Academic Catalog 2016–2017

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LL.M. in Business Law

Mission

The program aims to prepare high-caliber legal advisers and advocates who are conversant in international best practices in the field of law and related business topics and committed to serving both the public and private sectors. Through small classes with outstanding faculty, close interaction among the students and with the faculty, and numerous short seminars and field observations, students will receive an intensive graduate law education in theoretical and practical settings.

Program Objectives & Outcomes

  1. Develop a deep understanding of law in a variety of contexts.
  2. Formulate research questions and develop appropriate research methodologies.
  3. Write clearly and in an appropriate legal style, in accordance with legal writing standards.
  4. Display the ability to deal with different types of legal systems and laws.
  5. Develop the ability to analyze, articulate and write on the subject, by linking previous or current experience with an academic inquiry.
  6. Provide a critical understanding of the main legal, economic and financial matters pertaining to the entire life-cycle of a corporation in an interdisciplinary and comparative perspective.
  7. Instill a sound understanding of fundamental concepts of finance and economics which are necessary for a holistic understanding of the context in which corporate law and regulation operate.
  8. Develop an ability to work with international legal materials and to grasp the legal implications of transactions involving international institutions and corporations.
  9. Display a critical awareness of the theoretical and practical challenges created by the globalization of law and business and the increasing cross-border mobility of corporation.
  10. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for the LL.M. program, applicants should have a Bachelor’s degree in law from an accredited law school. However, holders of a Bachelor’s degree in other fields are considered but required to take upper-level remedial courses. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.75, or a minimum of six years of working experience in middle management or a higher supervisory position. Applicants from non-English language universities must demonstrate proficiency in English through: A university-administered exam EEE (minimum score of 550), or a paper-based TOEFL (minimum score of 575), an international based TOEFL (minimum score of 90), or a computer based TOEFL (minimum score of 233). All applicants will be interviewed for assessment by the admissions committee. Meeting these requirements, however, does not guarantee admission to the program; the admissions committee has the final decision. Applicants who are short of meeting the above requirements might be considered for “probationary” admission.

Graduation Requirements

A total of 39 credits are required to graduate, based on:

Remedial Courses 9 credits
General Core Courses 9 credits
Emphasis Core Courses 6 credits
Electives 15 credits
Total: 39 credits

Remedial Courses (9 credits):

  • LLM511 Introduction to Law (3 cr.)
  • LLM512 Fundamentals of Corporate Law (3 cr.)
  • LLM513 Introduction to Contracts (3 cr.)

General Core Courses (9 credits):

  • LLM811 Analytical Legal Methods (3 cr.)
  • LLM813 Legal Ethics (2 cr.)
  • LLM831 Legal Research (2 cr.)
  • LLM833 Legal Writing (2 cr.)

Emphasis Core Courses (6 credits):

  • LLM823 Accounting, Finance and Strategy for Lawyers (3 cr.)
  • LLM826 International Commercial Contracts (3 cr.)

Electives (15 credits):

  • LLM841 International corporate and commercial taxation (3 cr.)
  • LLM843 Capital Markets Law and Regulation (3 cr.)
  • LLM845 Corporate Finance Laws (3 cr.)
  • LLM846 Corporate Governance (3 cr.)
  • LLM852 Family Businesses and Offices (3 cr.)
  • LLM853 Secured Transactions (3 cr.)
  • LLM854 International Financial and Banking Regulations (3 cr.)
  • LLM855 Corporate Insolvency Law and Bankruptcy (3 cr.)
  • LLM856 International Intellectual Property (3 cr.)
  • LLM861 International Courts and Processes(3 cr.)
  • LLM863 International Sales of Goods (3 cr.)
  • LLM865 Law of Mergers, Acquisitions and Restructurings (3 cr.)
  • LLM866 International Trade (3 cr.)
  • LLM872 Islamic Banking and Finance (3 cr.)
  • LLM875 Private Public Partnerships ( 3cr.)
  • LLM876 Alternative Dispute Resolutions (3 cr.)
  • LLM880 Topics in Business Law (3 cr.)

Career Opportunities

The LL.M. degree provides students with the ability to acquire advanced legal knowledge in the field of business, banking, and transnational contract law. The degree offers fundamental tools and competencies needed to deal with the complex reality of international commercial transactions with respect to contract drafting, interpretation and management of international commercial contracts, capital market law and regulation, international financial and banking regulations, and international dispute resolution. The LL.M. will benefit managers working in the following fields: law, labor relations, human resources, and many others.