Law LLM - 2020 Entry

Course Structure

You will study a range of modules as part of your course, some examples of which are listed below.

Core

• Dissertation (60 credits)

  The dissertation is an independent, in-depth inquiry into a research topic of your choosing. The topic will relate to a key legal question or issue and may also directly relate to your professional/career interests.

  You will:

  • Identify and define a discrete research topic in Law
  • Complete and submit a Dissertation Proposal Form, signed by your chosen supervisor
  • Carry out a literature review of the relevant field, incorporating a comprehensive range of relevant legal materials
  • Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the selected legal issues through independent research
  • Construct and sustain a cohesive argument within your writing
  • Outline the implications of your findings and how they may inform further research, policy or practice

  This is your opportunity to make a contribution to the legal and academic community with new and original research and writing on a legal issue.

  LLM 5200: The dissertation is a compulsory component with a 15,000-word limit. It represents 60 credits (34%) of your degree weighting.

  Please note: topics can only be approved if the University has sufficient sources for the research and the necessary staff expertise for supervision.

Optional

• Contracts and Companies

  This module brings contracts and companies into sharp focus, highlighting them as a significant aspect of the international business and corporate law environments.

  Companies and Contracts provides you with an introductory theoretical overview of the relationship between companies and contract. It then moves on to explore central issues relating to the constitution of both.

  At the heart of this module lies a critical analysis of the legal (and policy) aspects of contracting, both by, and with, companies. This analysis is central to any Masters-level study of international business and corporate law.

  Lancaster University is home to some of the most highly-regarded international business lawyers and scholars - you will benefit from their expertise as they teach on areas closely aligned with their own research interests.

• Corporate Governance

  The governance of corporations is of great public, political and academic interest.

  This module introduces (and then explores in more depth) the main areas of English law and legal practise relating to Corporate Governance. We use the theory of company law, the "stakeholder debate", comparative corporate law, and regulation and globalisation as the background for our study.

  Throughout this engaging module, comparisons will be made to relevant parts of the law in Europe, the USA, Canada, China and other jurisdictions.

  We will also consider the governance of family and closely-controlled firms from a comparative perspective. And, we will examine the roles of key players within such firms - from the board and its sub-committees, to shareholders and institutional investors.

  A combination of independent reading and regular seminars with our highly-regarded, research-active academics will provide you with a sound grasp of the major legal regimes that govern corporate governance. You will also develop a greater understanding of the central questions and debates arising from this area of law.

• Corporations in International Business Law

  This module, taught and developed over 25 years, helps you to develop a coherent international perspective on business law as it relates to, and affects, corporations. We use our globalised economy as the context for an in-depth study of corporate law.

  You will be asked to consider the view that a national corporate is merely a service which international business can access if it suits their needs. And you will critically assess and discuss the pros and cons of this perspective.

  As we continue to interrogate this line of thought, you will have the opportunity to examine the strengths and weaknesses of UK corporate law - taking a comparative view when measuring UK corporate law against international standards. Strong links to practitioners will inform our insights.

  Lancaster University is home to some of the most highly-regarded international business lawyers and scholars. This module draws upon 40 years of research experience and the expertise of a convenor with wide experience of doctoral candidate supervision.

• Current Issues in European Union Law

  European Union law impacts on the daily life of half a billion people and is currently facing serious challenges, which makes it an incredibly compelling subject to study.

  Our module, European Union Law, will help you to develop a thorough understanding of this area of law by focusing on both perennial and contemporary issues.

  We will take on controversial topical questions that have been the subject of public and academic debate - the subjects we’ll cover include:

  • The legal implications of Brexit
  • Accession of the EU to the European Convention of Human Rights
  • Asylum and Eurozone crisis
  • Democratic legitimacy of the EU
  • Effectiveness of judicial protection and remedies in European Union law
  • Free movement of persons (including citizenship and benefit tourism)

  Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded, research-active lecturers. You will benefit from their expertise as they teach on areas closely aligned with their own research interests.

• Environmental Law

  How have the principles of environmental law developed? How effective is the environmental law of England and Wales?

