City Law School has just announced that it has increased the number of places on its International Commercial Law LLM programme by 20 places and extended the deadline for applications to Monday 17th September.

The reason the Law School has taken this decision is that we have had a significant number of approaches from very good applicants in June and early July who have made inquiries about places to several institutions and found that either courses were full or the application date had expired.

As we have recruited new staff specifically for the LLM and we are about to recruit another new new Senior Lecturer for the LLM competition courses we are in a position to increase the numbers and extende the deadline.

Full details of the development are set out in the press release below

Professor Alan Riley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School
City University
London
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk

The City Law School increases places on its International Commercial Law LLM
The City Law School's pioneering International Commercial Law LLM has extended its application deadline and can accept 20 extra students.
The City Law School has increased by 20 the number of places available this year on its pioneering International Commercial Law LLM.


The decision has been taken after high-quality applications for the course have continued to roll in during the summer. Professor Alan Riley, director of the LLM programme, says that he realised a need to be more flexible with student numbers and application deadlines: We have found that a lot of really good students only decide to apply in July and August, partly because of the late delivery of exam results. By this time they find that most LLM courses have already closed their lists for the year.

The final date for accepting applications has also been extended. It is now Monday 17 September.

Our additional 20 places and late application deadline mean that students looking for a high-quality and innovative LLM can still pursue their studies.

To manage the increase, the School has also appointed Anthony Rogers from Cardiff University as a senior lecturer in shipping law to the course. The City Law School is one of the few institutions in the UK to teach the subject at both LLM and LLB level, demonstrating its commitment to equipping its students for work in the global marketplace.

Prior to his career in academia, Mr Rogers worked as a high-level two legal advisor to Tramp Oil & Marine Ltd, one of the worlds foremost shipping companies.

Mr Rogers says: English shipping law is used all over the world and the City of London is the centre of shipping activity so its natural that the City Law School should be leading the field in the teaching of the subject.

Many top City firms have a shipping law department and if our students can show an understanding of the subject it will help them compete when it comes to finding a job.

The LLM has already made waves in the industry thanks to its raft of internships with leading firms across the world: in Brussels with Sidley Austin, Howrey LLP and O'Melveny & Myers and in London with Thomas Cooper and Coll, Milstein, Hausfeld and Toll. Thomas Cooper partner Charles Williams, one of the worlds authorities in shipping law, has been named a visiting professor at the City Law School and students on the LLM are allowed to attend his lectures to Thomas Cooper trainees on-site.

Professor Riley says: I am currently in negotiation with several law firms and I confidently expect that we should be able to increase the number of internships from seven to 11. This will ensure that we will be able to give our students a one in five chance of obtaining an internship from May to July of the summer term.

The LLM programme not only provides the opportunity for students to specialise in competition law and shipping law but also provides a broad menu of other commercial courses including international tax, government commerce, international banking and corporate finance. In addition, the LLM provides a whole series of additional programmes which give students an insight into commercial law and practice such as the City Insider Programme and the Law and Practice Forum.



The City Law School's minimum entry requirements are a 2:1 or equivalent or a 2:2 plus, which is substantial achievement in the legal world since graduation, either in private practice or in academic work. Professor Riley says: We are looking for bright and enthusiastic people who are committed to a career in international commercial law.

Prof Riley writes: 'applicants in June and early July who have made inquiries about places to several institutions and found that either courses were full'...

So is this a tacit admission by City Law School that students who don't get admission in any good/rated Law School turn to City law school in despondency as a last resort? :-)

Personally I would rather give up the idea of doing LL.M all together than think of joining this 'Z' tier law school.

City Univ. is flogging a dead horse (LL.M programme at City)...I think the Univ. should instead just concentrate on their GDL, LPC and BVC programmes.

Dear Craig,
As I pointed out in the previous email we have a 2:1 or equivalent condition for entry or a 2:2 plus eg you have spent some years arguing cases in the superior courts of your home country or publishing academic works in major journals.

What we have found recently is that there are a significant number of high quality foreign students who apply later in the year without realising that the deadlines in some institutions in the UK close very early. Hence they have found themselves having to wait an extra year before they could apply to a British law school.

Given we have just hired two extra Senior Lecturers for the International Commercial Law LLM we were in a position to increase numbers to 20 and extend the application deadline to Monday 17th September-giving those students who were looking for a strongly commercial LLM in July and August a place to apply.

As for your Z list remark I would just point out that there are very few Z list or indeed A list law schools who are able to command sufficient confidence of major international commercial law firms that they are willing to provide internships for their commercial law LLM students.

Professor Alan Riley
Director LLM Programme
City Law School,
City University,
London
EC1V 0HB
Electronic Mail: alan.riley.1@city.ac.uk