School of Law Commercial law at Reading LLM programmes in International Commercial Law, International Financial Regulation and International Corporate Finance Courses run in association with
Commercial law at Reading Commercial law at Reading The LLM programmes in commercial law are provided by the Law School in conjunction with the ICMA Centre of Henley Business School. From its modest offshore beginnings the international capital market has grown into a broad and deep market of around 10 trillion in outstanding issues and in excess of 2 trillion new issuance per annum serving the funding needs of governments, supranationals and corporates from all over the world. It is evident that commercial and corporate law issues are irrevocably linked to financial issues. These LLM programmes will equip students with the knowledge, skills and practical tools needed not only to gain a thorough understanding of how the global economy and finance is regulated by law but also to advance their career in a dynamic professional environment. These LLM programmes, providing a platform to analyse the legal and financial implications of complex issues, are invaluable in developing lawyers capable of the innovative thinking our profession needs to distinguish itself. Michael E Hatchard LLB Reading 1977, Partner, Practice Leader Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom The LLM programmes LLM students take some core modules and have a choice of a wide range of optional modules at the Law School and the ICMA Centre providing them with an invaluable opportunity to acquire a unique legal and financial perspective of commercial and corporate law issues. LLM students undertake taught modules totalling 140 credits during the autumn and spring terms (October May/June) and then undertake a written project (40 credits) from May/June to September. Our taught postgraduate modular system is intended to give greater flexibility in student choices in provision of teaching and assessment, and in the construction of programmes. Teaching on the LLM is conducted primarily by means of seminars, although lectures and tutorials may form part of a module. Teaching in the LLM programmes is conducted primarily by means of small-group seminars, with around 6 15 students in a group, although lectures and tutorials may form part of a module. Student participation and engagement in discussion with the Faculty and with each other is a key part of learning and teaching in the programmes As a reflection of its emphasis on first-rate research, the School has a strong postgraduate culture. The School is proud of its vibrant and diverse student body which includes students from across the European Union and its neighbour countries, as well as further afield. Links with Asia are maintained through a wellestablished undergraduate twinning programme run jointly with Taylor s University of Malaysia. All our students benefit from the wide-ranging interests and perspectives of staff who themselves represent a wide range of nationalities.
LLM programmes LLM International Commercial Law The LLM International Commercial Law provides an overview of the main commercial law issues that arise in a multiplicity of transactions. It covers those aspects of law that commercial law practitioners could expect to encounter on a regular basis, including contract law, employment law, competition law, intellectual property and environmental law. Students have flexibility in module choices. The core and optional modules (optional modules are indicated on the back of the brochure) are offered by the Law School and the ICMA Centre. Core modules include: Advanced issues in international commercial law and International corporate finance and the law. The overarching aim of this LLM programme is to enable students to appreciate the international dimensions of commercial law as well as understand, critically assess and provide practical solutions to problems of the type commonly encountered in the international commercial law field. LLM International Corporate Finance The aim of the LLM International Corporate Finance is to analyse the different aspects of corporate finance from an international perspective as well as adopt a critical approach to the legal and policy issues relevant to the international corporate finance law field. This will enable students to identify common aspects in the dynamics and mechanisms involved in obtaining financing and to discover innovative trends in a continuous developing area. From a practical standpoint, this LLM programme will provide the tools to recognise the key elements to implement a successful financing technique by means of the analysis of theoretical issues and actual case studies. The LLM International Corporate Finance will assess general corporate principles and financing techniques. It is a theoretical and practical programme with case studies that will enable students to approach a corporation that needs capital (e.g. due to an enlargement of its business operations or because it is facing a distressed situation) and to understand the issues at stake in successfully obtaining the required financing. Students have flexibility in module choices. The core and optional modules (optional modules are indicated on the back of the brochure) are offered by the Law School and the ICMA Centre. Core modules include: Financial markets and International corporate finance and the law. In summary, the LLM International Corporate Finance aims to provide students with a multi-dimensional understanding of the core issues in international corporate finance. Through lectures, case study group work and other exercises, it will help to provide students with the theoretical and practical building blocks and conceptual tools necessary for some of the more advanced intellectual tasks they will be called upon throughout the course.