  Law students and students from Lancaster Environment Centre study side by side on this module. This presents you with a rare interdisciplinary opportunity to share ideas and perspectives between lawyers and scientists. Together, we will explore the sources, principles and effectiveness of environmental law in England and Wales.

  Within your studies you will investigate the efficacy and effect of environmental law. Topics analysed include: water pollution, the history of environmental law, green criminology and the protection of the countryside. The module then builds upon this critical analysis to explain how the aqueous, atmospheric and terraneous environments are protected by law.

  Environmental law is taught by research-active academics who will introduce you to their cutting-edge research into green criminology, access to the countryside, market mechanisms and environmental protection. This research informs their teaching and you can choose an essay based on these topics or develop your own question with the support of our lecturers.

• Independent Research Module

  This module will enable you to develop your independent research skills in preparation for your dissertation module. It also provides you with the opportunity to study an area of law that is currently unavailable within our optional modules.

  You will:

  • Identify and define a discrete research topic in Law
  • Carry out a literature review of the relevant field, incorporating a comprehensive range of relevant legal materials
  • Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the selected legal issues through independent research
  • Construct and sustain a cohesive argument within your writing
  • Outline the implications of your findings and how they may inform further research, policy or practice

  This is your opportunity to make a contribution to the legal and academic community with new and original research and writing on a legal issue.

  The module structure includes a seminar on Research, Methodology and Writing, workshop sessions and regular meetings with your supervisor to track your progress and help you to set work plans.

• Insolvency Law

  This a rare opportunity to study an issue of growing social and commercial importance: insolvency. Together, we will take an in-depth look at the fundamentals of insolvency law in the UK, including corporate, personal and cross-border insolvency.

  At the heart of this popular module is a critical appraisal of the current UK insolvency institutions and insolvency law. You will see insolvency as a pervasive issue in business transactions, tracking the role it plays over the lifespan of a company from incorporation to trading to ultimate insolvency.

  By the end of your studies you will understand the links between companies and viable economies and you will be in a position to recommend much-needed reforms.

  Our Insolvency Law module also covers the EC regulation on insolvency proceedings, which will serve to raise your awareness of a range of current EC commercial policies.

  You will be taught by lecturers who are specialists in their field and active researchers. They will bridge the gap between law in theory and law in practice by introducing you to the faculty’s empirical research (and the central issues it reveals). This approach will encourage discussion and deepen your understanding of this fascinating legal area.

• Intellectual Property Law

  This module is a highly-relevant look at Intellectual Property Law. It provides you with the opportunity to undertake an in-depth evaluation of the UK’s intellectual property framework and its interaction with international law.

  We will introduce you to the key legal principles and political issues underpinning intellectual property protection. At the heart of our evaluation of the law is a strong focus on technological developments (e.g. film, television, software, the Internet, cloud storage, stem cell research).

  Some of the specific themes and topics that you’ll study include:

  • Intellectual property protection – is the legal framework fit for the modern age?
  • Copyright – UK and EU measures to address the growth of peer-to-peer sharing of copyrighted works
  • Patents – requirements/employee protection/biotech patents/software patents
  • Trademarks – requirements/non-standard marks such as sound, smell or colour/exclusions/Internet auction sites and keywords

  Our prestigious Law School is home to research-active lecturers and you will benefit from the convenor’s research examining: the regulation of the Internet; the ownership issues relating to software developed to facilitate responses to disasters; and the EU's approach to robotics (driverless cars and healthcare robotics) ensuring that patent protection supports technological development.

• International Business Law and Institutions

  We live in a world where an increasing amount of business is conducted across international borders. International Business Law and Institutions (WTO)considers the role of law, institutions, law makers and regulators in the international business environment.

  You will look at the international legal and institutional framework that regulates transnational business and you will analyse the nature of legal and regulatory arrangements, including:

  • national laws affecting international investment (and their regulation)
  • forms of international law affecting transnational business (bilateral and multilateral treaties, codes of conduct, decisions of international organisations)
  • the basic principles of GATT
  • the structure and role of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)
  • the interplay between the WTO and other areas of global regulation (health and environmental protection)
  • product standards
  • international aspects of intellectual property rights
  • regulatory aspects of the internationalisation of services (especially financial)

  A combination of independent reading and regular seminars with our highly-regarded, research-active lawyers and academics will provide you with a sound grasp of this fascinating legal area.

