TheMaster of Laws (LLM) in Corporate Governance & Practiceoffers rigorous academic and professional training in corporate governance and transactional legal practice. This specialized program seeks to provide foreign business and transactional lawyers with a broad base of expertise in such areas as accounting, bankruptcy, corporations, finance, mergers and acquisitions, securities, tax, and venture capital that they can use when they return to law practice, most often in their home countries.So too, they may apply to the JSD program at Stanford (or elsewhere) with the goal of pursuing research in these fields.Candidates admitted to the program will undertake an individually tailored sequence of courses, primarily from among the Law School’s corporate and business-related courses.
The LLM in Corporate Governance & Practice is limited to students with a primary law degree earned outside the United States. Except under unusual circ*mstances, candidates must have at least two years of professional legal experience before commencing the LLM program.
LLM students are required to be in residence at Stanford during the full (nine month) academic year. They are required to take a minimum of 35 credit units and a maximum of 45 credit units.
HOW TO APPLY
Note toapplicants: The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program awards full funding to Stanford graduate students from all disciplines, with additional opportunities for leadership training and collaboration across fields.
Applications for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars are due in early Autumn one year prior to enrollment. View dates and deadlines. You can also sign up for Knight-Hennessy Scholars email alerts to stay up to date on the availability of their online application.
Learn more about the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program
Courses
The LLM academic program includes the following components:
- An introductory course in American and common law (see below) and in legal ethics and professional responsibility;
- Participation in an LLM colloquium on current topics related to each specialization;
- The school’s corporations class, offered in the fall;
- Appropriate courses selected from the regular Stanford Law School curriculum (and, to a limited extent, from other Stanford University Departments or Programs); and
- A practical writing course.
To meet these requirements, each LLM student will develop an individualized course of study that will be reviewed and approved by the program director.
LLM students are required to be in residence at Stanford during the full (nine month) academic year. They are required to take a minimum of 35 credit units (and a maximum of 45units).
Introduction to American Law
Stanford Law School offers international graduate students an intensive two week Introduction to American Law course in early September, before regular classes begin. This course is required for LLM students. It is optional for SPILS Fellows, but is recommended for students with no prior exposure to American law. The purpose of this course is to:
- Introduce internationally-trained graduate students to basic concepts of American law and provide an overview of U.S. legal process and institutions.
- Teach students how to read and analyze judicial opinions from U.S. courts.
- Prepare international students to participate in regular Stanford Law School courses.
Corporate Governance and Practice Seminar
All Corporate Governance & Practice LLM students will participate in a weekly seminar each quarter that is directed by the teaching fellow in Corporate Governance & Practice. The seminar will focus on selected issues in corporate and securities law. Students are also encouraged to attend other relevant seminars and colloquiums related to corporate governance that are held on campus.
Corporate Governance and Practice Courses Offered at Stanford Law School
All Corporate Governance & Practice LLM students will participate in a weekly seminar each quarter that is directed by the teaching fellow in Corporate Governance & Practice. The seminar will focus on selected issues in corporate and securities law. Students are also encouraged to attend other relevant seminars and colloquiums related to corporate governance that are held on campus.
Corporate Governance and Practice Courses Offered at Stanford Law School
Corporate governance and business law is one of the strongest components of the Law School's curriculum. The following is an illustrative list of the courses in this field that have been offered at the Law School during the last several years. Some courses are not offered every year and additional courses may be offered in a particular year. Students without a prior background in accounting and finance are encouraged to take appropriate courses in accounting, corporate finance, or both.
Visit the courses section of the Law School's website for a comprehensive list of offerings.
Corporate and Securities Law
- Capital Markets and Securities Regulation
- Corporate Acquisitions
- Corporate Governance Colloquium*
- Corporate Law Theory*
- Corporations
- Deals: The Economic Structure of Transactions and Contracting *
- International Corporate Governance
- Nonprofits
- Private Firms
- Venture Capital
Accounting and Finance
- Accounting
- Advanced Finance Theory
- Corporate Finance I
- Corporate Finance II
- Quantitative Methods: Finance
Bankruptcy and Commercial Law
- Bankruptcy
- Business Reorganizations
- Commercial Paper
- Secured Transactions
Taxation
- Corporate Income Taxation
- Income Taxation
- International Taxation
- Partnership Taxation
- Tax Policy Colloquium
Other Related Courses
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Antitrust
- Economics
- Electronic Commerce
- Game Theory and Law
- International Business Transactions
- International Business and Human Rights
- International Development and the Rule of Law
- International Legal Practice I: Developed Economies
- International Legal Practice II: Developing Economies
- Law and Economics Seminar*
- Negotiation*
- Professional Responsibility: Issues in Business Practice
- Technology as a Business Asset
- White Collar Crime
* Limited enrollment courses or seminars for which admission may be subject to a lottery or permission of the instructor.
Faculty Supervisor
Faculty
Related Programs
Corporate Governance & Practice LLM candidates have the opportunity to participate in several Law School programs of academic and professional interest. The Program in Law, Economics and Business, launched in 2003, builds upon the strengths of two of Stanford Law School’s most respected programs, the John M. Olin Program in Law and Economics and Corporate Governance, and the Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance.
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