issues and challenges for the legal systems around the world posed by the globalisation of finance and the rapid rate of technological innovation in finance. It examines the 2008 global financial crisis and the legal and regulatory consequences of that. It will focus on topics such as the prudential regulation of banks, investor and depositor protection, money laundering and financial market manipulation. It examines regulatory standards and institutions in use in major financial centres and agreed at global level which are of particular relevance to the banks and the financial system.

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module description:

The purpose of this module on the law of Carriage of Goods by Sea is: to cover the law on charterparties and bills of lading, with special emphasis on the areas which most frequently result to shipowner-trade disputes at the same time giving students a thorough knowledge of the principles and law of Carriage of Goods by Sea; to closely analyse the most important cases (from the reported litigation); to obtain the knowledge and skills required to use the relevant law in practice.

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module description:

Conflict of laws (also known as private international law) is concerned with the law relating to cross-border litigation. Conflict of laws issues arising in any private law subject when the facts have an international element. This option examines the three main elements of the conflict of laws:

The jurisdiction of English courts to hear disputes in international litigation. We consider in detail the European rules of jurisdiction in the Brussels I Regulation (which are common to all EU states), as well as the common law rules (which are similar to those in a number of common law countries around the world).

A private law subject concerned with what happens when a dispute has an international set of facts. It might be described as the law of international commercial litigation. It is often and alternatively referred to as private international law.

Assessment: 6,000 word essay 

Module description:

This module will provide students with an understanding of the legal regime applying to companies as well as the debates around key developments in company law reform in the UK. While the focus is on statutory and case law, students will gain understanding of how corporate law operates in practice in the commercial world. The module begins by examining companies as a distinct type of business organisation and the development of company law regulation. It addresses some fundamental issues, such as the separate legal personality and limited liability, before moving to discuss the legal position of the different groups of actors, such as company directors and shareholders. Topics here include the duties of directors, the protection of minority shareholders, disqualification of directors and the insolvency regime. The course also examines key aspects of corporate share capital and some of the specific requirements applying to large public companies.

Assessment: 6,000 word essay 

Module description:

Intellectual Property Law examines the legal protections available for new ideas and new products. This is a legal area where the law is constantly responding to technological developments. Students will gain knowledge of the main legislative instruments at both a national and international level, and develop familiarity with the major cases and developments in these areas. Reference will be made to a number of contemporary texts and sources, both electronic or library based. 

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module description:
This module explores the rules governing international trade, focussing in particular on WTO law. Although concentrating on the law governing the world trading system, the legal debate will be continuously linked with the policy debate raised by the several issues of globalization, free trade, protection of non-economic values and human rights. Quite often, reference will be made to economic and political arguments. 

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module description:
Sale of goods remains one of the central disciplines of commercial law and international sale of goods is the main channel through which international trade is conducted.

English law plays an important role in governing international sales transactions, primarily in such sectors as trade in commodities however there are other popular systems of sales law and there have been increasingly successful projects of legal harmonisation in this field. The module will therefore adopt a comparative approach as well as exploring the major international sales law instruments such as the CISG and the PICC and soft law instruments such as INCOTERMS.

The proposed module will comprise some of the central aspects of  law of international sale of goods. It will begin by discussing the justifications of international trade and peculiarities of structures, organisations and workings of commodities markets.

The module will then address the relevance of general contract law to sales law and the relationship between the two areas of law. The remaining part of the module will focus on the issues peculiar to international sales such as: the definition of a contract of international sale of goods; main types of sales contracts such CIF and FOB contracts; the role and function of bill of lading and other documents; passage of property and risk; export and import licences; remedies for breach of contract; impossibility of performance.

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module description:
This module examines the contemporary practice of international commercial dispute resolution focusing on the processes of international arbitration, mediation and negotiation.

International commercial arbitration has emerged as the leading method for the resolution of transnational commercial disputes and an important field for commercial lawyers and will form the core of the module. Negotiation and mediation are arguably even more pervasive (if less regulated) forms of dispute resolution and analysis of these will complement the study of arbitration. 

 The approach of the module is comparative, examining approaches to central legal issues in the field by reference to the laws and practices of various jurisdictions around the world and also on the most important legal instruments which have harmonised law and practice in this field such as international conventions, model laws, arbitration rules and, importantly, soft law instruments. 

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module Description: 

The aim of this module is to educate students about the construction contract and legal issues surrounding international construction projects. The course will involve a large applied practical element through the use of realistic case studies. Students will be involved in drafting and negotiating construction agreements, advising on various contractual issues and resolving construction disputes. 

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module Description: 

This module examines the law and practice relating to International Mergers & Acquisitions – a main area of legal practice for international law firms in Dubai, London and across the main financial centres of the world.

Additionally, the module will introduce students to key skills required for this area of legal practice, such as client interviewing, legal writing, drafting and negotiating legal documents. 

Assessment: 6,000-word essay

Module Description: 

The module will contain an overview of the industry and the key economic and political actors, and provide an introduction to the role of oil and gas in international relations and to the economics of the industry. The course will also introduce to the principles of public and private international law relevant to the industry, and how these operate in practice with reference to industry-specific contracts, agreements and instruments.

There will be a detailed analysis of 'upstream' issues and the legal issues surrounding exploration, including a comparative analysis of the different legal regimes surrounding exploration rights and specific problems with exploration, such as joint exploration and exploration in disputed territory.

Assessment: 6,000-word essay