LL.M. in European and International Trade & Investment Law (Master 2)

The core courses of this full-year program cover the major negotiated European and Global Trade and Investment Agreements and their interaction with the WTO, with a particular focus on the European Union.

Academics from different jurisdictions but also experts from the WTO, the EU, and from major law firms and companies will bring students to a high level of understanding in this fast-evolving and job-rich legal area.

The LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law offers two alternative tracks.

Presentation

Topics include regional trade agreements (NAFTA, USMCA, CAFTA, CETA, CPTPP, etc), international and European trade law, trade and development, TRIPs agreement, trade preferences, international banking regulations, international customs practices, bilateral investment treaties, and dispute resolution.

This LL.M. is entirely taught in English by experts, legal practitioners, and lecturers from several jurisdictions. Professors have a practical approach to teaching focusing on tutorials, group work, students’ presentations, and Moot arbitration.

The LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law offers two alternative tracks. The program is delivered in English through lectures, presentations, and seminars during each semester.

• Lyon Track: Two semesters in Lyon (from September to May). Successful students will be awarded an LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law (French Official Master 2 degree) and an LL.M. degree from Lyon Catholic University.
• St John’s Track: One semester in Lyon (from September to December) and one semester in New York, at our partner University, St John’s University (from January to May). At the end of both semesters, successful students will be awarded a Master of European and International Trade and Investment Law (French official Master 2 degree) and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) by St John’s University (New- York).
• St John’s Track – New York Bar Option: One semester in Lyon (from September to December) and one semester in New York, at our partner university, St John’s University (from January to May).
  • At the end of both semesters, successful students will be awarded an LL.M. (French official Master 2 degree) and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) by St John’s University (New York). Students following the St John’s Track have the opportunity to prepare for the New York Bar.
  • Students may decide to stay for another semester at St John’s University to prepare for the New York Bar exam after having successfully completed the St John’s Track. Dual LL.M. students would have to enroll in at least 12 credits during the autumn semester at St John’s University.
  • St John’s University would charge a preferential rate for the second semester of coursework.

The core courses of this LL.M. program cover the WTO agreements, the EU major external trade agreements, and their interaction with the EU Single Market. Various courses are also dedicated to International Investment Treaties and Trade Dispute settlement mechanisms.

In an increasingly international legal market, UCLy offers the opportunity to our students to study in France, allowing them to gain valuable legal and language skills, as well as experience of other cultures thanks to the multinational dimension of our classes.

Objectives

The European Union (EU) is the world’s largest single market area. UCLy offers the opportunity to our students to study in France, allowing them to gain valuable knowledge about the EU legal order and, thanks to the proximity to Geneva and Brussels, to be exposed to legal experts coming from the WTO, the European Union but also other stakeholders, as the EU Court of Justice.

An important and increasing share of the world’s imports and exports is ruled by free and preferential trade agreements, making them central to the business activity of international companies and States. Lawyers who are specialized in this area will therefore have valuable expertise in the legal market. The curriculum covers extensively, International Investment Agreements, Evolution of WTO & International Trade, Trade & Intellectual Property Rights, Taxation of International Transactions, and EU Customs Law.

Partnerships

The St. John’s University Law School – UCLy offer a Dual Diploma: St. John’s LL.M. in Transnational Legal Practice & UCLy’s LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law.

In partnership with Saint John’s University Law School of New York (USA).

Highlights

Mentoring

Our students benefit from a mentoring system. Our staff will also help you with your administrative papers and provide you with guidance for your internship search.

International Mooting Competition

UCLy students have participated in various Mooting Competition (i.e. ELSA Moot, Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, Foreign Direct Investment International Arbitration Moot, and ICC Commercial Mediation Moot Competition).

French Classes

Students can study French while studying at UCLy. French classes as foreign language courses are proposed free of charge.

Accommodation for our Students

Our accommodation department will help you in finding suitable accommodation for your stay in Lyon, Depending on the kind of accommodation you are looking for and your budget (ideal rent, etc), our accommodation department can also help you with your research and the renting process.

Members of our accommodation department can help you throughout the process in several languages. They speak French, English, Spanish or Italian.

Extra-Curricular Activities for Students

Lyon truly is great, regardless of what anyone likes to do. There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities such as skiing, fishing, climbing, or taking leisure nature walks.

There are many restaurants proposing a wide spectrum of food specialties (French, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Indian, etc). You will even find a few new Michelin stars if you are a gourmet, several parks in the city, museums, theaters, and ruins. If you are looking for original options, these include an ostrich farm, visiting the wineries where typical wines are produced (Bourgogne wines, Cotes du Rhone wines), or visiting the museum of dolls.