• International Commercial Litigation

  Three main questions arise when civil and commercial disputes before the English courts contain an international element. These are the questions that you will tackle in this thought-provoking module:

  How do we decide which court can legitimately claim jurisdiction in relation to the dispute?

  Which system of law will the court claiming jurisdiction apply to the dispute?

  And, once a decision has been reached by the courts in one country, under what circumstances will that decision be recognised or enforced in the other country or countries?

  For example: a contract between an English company and a French company is to be performed in Germany. Should the French, the German or the English courts hear the dispute? Should the contract be governed by French, German or English law? And, if the dispute is decided in England by an English court applying French law, can this decision be enforced against a German defendant in Germany?

  This module is delivered through a series of intensive seminars facilitating discussion between you, your peers, and the lecturer who is a recognised expert in the commercial conflict of laws. The module is informed by the lecturer's cutting-edge research on issues at the forefront of legal knowledge. You will be encouraged to form your own considered views on contentious issues

• International Criminal Law

  What are the merits of international criminal justice? And what are the main challenges that present themselves in this area of law?

  This module provides you with an opportunity to consider these key questions as you benefit from an introduction to substantive international criminal law.

  You will explore the central theme of international crimes, deepening your understanding of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Within your analysis, you will address the role of international courts and tribunals, mixed and hybrid courts and tribunals, as well as developments in national courts.

  This is your chance to critically engage with stimulating examples of prosecution and punishment, which are central to the subject of international criminal law. Your studies will be informed by the convenor’s cutting-edge research on transitional criminal justice and retrospective justice.

  A combination of independent reading and regular seminars will provide you with a sound grasp of this fascinating legal discipline.

• International Environmental Law

  Our world is facing an ever-increasing number of global environmental challenges. This engaging module examines the international legal response to those challenges.

  We will delve into the socio-economic, political and scientific implications of environmental problems. As we do so, we will assess the impact of those implications on law and policy-making.

  The module focuses on a number of contemporary environmental problems: climate change, marine pollution, the protection of international watercourses, fisheries and biodiversity, and the relationship between trade and the environment. You will assess the strengths and inadequacies of the law in regulating each of these issues.

  Your studies will also include:

  • fundamental concepts and principles of international environmental law
  • sustainable development and the precautionary principle
  • how international environmental law operates (law-making, environmental governance and institutional structure)
  • compliance with environmental rules and standards

  You will be taught by lecturers who are specialists in their field and active researchers. Current, cutting-edge research within the teaching team informs this module.

• International Human Rights Law

  How do international laws protect, govern and shape your human rights?

  This course provides an overview of the various rights that are protected through international instruments: civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.

  You will also be given a general introduction to regional and universal systems for human rights protection and promotion. This will focus on the UN human rights system but you will be encouraged to take a comparative view of regional human rights protection systems.

  You will gain a substantive and procedural knowledge of human rights through the international system. And you’ll engage with some key debates in this legal arena, such as the development of human rights and the human rights obligations of non-state actors.

  To get the most from this module, you will have some knowledge of general international law and have a law or social science background.

  Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded international lawyers and research-active lecturers - you will benefit from their expertise as they teach on areas closely aligned with their own research interests.

• International Law

  Diverse and fascinating: the rules, laws and customs that govern inter-state relationships come into sharp focus in this module. It provides you with a base from which you can further your study of specific areas of international law.

  As we explore the essential elements of international law, and the way that they are used to shape the world in which we live, you will gain an in-depth understanding of both theory and practice. You will be given ‘real’ examples of international law to critically assess, allowing you to identify its shortcomings and challenges.

