LAW SCHOOLLLM

International and Commercial LawFull-time study

Postgraduate study at Buckingham Law School

Web site : www.buckingham.ac.uk/law/

Buckingham Law School provides a

stimulating environment for the study of

law. The LLM Programme at Buckingham is

oriented towards law graduates and

experienced legal practitioners, alike.

The programme aims to produce confident

and competent graduates, able to practice

or undertake research anywhere in the

world. The taught LLM programme includes

both commercial and non-commercial law

courses, is delivered through lectures and

seminars to encourage students to develop

their potentials. The programme also offers

plenty of scope to research on a wide range

of topics, covering areas like international

trade law, international law, intellectual

property law, banking law, money

laundering and trust laws and maritime

law to mention a few.

PostgraduateLaw atBuckingham

FACTFILE

The postgraduate programmes in Law currently

offered are:

LLM in International and Commercial Law

LLM in International and Commercial Law (World

Trade Specialist)

LLM in International and Commercial Law

(International Law Specialist)

Postgraduate Diploma in International &

Commercial Law

Research Degrees (LLM, MPhil, PhD)

Philosophy and Objectives of the Course

The underlying philosophy of the LLM is to develop

specialists in the field of International and Commercial

Law. The programme attracts students from a wide

variety of backgrounds with different experiences. It

stresses the importance of interaction between staff

and student, as well as between students. We believe

that this is an essential element in the development of

effective lawyers in this area.

The main objective of the postgraduate study at

Buckingham is to enable you to develop the ability to

assess and critically analyse the law in the fields of

your choice. To be effective, a lawyer, or anyone

practising in the area of International and Commercial

Law in a business capacity, must be able to analyse

clearly what are often complex problems, to arrive at

rational decisions and be confident in implementing

those decisions.

Following successful completion of the LLM in

International and Commercial Law, you should have

developed a range of skills, which include:

• A sound understanding of each of your chosen

course;

• Confidence in the analysis of complex case laws;

• The ability to argue cogently, orally and in writing;

• The ability to take a co-operative approach to

problem solving.

Law

You may choose your own options, from full courses

(40 units), half courses (20 units), or a research element

(40 units) to make up 160 units of study. A Legal

Research and Research Methodology course (20 units)

is compulsory, making a total requirement of 180 units.

The following options are normally offered:

Banking Law*

Commercial Conflict of Laws*√Agency and Insurance Law

Sale of Goods Law

Company Law

Corporative Insolvency*

European Union Law*

Intellectual Property Law*

Intellectual Property Law & the Creative Industries

International Law√International Trade and Maritime Law*

Law of War√Systems Analysis in Law√Tax Havens, Money Laundering & Trust Laws*

World Trade Specialist Designation

Students may be awarded an LLM with a World Trade

Specialist designation if they obtain a pass in courses

totalling no less than 120 units from designated

courses, marked * in the above list of available options.

International Law Specialist Designation

Students may be awarded an LLM with an International

Law Specialist designation if they obtain a pass in

courses totalling no less than 120 units from

designated courses, marked √ in the above list of

available options and submitting a dissertation for 40

units on a suitable area of international law.

Research Path

Students may choose to follow the research path by

completing either 3 research papers or a dissertation in

place of one 40 unit taught option.

Admission Requirements

Students will be required to have a first or second-class

honours degree from a UK university, or an equivalent

academic qualification from an overseas institution.

Usually this will be in Law or in a degree programme

where law is a significant element of the study

pursued. Certain approved professional qualifications

may be considered in absence of these requirements.

If English is not your first language, an IELTS score of

6.5 is required or computer based TOFEL score of 233+

Entry Points

• January entry

The course starts in January each year. The

full-time taught course lasts for three terms,

finishing in September of the same year.

• Language Skills & July or September entry

If your English language skills are insufficient to

enable you to undertake a masters level study

immediately, you may be able to enrol on the one

or two term EFL Foundation course beginning in

July and September. However, this would not be

seen as being part of the LLM Programme.

How much does it cost?

For current pricing please check our website

www.buckingham.ac.uk/study/fees/postgrad.html

Admissions Enquiries

Patricia Brooks

Tel: +44 (0)1280 828321 Fax: +44 (0)1280 828305

Email: law-admissions@buckingham.ac.uk

What do the Alumni have to say about our LLM

Programme…

“I completed my masters degree in 1996 and these

were the best days in my life. I miss my tutors,

professors and friends. After I finished my LLM study at

Buckingham, I returned to my country Jordan. I am now

working as a lawyer in an international Jordanian bank.

I am a member of a human rights organization in

Jordan and also a member of the Jordan Bar

Association.”

Basher Alyousef (LLM 1996)

"I graduated from Buckingham with an LLB degree and

returned straight after to study for the LLM.

Buckingham's January entry allowed me to complete

both my LLB and LLM degrees in under three years. The

flexible nature of the LLM programme allowed me to

study taught modules as well as having the

opportunity to write a dissertation in Intellectual

Property Law, an area (in) which I have become very

interested and will pursue in a PhD. The small group

teaching at postgraduate level is a huge advantage and

helped me a great deal with my studies."

Ben Carter (LLM 2005)

“I am a qualified European lawyer and my employer, an

international German-Greek commercial bank, is

sponsoring me to complete my LLM degree at

Buckingham. I strongly believe that the subjects taught

on the LLM qualification will be advantageous to my

career in banking and directly benefit my employer. I

have used my time studying for the LLM to publish an

article in a well-respected Banking Law Journal, having

been supervised by Dr Helen Desmond. When I return

to work in Germany or Greece, I plan to study part-time

and use my LLM dissertation as the foundation for

eventually completing a doctorate in banking law.”

