LLM International Commercial and Business Law

The LLM International Commercial and Business Law is designed as a research-led programme for graduates from law and related disciplines who aim to specialise in commercial law, international trade and cross-border business transactions from a socio-legal perspective. It will help you understand and master the highly dynamic and complex legal and regulatory regimes governing international business and the global economy. If you aim for a career in corporate, financial or commercial law, our programme will equip you with solid knowledge and an advanced understanding of the key principles, rules and practices in areas such as corporate governance, corporate law, competition law, financial law, and trade law. With support from leading academics throughout this LLM, you will be able to develop a broad set of relevant skills that will allow you to contribute to legal problem solving in key areas of commercial and business law.

Thanks to our diverse staff and student body you will have a unique opportunity to meet lecturers and peers with different experiences and backgrounds, enabling you to expand your own perspective and understanding further. In previous years students have joined the programme from both the UK and around the world, significantly contributing to the discussions in class and group work.

The School’s world-leading academics specialise in a range of relevant areas, including:

• International and Transnational Commercial Law, including international commercial and financial transactions, Conflicts of Law/Public International Law, harmonisation and regionalisation of commercial law, and commercial litigation and arbitration.

• International Competition Law, including European and Comparative Competition Law

• International Trade Law, including World Trade Organisation Law, international economic law, dispute settlement, and regional and national trade laws and policies.

• Legal Aspects of Innovation and New Technologies, including blockchain and smart contracts.

• Corporate Governance and Compliance, including comparative corporate governance and corporate social responsibility.

• International Financial Regulation, including regulatory changes in the aftermaths of the East-Asian Financial Crisis and the Global Financial Crisis, regulating finance in key jurisdictions and in global financial centres and tax havens, deepening financial integration and financial fragmentation, the role of law and technology in finance, and the transition to sustainable and digital finance.

  A Connected and Engaged Law School

  The Law School and its academic staff are highly connected with institutions outside the higher education sector, enabling us to provide a programme that is vastly relevant for real-world problem solving. We have had cooperation with and inputs to our programme from the UN Conference on Trade and Development, competition authorities across multiple jurisdictions, the international competition network, local and national business law firms, the European Commission, the NI Department for the Economy, and the Bank of England. Law School staff members have been involved in advising various departments on trade laws and policies over recent years. We have also been providing legal training on finance law for the Department for the Economy under its Assured Skills Programme. Some of those cooperations have led to guest lectures in modules, where those external experts shared valuable insights with our students.

  Small Group Teaching

  The majority of the LLM modules use small group teaching to enhance your engagement with staff and peers in the classroom. This setting also maximises cross-cultural exchanges and learning reflecting many of the complexities and varieties in contemporary international business.

  Research-led Teaching

  Building on the unique research experience and knowledge of staff allows you to gain state-of-the-art insights into the key issues and discussions about socio-legal challenges and solutions related to international business and commerce. We also encourage LLM students to come along to research events at Queen’s and our Law School and we have usually several talks from world-leading experts on commercial and business law topics.

International Commercial And Business Law Highlights

Industry Links

Integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally. Law was ranked 11th in the UK for graduate prospects (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022). Northern Ireland had in recent years the most dynamic inflow of foreign investment in the UK and has become a key UK hub for legal and financial firms, including fintech firms. The Kalifa Review (2021) commissioned by the UK Treasury lists Belfast and Northern Ireland as one of 10 UK fintech clusters with world leading strength in RegTech, InsurTech, and Wealthtech.

World Class Facilities

Our facilities at Queen's include a state-of-art Law building with superb teaching facilities, a moot court and study spaces. Queen's has one of the most modern campuses in the UK, including the award winning McClay Library, one of the finest libraries in the world, home to 1.2 million volumes, an amazing digitally-available collection of books and journals from all over the world, and over 2,000 reader places. The University invested considerable resources into further expanding its capacity to enable online learning and engagement, further boosting the student experience. Our Physical Education Centre was used as a training camp for the 2012 Olympics. Our Queen's Elms Student Village and city centre student accommodation (built in 2018) are located within easy walking distance of the University. The One Elmwood Student Centre, home of the Students’ Union and University Services, opened its doors in 2022 as a vibrant new hub for students at the heart of our campus and in close proximity to our School of Law building.