Our students usually take advantage of the central location of Lyon. Students travel to nearby locations for example skiing resorts (Chamonix, Méribel, les 2 Alpes, Alpe Huez, etc); Lake Miribel offers a great swimming beach in summer, there is a hiking and trekking site in the region and a particle accelerator near Geneva that nerds can visit by asking a permit from the government. Switzerland and Italy are bus ride away for less than 10 euros, and for 15 euros or so, Belgium, Paris, Spain, or Greece. You can fly to European cities and other regions from Lyon airport

• Enrique from Venezuela (Promotion 2017-2018) highly recommends the Light Festival, which takes place every year on 8th December.
• Julie from France (Promotion 2017-2018) suggests cultural visits to Lyon, which is a former Roman city, famous for its silk trade and a strong cultural heritage. She enjoyed traveling to other cities or other countries.
• Jens went to the Parc de la Tête d’or for sporting activities and enjoyed cinemas at Confluence center in Lyon

Conferences

Students can attend international conferences on a variety of topics:

• International Workshop – Resolution of international disputes current trends and challenges in partnership with Radboud University in January 2020 at UCLy
• Symposium – Le droit des affaires à l’épreuve de la digitalisation in November 2019 at UCLy & Université de Lorraine
• International Symposium on Judicial Control over Arbitral Awards: Scope, Vacation and Public Policy in April 2019 in partnership with the University of Trieste and the University of Florida at UCLy
• International Symposium on Multinational corporations facing Human Rights Violations in February 2019 at UCLy
• International Symposium – Smart Contracts & Blockchain technologies in May 2018 at UCLy
• International Symposium on International Arbitration in the context of Global Trade and Investments in November 2017 at UCLy

Students can also attend conferences given by visiting scholars and practitioners on a variety of topics (EU Legislation on Data Protection, European Union, Digitalization and the law, Common law, etc).

Why Should I Enroll?

The program is designed for students aiming at international trade, customs, and investment positions in companies, law firms, and international organizations. Students aiming at qualifying as lawyers and working as in-house lawyers would benefit from this knowledge. This LL.M. is designed to meet the need of companies which do business/trade at international level and invest abroad. Recent graduates have joined law firms (either for internships or job opportunities) or international organizations (see what our past students have done).

This Master 2/LL.M. will give you an added value to your curriculum vitae. You will have contacts with practitioners and experts from international organizations and prestigious law firms in several jurisdictions. You will also develop a valuable network with other students coming from various parts of the world.

Study visits are an integral part of the program. In recent years, students visited the WTO and WIPO on study visits.

The Faculty of Law, which was founded in 1875, is based at the Saint-Paul campus in Lyon and the Alpes Europe campus in Annecy. Every year, it welcomes students who wish to join a dynamic and open university community where students, lecturers, researchers and administrative staff from different disciplines work together to achieve success and self-fulfillment.

All the courses offered are designed to train first-class legal practitioners (attorneys, notaries, judges, in-house counsels, etc.), but also critical ones, who will play an active role in the development of our society. The students develop theoretical, technical and methodological legal skills, but are also guided towards wider learning, professional development, international opportunities and an understanding of societal evolutions and transitions, especially in technology. The combination of these different skills, perspectives and considerations helps to develop the quality of discernment, which is essential for a successful career.

This commitment to delivering excellent degree programmes is underpinned by academic supervision and individual support for students, internationalization and professional development. It is embodied in a wide range of degree programmes: Bachelor’s degrees, international dual degrees, Master’s degrees, Diplômes Universitaires (DUs, university-issued diplomas) and specialization courses that keep pace with developments in the law and the types of expertise needed now and in the future.

Optimal Study Conditions

• 2 modern campuses, one in the peninsula in the heart of Lyon and a new campus in Annecy .
• A university library with thematic documentary resources comprising more than 250,000 volumes.
• Original associative projects in humanitarian aid, the environment, a student web radio with RCF.
• Innovative installations at the service of creativity: coworking room, learning lab, and an incubator.
• Numerous student services: housing, health, cafeterias, sports, community life, and chaplaincy.

An International University

• 68 partner universities
• 1,000 international students welcomed each year.
• Possibilities for studying abroad during one year or a semester
• French students are paired with incoming international students to help them, upon arrival, settle into life in Lyon.

Welcome to Lyon!

A European Metropolis

Lyon, the administrative center of the Rhône department and European metropolis of over 2.3 million inhabitants is situated at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. Lyon is a cultural, artistic, and gastronomic center, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As such, it has an abundance of architectural and cultural treasures.

It hosts events of international dimension such as the Dance and Art Biennale, the Nuits Sonores, the Nuits de Fourvière, the Fête des Lumières (Lyon festival of lights), etc.

Lyon offers a variety of cultural draws such as its Opera, House of Dance, theaters, museums, libraries.

It is one of France’s most prominent centers for European business. Many foreign and domestic companies of international scale, as well as international organizations (Interpol, Euronews, WHO, IARC), are located in Lyon and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Lyon is the second-largest student city in France with four universities and several colleges. The scientific community is very dynamic with particular centers of excellence in the areas of medical research, biotechnology, transportation, clean technology, and digital entertainment.