Tsogkas Panagiotis (LLM 2005)

"As a University of Buckingham law graduate, I began

my LLM in International & Commercial Law in January

2006. This has provided me with greater opportunities

for my future career in my chosen field of commercial

litigation. The LLM courses are challenging and the

professors offer a great deal of support. In addition to

my taught courses I completed a dissertation on Public

International Law Defining Intervention, which enabled

me to develop my legal research skills and look in more

depth into a subject of my choosing. I have no doubt

that the LLM has been an excellent foundation for my

LPC studies, which I am now taking at the Oxford

Institute of Legal Practice."

Kimberley Durrant (LLM 2006)

I was practising law in Nairobi, Kenya, specialising in

Commercial/ Corporate Law Litigation before coming to

do my LLM at the University of Buckingham. The

teaching was good and well organised, affording one

the chance to benefit from an unprecedented student-

lecturer interaction. I was particularly impressed by the

weekly seminar method of imparting knowledge and

the topics covered which were in turn very useful for the

exam preparations. It was indeed a stimulating learning

experience never witnessed before in my academic life.

With necessary support from the Lecturers, I was able to

emerge top in my specialty. Based on the above

experience I was naturally compelled to enrol in the

MPhil/DPhil programme which I am now pursuing.

Robinson Busolo (LLM 2008)

The Staff

Buckingham Law School comprises of 18 full-time staff

covering a range of specialisms, and several visiting

specialists. Staffs involved in postgraduate teaching are

all subject specialists and have experience in

teaching at postgraduate level.

Jae Sundaram LLB (India), LLM in Maritime Law

(Southampton), Advocate (India), Solicitor of England &

Wales, PG Cert (HE), Lecturer in Law, Director LLM

Programme and LLM Admissions Tutor.

Specialist in Maritime Law (both wet and dry),

International Trade Law and Commercial Conflict

of Laws.

Email: jae.sundaram@buckingham.ac.uk

Jason de Mink BA, LLB, LLM (Cape Town), Attorney,

Lecturer in Law. Law Careers Officer.

Specialist in Law of Trusts & Equity.

Email: jason.deMink@buckingham.ac.uk

Professor Susan Edwards Dean of Law, Professor of Law

and Barrister, is the author of several books including

Sex and Gender in the Legal Process. She is a consultant

to the Home Office and a Rapporteuse for the Conseil

de l’Europe.

Email: susan.edwards@buckingham.ac.uk

Professor Nigel Foster BA Law (Hons) (Canterbury), LLM

European Legal Studies (Exeter), Diploma in German

(Wales), Jean Monnet European Law Chair, Deputy

Vice-Chancellor, Specialist in European Union Laws.

Author of Foster on EU law (Oxford University Press).

nigel.foster@buckingham.ac.uk

Francis Grimal LLB (Hons) (Nottingham), LLM (Reading),

Lecturer in Law. Specialist in International Law.

Email: francis.grimal@buckingham.ac.uk

John G. Halladay LLB (Toronto), LLM (Cantab.), Senior

Lecturer in Law. Specialist in Commercial Law and

Insurance & Agency Law.

Email: john.halladay@buckingham.ac.uk

Adolfo Paolini LLB (Abogado/ Venezuela), LLM in

Commercial Law (Cardiff), PhD (Southampton), PGCer

(HE), Lecturer in Law.

Specialist in Company and Commercial Law.

Email: adolfo.paolini@buckingham.ac.uk

Jennifer Shearman BSc. (Surrey), Solicitor, Senior.

Lecturer in Law. Tutor for Undergraduate Studies.

Specialist in Company and Commercial Law and

Corporate Insolvency Law.

Email: jennifer.shearman@bukcingham.ac.uk

Noam Shemtov LLB (Leicester), LLM (London), Solicitor

of England & Wales, Attorney at Law (Israel) Lecturer in

Intellectual Property Law.

Specialist in Intellectual Property Laws.

Email: noam.shemtov@buckingham.ac.uk

Postgraduate Law at Buckingham

Buckingham is different…

• Specialist Skills: A postgraduate LLM degree from Buckingham will ensure you have valuable specialist skills and

knowledge in the areas of international and commercial law. LLM graduates also develop important transferable

skills that appeal to employers.

• Field Trips: As part of the learning experience field trips are organised for LLM students from time to time to visit

key European Union Legal Institutions.

• Professional Competence: Buckingham University LLM graduates considerably improve their chances in a

competitive employment marketplace. Graduates have gone on to forge successful careers in the UK and

overseas in private legal practice, banking, government and academia.

• Careers: The Law Careers Tutor is available for individual career counselling and can draw on the numerous

professional contacts that the Law School has developed over the past thirty years. The Careers Service also has

the resources and professional expertise to help LLM graduates secure employment.

• Student Centred: At Buckingham University the learning process is student centred. The LLM students and their

Lecturers get to know each other very well due to our smaller class sizes, creating a good learning environment.

• Opportunity for Research: LLM graduates may decide to continue their academic law career by completing a

PhD, which is regarded as a major stepping-stone in both academic and academic-related careers. Buckingham

law school has a strong team specialising in a wide range of subjects covering both commercial and

non-commercial law. Professor Susan Edwards heads the Graduate Law School’s research activities and could be

contacted at susan.edwards@buckingham.ac.uk

Buckingham MK18 1EG, United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1280 814080 Fax: +44 (0)1280 822245

Email: info@buckingham.ac.uk www.buckingham.ac.uk