International Business Law
LLM

Modules

• International Economic and Business Law Core

International Economic and Business Law (Core)

Against the backdrop of globalisation this module examines the rules governing international economic relations and transboundary economic conduct by States, international organisations and private actors.

Credits: 20

• International Trade Law Core

International Trade Law (Core)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has acquired a prominent focus in the United Kingdom as result of the decision to leave the European Union. This module introduces you to the WTO and the role it plays in international cooperation between its members on trade in goods and services, which is likely to have even greater significance to the UK’s post-Brexit trading relationships.

In recent years the number of cases brought under the judicial function of the WTO has increased significantly. You will examine the dispute settlement procedures and body of WTO case law.

As part of the module, you will have the opportunity to visit the WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, to attend its annual 3-day Public Forum in September on a guided and interactive field trip.

It is anticipated the cost of the fieldwork will be £300 in addition to the course fees.

Credits: 20

• Law and Justice in a Globalised World Core

Law and Justice in a Globalised World (Core)

This module provides a thorough and critical introduction to contemporary legal phenomena in the context of a complex, globalised world. In particular, the module considers the nature of law in a globalised economy, the relationship between legal orders, and the realities of legal and constitutional ‘pluralism’ and develops a range of perspectives to better understand and evaluate these new legal orders.

The module looks at highly sophisticated forms of supra- and international legal integration, such as the EU and the WTO, as well as more unique structures such as international sports law and commercial arbitration, to ask deeper questions and law and legal method in the world today and in the future. The module also considers the changing nature of law in the face of radical technological change, such as digitisation, artificial intelligence and virtual courts.

Credits: 20

• Approaches to Legal Research Core

Approaches to Legal Research (Core)

This module will explore how legal research can be approached with a variety of perspectives and orientations:

• doctrinal methods seek to engage law on a level of close reading and logic;
• contextual ‘socio-legal’ methods seek to understand the wider influences of law and legal doctrine;
• comparative methods seek to examine the relationships between different legal orders;
• theoretical methods seek to elaborate and question the conceptual structures of law’s doctrines and institutions; and
• critical methods seek to question the political and ideological underpinnings of these doctrines and institutions.

In traversing this wide variety of legal research methods, this module will persistently engage with the underlying examination of what it means to ‘do law’ in both academic and professional contexts, exposing students to the practices of professional legal research and the processes of legal knowledge-making.

Credits: 20

• Dissertation Core

Dissertation (Core)

This is an independent study module, supported by regular supervision from a member of the programme team, in which you will research and write up a substantial piece of independent research on a topic chosen by you in consultation with members of the programme team.

The Approaches to Legal Research module will have provided you with knowledge and skills needed to enable you to research, structure and progress your work effectively on this module.

Credits: 40

• International Arbitration Optional

International Arbitration (Optional)

International arbitration has become the prevalent method for the settlement of international business disputes, and London remains one of the world’s foremost venues for resolving commercial disputes by arbitration.

This module equips you with an understanding and critical awareness of the legal frameworks for international commercial arbitration, including the arbitration agreement, the processes and some of the key institutions, and the enforcement of arbitral awards in selected jurisdictions.

Credits: 20

• International and European Labour Law Optional

International and European Labour Law (Optional)

This module critically considers the competing aims, content, forms and sources of international and European labour and employment law. It considers in particular the complex relationship between regional and international economic integration on the one hand and the competing and evolving goals of social and employment policy on the other.

There is a particular focus on the various legal models of international and regional integration and cooperation which seek to regulate and coordinate labour and employment rights internationally. In the context of the European Union, the evolving European Social Model will be critically assessed, alongside an analysis of the various legal methods of achieving the social goals of the Union.

The relationship between European economic integration and European social policy will be considered through an analysis of certain important areas of European employment law.

Credits: 20

• International Business and Ethical Challenges Optional

International Business and Ethical Challenges (Optional)

This module examines the principal methods of finance and the law applying to these. It also critically considers the ethical and regulatory challenges presented to policy and law makers including an analysis of the continuing legacy of the global financial crisis.

As well as critically considering different regulatory approaches, the module considers the extent to which the law fosters beneficial, ethical and rational behaviour on the part of financial institutions and those working in the financial sector.

• International and Comparative Intellectual Property Law Optional

International and Comparative Intellectual Property Law (Optional)

This module covers the fundamentals of international intellectual property protection, offering students the opportunity to focus in-depth on how the core areas of copyright, trademarks, and patent rights are protected and regulated under international treaties.

The module examines intellectual property rights under the Berne Convention, the World Trade Organisation Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement, the World Intellectual Property Organisation Internet Treaties, the Marrakesh Treaty, the Paris Convention, and the Madrid Agreement and Protocol.

The module also examines the extent to which digital technologies present new and distinct challenges to international intellectual property law, such as online file-sharing/streaming, cyber-squatting, digitised collection rights, and biotechnology.

Credits: 20

• Global Competition Law Optional

Global Competition Law (Optional)

The module will consider how the global political and economic environment shapes and influences the objectives underpinning competition law systems. This module will also analyse the development, regulation and enforcement of competition law in the UK and EU as well as assessing the potential impact of Brexit.

The module will also engage with selected contemporary issues including the use of ‘big data’, price setting algorithms in on-line marketplaces, and the use of ‘AI’ such as ‘robo-sellers’.

It critically evaluates measures relating to the internationalisation of competition law such as International Competition Network, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, WTO, and international cooperation agreements.

Credits: 20