LLM in International Business & Trade Law
Position yourself for a successful international legal career with our LLM in International Business & Trade Law. Optimized to provide degree candidates with a solid foundation in the rules, regulations, and legal approaches underlying international business and trade law, our LLM program offers enhanced marketability by building on Chicago's legal, business, and trade resources.
Our curriculum combines coursework, skills training, and research developed to meet the needs of a changing world and marketplace. Courses are taught by leading U.S. academics and international and trade law practitioners who have international practices and who know the cutting-edge issues involved in trade, investment, and regulation.
Requirements Heading link
Effective Fall 2020, new students are not being admitted to this program. Please contact the program directly for more information.
LLM in International Business & Trade Law candidates may select between a track in International Business Law or International Trade Law and must complete 30 credit hours in order to earn their degree. In addition to the required credits specified for each track, candidates will earn the remaining credits to fulfill their degree requirements by selecting elective courses from the list below. In addition to the required courses for their track, foreign-licensed attorneys must complete 5 required credits in U.S Commercial Law and Lawyering Skills and will earn the remaining credits by selecting elective credits from the list below. Degree candidates must graduate within 5 years with a 2.5 GPA or higher. Please read the Time Limits on Degree Completion Policy.
Students who matriculated prior to August 16, 2019, are subject to degree requirements in place when they first enrolled, provided they complete those requirements within the time limit for degree completion and do not interrupt their enrollment without formal approval. Students should consult their appropriate Center regarding their degree requirements.
Curriculum Heading link
Required Courses*
Degree candidates may choose to pursue a track in International Business Law or International Trade Law. The related required courses for each track, along with additional requirements for foreign-licensed attorneys, are outlined below.
Track 1: International Business Law
International Business Law candidates must complete the following required courses to fulfill the LLM requirements.
Two of the following courses:
- International Business Transactions (IBT 418, 3 Credits)
- Multinational Corporations Law (IBT 507, 3 Credits)
- International Banking & Finance Law (IBT 534, 3 Credits)
The following course:
Additional Required Courses for Foreign Lawyers Only
Track 2: International Trade Law
International Trade Law candidates must complete the following required courses to fulfill the LLM requirements.
One of the following courses:
Both of the following courses:
Additional Required Courses for Foreign Lawyers Only
*Adjustments to the required curriculum may be made with the approval of the Director.
Elective Courses
- Administrative Law (IBT 498, 3 Credits)
- Admiralty Law (IBT 410, 2 Credits)
- Advanced Legal Research: International Law (IBT 515, 1 Credit)
- Aviation Law (IBT 417, 2 Credits)
- Business Aspects of Immigration Law (IBT 429, 2 Credits)
- Comparative & International Patent Law (IBT 506, 3 Credits)
- Compliance with International Anti-Bribery Conventions (IBT 474, 2 Credits)
- Cyber Crime, Information Warfare & Economic Espionage (IBT 472, 3 Credits)
- Cyberspace Law (IBT 525, 3 Credits)
- Derivatives Law (IBT 527, 2 Credits)
- Drafting & Negotiating International Business Agreements (IBT 446, 1 Credit)
- Drafting International Business Agreements (IBT 447, 2 Credits)
- Electronic Commerce Law (IBT 530, 2 Credits)
- Ethics of Practicing Law in a Digital World (IBT 511, 2 Credits)
- European Union Business & Investment Law (IBT 529, 2-3 Credits)
- Externship in International Business & Trade Law (IBT 550, 1-2 Credits)
- First Amendment Issues in a Digital Age (IBT 516, 2 Credits)
- Global Investment Law (IBT 532, 2 Credits)
- Global Privacy Law (IBT 533, 2 Credits)
- Homeland Security (IBT 519, 2 Credits)
- Independent Study in International Business & Trade (IBT 596, 1-3 Credits)
- Intellectual Property in a Digital Environment (IP 428/PTL 428, 3 Credits)
- International & Comparative Sports Law (IBT 514, 2 Credits)
- International Antitrust Law (IBT 536, 1-2 Credits)
- International Banking & Finance Law (IBT 534, 3 Credits)
- International Business Transactions (IBT 418, 3 Credits)
- International Commercial Dispute Resolution (IBT 523, 2 Credits)
- International Copyright Law (IBT 499, 1 Credit)
- International Trademark Law (IBT 512, 2 Credits)
- International Economic Development Law (IBT 478, 2 Credits)
- International Employee Benefits Law (IBT 553, 1 Credit)
- International Employment Law (IBT 487, 1-2 Credits)
- International Environmental Law (IBT 480, 1-2 Credits)
- International Joint Ventures (IBT 488, 2 Credits)
- International Sales & Carriage of Goods (IBT 492, 1-2 Credits)
- International Secured Transactions (IBT 496, 1 Credit)
- International Trade Law (IBT 419, 3 Credits)
- International Trade & Development Law (IBT 481, 1 Credit)
- Law & Practice Before the U.S. Court of International Trade (IBT 500, I Credit)
- Law & Practice in Trade Compliance (IBT 504, 1 Credit)
- Legal Ethics in International Practice (IBT 505, 1-2 Credits)
- Multinational Corporations Law (IBT 507, 3 Credits)
- Patent Office Practice (IBT 449, 3 Credits)
- Practicum in International Business & Trade Law (IBT 555, 1-3 Credits)
- Real Estate: International Law (IBT 489, 2 Credits)
- Special Topics in International Business & Trade Law (IBT 594, 1-2 Credits)
- Sustainable International Economic Development (IBT 471, 1 Credit)
- U.S. Commercial Law (IBT 454, 3 Credits)
- U.S. Customs & Import Law (IBT 502, 3 Credits)
- U.S. Export Law (IBT 537, 1-3 Credits)
- U.S. Free Trade Agreements (IBT 508, 2-3 Credits)
- U.S. Taxation of International Transactions & Foreign Taxpayers (IBT 531, 2 Credits)
Please review each course description to determine what prerequisites apply.