LLM Commercial and Company Law

This LL.M. program provides you with a thorough insight into the legal aspects of doing business in an international setting.

What aspects does the program cover?

The two main pillars of the program are (1) company law and (2) commercial law.

Company law

The company law pillar focuses on the main topics of corporate governance. Issues such as the functioning of the board of directors, shareholder rights cross-border voting, and some aspects of European labour law will be comprehensively discussed. Attention is also given to the EC directives on the freedom of establishment, national and cross-border mergers, take-over bids, representation, supranational companies, and the Societas Europaea.

Commercial law

The commercial law pillar consists of courses detailing the risks of international trade, how these risks can be allocated (e.g. by utilizing documents of title), and how they may be averted or minimized. Its focus is the individual contracts on which the cooperation between the multitude of businesses involved in an international sale of goods transaction is based as well as the legal foundations of these transactions. Such contracts include contracts of insurance, financing and payment, transport, storage, and logistics.

Does the program have a particular focus?

The Master Commercial and Company Law distinguishes itself from other LL.M. programs in business law by emphasizing private legal relationships, the balance between commercial law, corporate law, and procedural law courses.

Based in the port of Rotterdam, this program educates legal professionals who are to become well-versed in both commercial and company Law. Due to its position in the center of a large trade hub, the program can offer you many opportunities for exploration of trade in practice by combining the theory that is taught with on-site workshops.

How is the program structured?

At the beginning of the program, you receive an introduction to commercial and company law. You learn how to do independent legal research and how to report your findings through presentations and papers during a 15 EC Research & Writing Skills course. Attendance of the meetings is mandatory. Successful completion of this course is a precondition to being admitted to the master thesis.

The second block is composed of two 5 EC courses, i.e. Commercial Law and International Corporate Governance. The third block is composed of one 10 EC course, Company Law and Restructuring. The fourth block includes one 5 EC-bound elective and one 5 EC elective. The fifth and last block consists of two 5 EC courses, Carriage of Goods and Trademark Law, and a master's thesis.

Which courses do I get?

Block 1

• Research & Writing Skills in Commercial and Company Law

Block 2

• Commercial Law

• International Corporate Governance

Block 3

• Company Law and Restructuring

Block 4

• Bound elective: Intellectual Property Rights or European Private International Law

• Elective

Block 5

• Carriage of Goods

• Capita Selecta Trademark Law (extra elective, not mandatory)

• Master's thesis

How do I get to know fellow students and build a network?

• Erasmus Student Network

• Trade and Transport Law Association

As a graduate, you will find employment in law firms or law courts, in the academic and business world, or in various other sectors of the economy where issues related to business companies and commercial relations play an important role. You will have extensive knowledge of commercial and company Law, you will have the skills to do business in an international setting and you will be able to apply different perspectives.

After completing this LL.M. program, you can find a career in the business world, for example in financial markets, banking, and the commerce, transport, and insurance sectors.

Positions of our graduates:

• Lawyer or attorney in the legal practice;

• Business lawyer or legal adviser at (international) companies;

• Civil servant, for example at the European Commission;

• Academic teacher or researcher.