Internationally Renowned Experts

The LLM is delivered by academic staff who through their research are currently shaping global, regional and local debates within legal scholarship and related disciplines. They have experience of interacting with leading policy-makers, regulators, businesses, law firms and other key stakeholders, contributing to ongoing developments both in the UK and beyond. Law at Queen's is in the top 150 Law Schools worldwide and we are ranked 19th in the world for global outlook. Research in Law was ranked 8th in the UK in the most recent research assessment exercise (REF 2021). Key areas of commercial and business law and regulation, including corporate governance, competition law, the law of commercial and financial transactions, the law of finance, and trade law are among our key areas of our research strength, reflected in our teaching on this LLM programme.

Student Experience

This Programme has been specifically designed so that our students can emerge with a deeper appreciation of the place law plays in international business and the global economy. Students study within a vibrant international mix of students and staff from all over the world. We focus on your individual career and development needs, building your skills, enhancing your personal experience of the course and thinking of your career path. You will be taught not just abstract theory but also its practical application to legal problems and challenges faced by businesses, regulatory bodies, the profession of business lawyers, and wider society. At Queen's you will be part of and co-creating a thriving postgraduate culture built on teaching excellence, leading-edge research, innovation, collaboration and active engagement. These components are also woven together in our Graduate School that supports all our LLM students in developing additional skills and increased personal effectiveness that will enable you to stand out in the crowded and increasingly competitive global job market. Life at Queen's is not just about the degree. We offer and encourage our students to enrich their studies by using the manifold opportunities Belfast and the wider Queen’s community have to offer. Whether you're into student societies, sports, music, dance, or just a coffee with your friends, Queen’s has exceptional facilities to cater for all interests.

Queen's University Belfast is one of the leading universities in the UK and Ireland with a distinguished heritage and history.

Founded in 1845 as Queen's College Belfast, we became an independent university in 1908. The University is a member of the Russell Group of UK research-intensive universities, combining excellence in research and education with a student-centred ethos.

Queen’s campus is at the heart of Belfast in Northern Ireland which has the lowest cost of living in the UK (Mercer Cost of Living City Ranking 2021) making it a more affordable option for students.

A World-Class Education and Student Experience

Queen’s offers a world-class education that prepares our students for leadership and citizenship in a global society.

Our inspiring alumni comprises outstanding scholars, Nobel Prize winners - such as Seamus Heaney and David Trimble - and influential leaders who are making an impact in Northern Ireland and across the globe.

Programmes are focused on preparing students for future employment. Students not only learn the core academic material from the staff at the forefront of their discipline but also learn how to put it into practice through practical workshops and hands-on sessions, ensuring that upon graduation, students are ready to step up as the next generation of industry leaders.

A Global and Inclusive University Community

Queen’s is attracting global talent to Belfast.

We currently have staff and students from over 80 countries, helping to create a multicultural and vibrant campus. They are joining a university that is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing the best global talent within an environment that enables them to realise their full potential.

An innovative, welcoming, and inclusive place to work and study, Queen’s is a leader in gender equality and diversity and currently holds a prestigious Athena Swan Silver Award. The University also holds 14 School Awards comprising 3 Gold, 6 Silver and 5 Bronze.

Research That Shapes Worlds

Queen’s University Belfast is globally connected and networked with leading universities across the world.

We continue to drive forward research to shape worlds, focusing on five key areas. Ensuring a healthy living for all through developing solutions and treatments for diseases; helping to deliver a transformative and sustainable economy for future generations; leading to securely connected intelligence and AI and the data revolution. We are at the forefront of delivering future-focused human-environment relations; and will continue our strong history of expertise in conflict resolution and building inclusive and cohesive communities.

Ranked 24 in the UK for Research Power

We are forward thinkers and will continue to direct and shape research to help support a workable environment and society.

88% of our research has been assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent, 99% of our research environment was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent and we are ranked 24th in the UK for Research Power (REF 2021/ Times Higher Education).

Northern Ireland's Legendary Beauty

Queen’s University is situated in Belfast, the capital city of Northern Ireland.

In a city with innovation at its heart, technological advances infiltrate every sector helping to build our competitiveness on the global stage. Belfast is in the world’s top 10 Digital Economies of the Future - the only UK city outside London to be listed (Financial Times’ fDi Intelligence, 2018) and was voted one of the top 15 friendliest cities in Europe (Condé Nast Traveller, Readers' Choice Awards 2021).

It is one of Europe's most hip, vibrant and affordable cities, lauded for its energy, and rich in culture and history. Queen's stunning campus is within Belfast's Queen's Quarter, with cafés, bars, restaurants, superb shopping, and entertainment venues (Complete University Guide 2022).