Partner University: Institute for Law and Finance
Program Length: 6 semesters
In addition to a single spring-semester, foreign-study program at the Institute for Law and Finance (ILF) in Frankfurt, Germany, we offer third-year students an opportunity to spend their entire year in Frankfurt, pursuing a dual JD/LLM degree through the ILF’s LLM in Finance Program. This is an outstanding opportunity for students with a focused interest in international financial services and capital markets. It is also a valuable chance to obtain practical experience: all LLM in Finance students at ILF are required to complete a six- to eight-week internship at a financial institution (i.e., law firm, bank, consultancy), arranged by ILF, from mid-February to mid-April.
The ILF, part of Goethe University, is one of the leading centers in Europe for the advanced study of international financial services law and economics—and is renowned for its close connections to the practicing bar and sponsorship by major financial service institutions. Its LLM program, taught entirely in English by academics and experienced practitioners from Europe’s legal and financial world, draws roughly 50 professionals from 25+ countries each year.
Program Requirements
LLM students pursue a minimum of 10 classes each term, choosing from a broad selection of specialized courses covering the economic, transactional, and regulatory aspects of the global financial service industry. In addition to completing a mandatory internship, LLM students also write an LLM thesis, which they must complete by the October following their coursework.
Interested JD students should be aware that because the ILF’s spring term classes end in mid-July, they will not be eligible to receive the BU JD degree until September (instead of May), nor qualify to take a bar exam until February of the following year. They would be eligible to receive the ILF’s LLM in Finance degree upon completing that program’s degree requirements, including the thesis requirement.
This is an English language, full-year program, for 3Ls only.