PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION   

English Law & German Law

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LLB and MLLP or Certificate in Rechtswissenschaften

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Full Time

| UCAS code: M122
PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
The Anglo-German programme at King's College London leads towards the degree “English Law & German Law LLB” awarded by King’s and either the German Staatsexamen (First State Exam) or the degree Master of Laws (LL.M.) awarded by Humboldt University of Berlin after completion of the graduate programme “German and European Law and Legal Practice”.

Students who want to practice law in Germany will be interested in pursuing the First State Exam, while the LL.M. will be an attractive option for students who want to practice in the UK but wish to obtain an in-depth knowledge of German law.

The programme extends over no less than four years. You spend your first two years at King’s College London. At the end of the first year, you have to choose whether you want to pursue the First State Exam (Studiengang Rechtswissenschaften) or the LL.M. (Studiengang Master of German and European Law and Legal Practice).*

Students who choose the former will spend the third and fourth year at Humboldt University. Upon completion of your studies at Humboldt you will be awarded a Certificate in Advanced German Legal Studies and be able to sit within an additional year the First State Exam in Berlin. Students who pursue the LL.M. option will spend only their third year at Humboldt University. Upon successful completion of your year at Humboldt you will be awarded the LL.M. degree before returning to King’s in your fourth year.

*Subject to approval

The 'First State Exam' option

Students who opt for the programme Rechtswissenschaften (Legal Studies) will spend the third and fourth year abroad at Humboldt University of Berlin. You will have to complete your Grundstudium (basic studies) and Hauptstudium (advanced studies) in order to be eligible to sit the First State Exam. You will first generally complete the Grundstudium by studying the foundations of German law (e.g. Legal Philosophy, Legal History or Law and Sociology). For the purpose of completing the Grundstudium, Humboldt will recognise the German law subjects undertaken at King’s. 

You will then study the subjects prescribed by Humboldt to complete the Hauptstudium (e.g., Company Law, Family Law, Labour Law, Civil Procedure, Administrative Law) and attend preparation classes for the first state exam. In order to be awarded a qualifying law degree by King’s College London you must study European Law at Humboldt University. Within an additional year you should be able to complete the First State Exam in Berlin. Humboldt University will recognise the studies at King’s for the purposes of the Schwerpunktbereich No. 8 (Foreign Law/Studies at Foreign Partner Universities), which counts for 30% of the First State Exam.

The LL.M option

Students who choose to pursue the LL.M. option will spend their third year at Humboldt University. You are required to study subjects in the following areas: foundations of German law, German Private Law and German Public or Criminal Law. In order to be awarded a qualifying law degree by King’s College London you must study European Law at Humboldt University. However, you will also be able to choose from a wide range of additional modules:

  • Environmental Law
  • Tax Law
  • Accountancy Law
  • Insolvency Law
  • Public Procurement Law
  • European Economic Law
  • Public International Law
  • Private International Law
  • Comparative Law
  • Banking Law
  • Private Insurance Law
  • Unfair Competition Law
  • Patent Law
  • Copyright Law
  • Trademarks
  • European Competition Law

In order to gain an insight into the day-to-day practice of different legal professions you are required, during your year at Humboldt, to complete two placements with law firms or other public or private organisations. Finally you will have to submit a Master thesis of about 40 – 50 pages.

In your fourth year you return to King’s College London where you will choose three subjects from the general list of LL.B. Law modules. In addition you will have to study Jurisprudence & Legal Theory.


ABOUT THE The Dickson Poon School of Law

CAREERS
King’s law graduates are popular with many types of employers. The majority of our students choose to become solicitors in a wide range of firms including Magic Circle, US and other leading law firms and specialist niche firms. Some choose broader business roles such a financial analyst, management consultant or graduate trainee. Others find their law degree opens up opportunities in international development, advisory work, the public sector and teaching. Although the employment market is competitive, our students have been very successful in obtaining posts with the firms or sets of chambers for which they wanted to work. Many law firms will target you but they expect very high quality, motivated applicants in line with those from other top law schools both in the UK and overseas. King’s Careers Service provides you with all the information and activities you need to make an informed career choice and to increase your chances of success. Recent graduates have found employment as… • Financial Analyst • Lawyer • Tax Advisor • Justice’s Law Clerk • Head of Trading • Legal Trainee • Magazine Editor • Paralegal

TEACHING STYLE
We have a strong tradition of excellence in teaching (with consistently high student satisfaction ratings for Law in the National Student Survey) and are committed to maintaining that tradition. Our teaching methods include lectures, tutorials and seminars. Through seminars and tutorials, students gain practice in applying the general legal principles they have learned to specific problems, while our new research-dedicated seminars offer you an opportunity to engage with our academics in a capacity that best take advantage of their expertise. Each student is assigned a personal tutor, who advises on academic and personal problems and offers some careers assistance. We attach great importance to developing good relations between staff and students and a Staff-Student Liaison Committee meets regularly.

STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES & ASSESSMENT
The first year of all programmes is composed of a set of compulsory modules (Elements of the Law of Contract, Criminal Law, Public Law and European Law). Students spending their third and fourth years in France or Germany must also study French or German Law. In the second year you study Law of Tort, Law of Property and Law of Trusts and one module or the equivalent from a list of options. Apart from those studying English Law & French Law, English Law & German Law and English Law & Hong Kong Law, final-year students study Jurisprudence & Legal Theory and three modules from the list of options. Assessment is by coursework, dissertation and examination.

LOCATION
The Dickson Poon School of Law is located in the heart of the British legal world with the offices of major law firms, the Law Society, the Inns of Court and the Royal Courts of Justice all within walking distance. Based at the Strand Campus in Somerset House East Wing, one of London’s most beautiful and iconic buildings, the School boasts a stylish new home for its staff and students, including student common rooms, teaching and seminar rooms and a moot court room. The Maughan Library contains a vast array of legal texts, reference materials, periodicals and datasets and is equipped with online databases such as Westlaw UK, Lexis, Justis, PLC and Kluwer Arbitration. We also produce our own legal periodical, the King’s Law Journal.

SPECIAL NOTES

We have many highly active student-run societies as well as King's award-winning students’ union, KCLSU, who organises a wide variety of social, sporting and cultural activities.

Both the King’s College London Law Society and Bar Society organise a number of social and career-oriented functions;, such as internal and external mooting competitions;, skills workshops;, mock interview sessions;, lecture series with prestigious barristers and other legal practitioners;, and the Annual Black Tie Dinner; and the Inaugural Freshers’ Party.

The Pro Bono Society support and promote legally-related volunteer work and education to the community, and runs a number of exciting projects for students to get involved with, such as StreetLaw;, Amicus;, Law Mentoring; and The Legal Clinic (assisted by esteemed City law firm Speechly Bircham) to mention a few. Involvement with the society is a great way to contribute to the community as well as looking great on your CV due to the skills gained in the process.