  You will be introduced to fundamental principles and concepts of international law and to some topical issues:

  • the nature and sources of international law
  • the relationship between international and national law
  • statehood and self-determination
  • jurisdiction
  • immunities
  • state responsibility
  • dispute settlement
  • use of force

  Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded international lawyers and research-active lecturers - you will benefit from their expertise as they teach on areas closely aligned with their own research interests.

• International Terrorism and the Law

  Terrorism continues to be one of the greatest global challenges we face in the pursuit of international peace, stability and security.

  This is a stimulating module that explores concepts from many areas of the law, including civil liberties, international law, criminal justice and human rights.

  In the course of your studies you will look at the legal definitions of terrorism – from a regional, national, and international perspective. And you’ll have the opportunity to use counter-terrorism case studies to examine specific aspects of preventative justice measures.

  This is a fast-moving and unpredictable area of law, so the material that we cover may change in order to track the prevailing issues and latest developments. However, you will consider civil liberties alongside some of the contemporary challenges facing domestic and international legal systems.

  The examination of the topics is carried out through a vigorous interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach – offering you greater understanding and appreciation of the subject matter.

  Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded international lawyers and research-active lecturers - you will benefit from their expertise as they teach on areas closely aligned with their own research interests.

• Tax Law

  The aim of this module is to examine the current law of taxation as it applies to England and Wales. On successful completion of this module you will have an understanding of the principles of Tax Law, its foundations, and its shortcomings and challenges. By using Problem- Based Learning, you will come to grips with how the taxes work in practice; as well as be able to identify the taxes from fictional legal scenarios. Specific areas covered are principles of tax law; income tax; inheritance tax; corporation tax; VAT; capital gains tax; international taxes and, environmental taxes.

• The Law of the United Nations

  International organisations such as the UN, EU, NATO and IMF play a prominent role in international society. All have rights and obligations under international law but they also hold different positions, exhibit their own personalities, and establish differing systems and structures.

  This module seeks to make the concept of international organisations (and their rights and obligations under international law) familiar to you.

  In the course of your studies you will look at the structure, membership, law-making powers and accountability of international organisations, taking the United Nations system as your particular focus.

  You will also be encouraged to critically analyse the interplay between these prominent organisations and the current body of international law.

  Our prestigious Law School is home to some of the most highly-regarded international lawyers and research-active lecturers. The convenor of this module has recently contributed the chapter on International Organisations for the Oxford Handbook on Jurisdiction.

• The right to adequate food as a human right

  The right to adequate food is one of the fundamental human rights as provided for in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This module will have its foundation in international human rights law, but will go beyond the legal framework and address the right to adequate food as part of broadly defined food security. The module addresses the right to adequate food from a political, social and environmental perspective, and includes a study of the normative content of the right, and the corresponding obligations. Furthermore, the students will work on case-studies which provide examples of situations where the right to food is threatened or violated, such as through destruction of land for food production, the need to resort to food banks in industrialised countries, or situations where poverty results in poor and unhealthy diets.

• The Rights of Peoples

  National and ethnic tensions lie at the heart of many contemporary international conflicts. But what are the rights of peoples, national minorities and indigenous peoples under international law?

  Our Rights of Peoples module takes an in-depth look at this key question and encourages you to critically explore the idea of a national identity and relations between groups within states.

  In particular, you will examine:

  • questions of statehood
  • the borders of states
  • their form of government
  • the allocation of resources
  • protection of the environment

  A combination of independent reading and regular seminars with our highly-regarded, research-active lawyers and academics will provide you with a sound grasp of this fascinating and highly-relevant legal area.

  The module is based on the convenor’s monograph, Peoples and International Law, which has been cited before and in the ICJ.

• Transitional Justice, Human Rights and Peacebuilding

  In this module you will be introduced to the area of law known as transitional justice, allowing you to gain an overview of the prevailing issues and challenges faced within the field. The module allows you to examine and critically assess the development and efficacy of various institutions and processes designed to deal with grave and systematic human rights violations in countries, which are in transition from conflict to peace. You will explore, compare and critically evaluate various forms of transitional justice and their impact and contribution to the wider context of international law, international relations and peace building.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, but changes may be necessary, for example as a result of student feedback, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes, and new research.