Commercial law at Reading LLM International Financial Regulation The LLM International Financial Regulation addresses financial regulation and supervision: the delimitation of competences between the EU and the member states. It also covers substantive law issues: an overview of the EU regulatory framework applicable to all three sectors of finance with a specific emphasis on banking and securities, and an overview of contemplated changes as a result of the financial crisis. The course tackles regulatory and legal control of financial markets and financial intermediaries including banks and banking (commercial banks and investment banks) as well as securities firms, insurance undertakings and other more specialist types of service provider and financial conglomerates (or complex groups). Financial institutions are essential to the effective operation of any economy, nationally and internationally. LLM students undertake taught modules totalling 140 credits during the autumn and spring terms (October May/June) and then undertake a written project (40 credits) from May/June to September. Students have flexibility in module choices. The core and optional modules (optional modules are indicated on the back of the brochure) are offered by the Law School and the ICMA. Core modules include: Financial markets and Legal aspects of international financial regulation. The overarching aim of the LLM International Financial Regulation is to provide a detailed account of the institutional framework of financial regulation. The programme will enable students to appreciate the international dimensions and implications of financial regulation and to acquire the intellectual and practical skills expected of students with a postgraduate qualification.
Law School The Law School at the University of Reading is among the best in the UK. In the most recent (2008) Research Assessment Exercise, the Law School was ranked joint 7th (along with Cambridge University) for worldleading research and international excellence and came 11th out of 67 university law schools across all research categories. This, in particular, reflects the high academic standing of the School of Law s staff and impacts positively on the quality of both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Having scored 4th place in the most recent National Student Survey for overall student satisfaction, the School of Law is now ranked 14th out of 91 universities by The Times Good University Guide 2010 (and 12th amongst English universities). ICMA Centre Part of the triple-accredited Henley Business School, the ICMA Centre was formed as the first active collaboration between the securities industry and a university finance department. The ICMA Centre is now one of the largest schools of finance in Europe. Offering a range of undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education, as well as professional and policy development research and consultancy, the ICMA Centre s aim is to deliver the highest standard in financial markets focused teaching, learning and research. The ICMA Centre s unique integration of theory with practice is achieved through the use of the Centre s three state-of-theart dealing rooms. All equipped by Thomson Reuters, the terminals run the latest industry simulation software as well as the Centre s own simulation software platform; ICTrader. The Law School ICMA Centre The Law School and the ICMA Centre have established the Centre for Commercial Law and Financial Regulation. This Centre will constitute a forum for stimulating and conducting research and disseminating knowledge on international commercial law and financial regulation. The Centre will focus on advancing legal scholarship, bring together scholars and policymakers in law and finance and influence the development and application of commercial law and financial regulation in practice through research projects, conferences, teaching and publications. The Centre aims to become one of the leading institutions for the study of commercial law and financial regulation in the UK and globally. Careers options Graduates from our programmes have gone on to work in various capacities, in law firms as in-house lawyers, and in international organisations in the UK and abroad. The School has a dedicated senior member of the academic staff (Professor Chris Newdick) overseeing careers guidance and employability enhancement in conjunction with the University s Careers Advisory Service. For more information on our Careers Advisory Service, visit www.reading.ac.uk/careers
Application process/criteria For application forms for entry to LLM programmes, details on deadlines and details on scholarships please consult the Law School s postgraduate web pages, www.reading.ac.uk/law. Applications can be submitted online or by post. These LLM programmes can be taken as a full-time one-year course or part time over two years. Applicants will normally be expected to have a degree in law or a degree with a substantial legal component with a first or upper-second class honours. The School welcomes applicants who have qualifications in disciplines other than law; these applicants are normally expected to show the capacity to undertake advanced study in law either by virtue of a strong academic record and/or relevant work experience. Where an applicant has an undergraduate degree below upper-second class standard then he or she would normally be expected to show the capacity to undertake advanced study in law, either by virtue of one or a combination of: a strong academic record in some relevant components of their degree; a strong academic record in a diploma or certificate course; relevant work experience; and/or relevant research and writing experience. Applicants from non-traditional backgrounds (e.g. a person without an undergraduate degree or other academic qualification, or who has been away from study for an extended period) may be encouraged to enrol in a Diploma or Certificate course in the first instance with a view to applying for a transfer to the LLM once they have successfully completed at least two modules. The University provides an in-sessional English support programme throughout the year for full-time students who need further help with academic writing, reading, speaking, and listening. The programme includes tutorials, classes, and a Writing Advisory Service. Optional modules Optional modules for the three LLM programmes include: The single market: trade and commerce in an integrated Europe Legal aspects of international finance EU competition law Intellectual property Legal aspects of international trade and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) International banking law Legal aspects of mergers, acquisitions and takeovers International energy law and regulation Competition law and mergers and acquisitions (M&As) Regulation of markets and traders Financial regulation and regulatory policy Corporate governance Compliance theory and practice The principles of Islamic commercial jurisprudence and the nominate contracts This is not an exhaustive list. For a complete list, visit www.reading.ac.uk/law The School of Law reserves the right not to run some optional modules in any given year. Commercial law at Reading For more information, please contact: Dr Ioannis Kokkoris University of Reading Whiteknights Reading, RG6 7BA i.kokkoris@reading.ac.uk Tel (0118) 378 6568 www.reading.ac.uk/law