European Law

Specialisation of: Law
Degree: Master of Laws in Law
Mode of Study: Full-time, part-time
Duration: 1 year
Start date: September, February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 60084
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The Master’s specialisation in European Law is an English-taught programme designed primarily for foreign and Dutch law students who wish to specialise during the last phase of their studies in the field of European Law. The specialisation focuses on various areas of European Law – such as Human Rights, the internal market and the Union’s external relations – both from a substantive and institutional law perspective. Thus, it aims to equip the students with the necessary skills and knowledge for a future career as a European Law expert.

Career

This specialisation will provide students with a profound knowledge of European legal integration. It will equip them with the skills necessary for a successful legal career in the private and public sector. The programme’s alumni have found employment in the EU institutions, international organisations, national and local government, private business and commercial law practice. Across the board there is a need for young well-trained professionals with a profound knowledge and sensitivity for questions of European law.

There is a growing demand for specialists in the field of EU law both within the governement, and within business. The wide range of courses this specialisation offers, opens up several career options.

The LL.M. European Law provides Dutch Law students civil effect. With the focus on competition law and internal market, alumni are wanted applicants for positions at major law firms in Amsterdam, London, Brussels and Luxembourg. Furthermore, the thorough knowledge of the institutions and the European decision-proces, old students are suited for a job in lobbying or consulting firms.
Also within the government at national and European level, there is a great need for people with knowledge and skills in European law. Our alumni are working at various national ministries, as well as the institutions and agencies of the EU. Many former students have found their way to international organisations, such as the Council of Europe, the United Nations, the OECD and the OCSE. The attention paid to the protection of human rights is very useful, so many former students are working in governmental and non-governmental organisations such as UNHCR, IOM, Amnesty International and Greenpeace.

Finally, EU law is even within the academic discipline, one that can count on a growing interest.

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What our alumni say

Iryna Ievdokymova

“With the LLM European Law, you can have it all”

“How do you feel when you are starting your master’s? Most probably excited and eager to explore new horizons. You are expecting challenge and change, personal development and achievement. You are looking for good networking opportunities and hands-on experiences allowing you to test your knowledge in real-life situations. Finally, you hope for a bunch of new career opportunities to open up in the end of the academic year. You are perhaps a bit unsure whether all this can fit in one programme. No worries. With the LL.M. European Law specialisation, you can have it all.

I started my LL.M. in European Law specialisation in 2009 with a background in applied linguistics and political science. Jumping into the legal perspective of European politics and policies proved challenging in the first weeks, and extremely exciting and rewarding in the long run. The unique feature of this master’s specialisation is that you study European law from several perspectives. You start with the ‘classic‘ European lawyer’s package: EU institutional law and general principles, European human rights law, as well as an overview of the internal market and the Union’s external competences. Following this, you get an insight into the internal market and the EU competition law. What I appreciated in particular was an opportunity to personalise your programme taking one of the two practicums: EU citizenship and non-discrimination law or EU competition law. Organised in the moot court format, these courses provide an excellent opportunity to produce papers, present and debate on the key issues in the given area of law – all this together with the team of colleagues! Finally, you can further focus your studies on the legal issue of your choice through your master’s thesis.

Getting work experience alongside your studies is both interesting and important for your career prospects upon graduation. Opportunities are always out there: for instance, vacancies and internship opportunities are posted on the Europa Institute website. Although the programme is intense, my work experience as a student assistant for the European Law department has shown that, once you have set your priorities clearly and manage your time well, you can both study and work successfully.

You have graduated: what is the next step? Career prospects after the LL.M. European Law specialisation are sufficiently wide; your area of choice could depend on the focus of your specialisation, as well as your previous background and personal employment preferences. Recent graduates with the European Law background are valued in the EU and Council of Europe institutions; the focus on competition law and internal market could as well bring you to a career in a law firm. Furthermore, one could look into possibilities of working for national governments, lobby groups and Brussels think tanks, as well as pursuing a career in the academia. As for me, I am now working as a research assistant for the European Law department, and intend to further focus on human rights law and explore all dimensions that this career can offer, such as doing a PhD and, in the longer run, working at European institutions. Good luck with choosing your dream career – to which LLM European Law is indeed a good start! “