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Course Title:
LLM European Business Law (PALLAS)
Pallas Booklet

Entry Criteria and Admissions:
See: PALLAS Consortium website.

Further Information and Enquiries:
For further details on this course please see the Pallas Consortium website, or contact:
 
Mrs Gail Howell
Pallas and External Coordinator
School of Law
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
United Kingdom
CO4 S3Q
 
E-mail: gchap@essex.ac.uk
Telephone: 01206 873484
(+44 1206 873484 - international)

Information for Prospective Postgraduates:

LLM European Business Law (PALLAS)

Students in Lecture HallFinal Award: LLM, Master
Mode of study: Full time or part time
Location: Colchester Campus

PALLAS

The LLM European Business Law is administered by the School of Law at Essex. The School is one of the founding members of the Pallas Consortium.

The Pallas programme has been ranked among the six best LLM courses in Europe and the ten best in the world. Princess Margriet of the Netherlands was the guest speaker at its Graduation ceremony two years ago and has permitted her name to be used for the prize for the top student. In its eleven years of existence, it has produced graduates working across the full range of public and private sector institutions, including top international law firms, in most major European countries and on other continents. Caleb Raywood from Essex, one of the first Pallas graduates worked for Clyde & Co in Dubai after a period in London and Paris and is now Vice President and Regional Counsel (South Asia, Middle East and Africa) for MasterCard. Pallas graduates (PALS) have an active network and meet regularly, most recently in Prague.

For the first eleven years of its life, Pallas was based first in Nijmegen and then Amsterdam. In 2007 the Pallas Programme relocated to Essex, UK. From the outset, the Pallas Partners had felt that the location of the course should change from time to time; this would not only reflect the truly European nature of the course but also emphasise that Pallas was not just the product of one University.

The objective of the Pallas Masters is to train business lawyers in the main legal cultures in Europe allied to a strong understanding of European Union Law as well as international law. Each module unit invites students to discover how the leading legal systems in Europe view problems, what solutions they offer, what are the possible flaws and alternatives. The input of EU law and other international instruments is taken into account wherever relevant. Pallas combines what is found in the traditional LL.M in English speaking countries with a cross-cultural dimension. It is this combination of a strongly comparative and problem –based approach which makes Pallas unique. 

The Lecturers are drawn principally from the Partner Universities and are expert in their fields; a number combine their academic work with law practice which adds an extra dimension. Visits to Law firms and businesses and workshops are an integral part of each module and offer an excellent insight into the practice of European Business Law as well as a step to employment. . Thus Pallas graduates are both academically challenged and practically trained which equips them well for the world of work. Consequently Pallas graduates may be found in many of the leading law firms in Europe.

For all the above reasons, Pallas is unlike any other Masters in Law currently running.

There is also an annual visit to Brussels (Palais de Justice) and Luxembourg (Court of first Instance). The Advocate General, Professor Paolo Mengozzi, a former Pallas Lecturer and member of the Pallas Advisory Board gives generously of his time at the latter. In Brussels a highlight has been a Pallas Reception at one of the Pallas Lecturer’s law firm which includes past Pallas students who now work in Brussels.

These strong interactions with practice are another unique feature of Pallas and prepare Pallas graduates for a successful entry into the European legal world in a way no other programme does.

What Our Students Say

Former Pallas students remain in contact and are happy to be contacted for information about Pallas.

Ossi Niiranen from Finland who did his first degree at Essex has written:

"I can safely say that I have not regretted choosing Pallas. The combination of talented lecturers and visits to major Law firms (Clifford Chance and Freshfields to name but a few) are something arguably unique to Pallas and will, without a doubt, make the Pallas Experience even more beneficial for one's growth both academically and career-wise than I had expected."

Ossi now works for Clifford Chance in Brussels.

Caleb Raywood, 1995-6, an Essex graduate is now Vice-President and Regional Counsel MasterCard , Dubai:

"I am now enjoying my third career post PALLAS having moved from barrister to solicitor to in-house counsel. The PALLAS materials have accompanied me each step of the way and even now I occasionally dip into them for guidance. But PALLAS ’legacy is far more than simply taking away knowledge; it is the training to take a holistic view, analysing issues from all perspectives whether that of an adversary in court, the other side of a transaction ,regulators of an industry or stakeholders in a business. Not only that, it is the ability to resolve problems while recognising the various national, cultural and jurisprudential themes encountered along the way and which make the role of an international lawyer such a challenging vocation."

Victoria Navarro, Ashurst, Madrid:

"After one month of working experience at Ashurst, an international law firm, I can totally confirm that Pallas is a really good programme and that it has taught me a lot. There are many different things that I see on a daily basis that I would have no clue about if it had not been for Pallas. I am therefore, extremely satisfied with the programme you offered and I am even happier to know that such a good programme will be offered to many other students in the future."

Clementine Noblecourt, Lyon, 2006:

"I thought it was a real complete and very interesting programme with many practitioners and teachers from all over Europe teaching. Moreover, all 19 students of last year found professional opportunities after the LLM, also myself, now working as a lawyer in a financial firm in Amsterdam."

Pauline Dijon, Lyon, 2006:

"When it comes to deciding over a LLM program, it is never easy for students to choose among the varieties of excellent European LLM programs. Far from being an exception, I have also been asked myself: Is the LLM Pallas program is recognized at the international level? What is the quality of the LLM Pallas program? Would the LLM Pallas Program give me new opportunities to work worldwide?

What I could say today is that being a member of the LLM Pallas program has undoubtedly been a unique and worthwhile experience. Thanks to the program I have not only developed a broad range of skills in many legal fields ( banking, corporate, tax, business…) but also got familiar with a greater variety of teaching modes (readings, workshops, lectures, trips,…) compared to what I got used at home.. Moreover the quality of the program combined with regular meetings with lawyers, professionals and academicians from all over Europe certainly gives students the opportunities have direct contact with potential and future employers.

But the LLM Pallas Program represents so much more. For me, the program has been an amazing human experience. During my year of study in Pallas, I really enjoyed learning from my classmates about features of their countries: Equator, Spain, Latvia, the U.S.A... Of course, the constant exchange of knowledge among the students during the class made this program extremely interactive and rich. But also being a member of the Pallas group means sharing after-exam parties, watching football matches, discovering each typical fest from your classmates' home country…

I could not better advise one candidate to apply for the program. I personally found everything I was looking for: a high-level education with a European dimension, an excellent and varied teaching not anonymously spread, friendships and fun!"

How to Apply

If you wish to apply for the LLM European Business Law please visit the Pallas Consortium website to obtain further details and an application form.  Please see also our brochure.

 

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