Corporate Finance Law LLM

Through the study of this module you'll attain an essential introduction to investment banking and gain the conceptual and practical skills required to interpret and produce relevant legal documentation. The module explains the legal and regulatory compliance documentation that accompanies investment banking. The module will take you through the regulatory web as it relates to investment banking. It explains the content and formulation of business plans, prospectuses and offer documentation for investment products in various markets. The module also offers a critical reflection on marketing strategies, financial and strategic analysis, legal risk analysis, planning and financial modelling.

Through the study of this module you'll attain an essential introduction to corporate finance and gain the conceptual and practical skills required to interpret relevant legal documentation. The module offers an introduction to corporate finance markets. It explains the key actors in these markets and investigates their aims in sourcing investment. It presents the core types of investment vehicles, and the key issues legal advisors need to address in investment agreements. The module offers an advanced exposition of the law of contract as it relates to finance, corporate structures and methods of raising funds, including debt financing and share transactions. Students are also acquainted with aspects of company law and director duties as they relate to finance.

The dissertation module allows and supports extended independent, scholarly research of a topic chosen by the student within the field of corporate finance. While primarily based on independent study, the module incorporates seminars introducing students to research methods and supporting students in the development of an appropriate and feasible research proposal. The research topic must be agreed between the student and supervisor and must not replicate research covered in other assessments for the award of the degree.

The module explores the nature of direct investments by foreign investors in host States, including: the disputes arising from the taking of foreigners’ investments by host States’ governments; the resolution of disputes by investment arbitration tribunals; the application of customary international law; and the governing procedural rules and laws.

Through the study of this module you'll attain a critical understanding of the regulatory web as it relates to domestic and international banking. The module offers a comparative study of banking and finance regulatory regimes in the UK, EU and internationally. The module then delves into the nature of the bank-customer relationship and will introduce to banking operations with customers and financial transactions in markets. You'll be also engaged in a reflection on the role of banks as lenders, including on issues of security.

Through the study of this module, you'll engage in in-depth study of large-scale complex infrastructure projects in accordance with the principles of private international law. The module will introduce you to complex methodologies provided by feasibility studies, risk assessments, bankable proposals, deal structuring and negotiations in international and domestic regulatory environments. Through a discussion of legal structures, risk assessment and management techniques, the module also offers a critical introduction to structured finance with the support of examples of legal and regulatory documentation as required in key jurisdictions.

The module explores the nature of (mainly) corporate taxation in the contexts of competition between States and taxpayers seeking to avoid or evade liability to taxation, and competition amongst States for the tax revenue which might be collected from taxpayers. Within this exploration there will be examination of customary international law, procedural and substantive municipal laws, the taxing jurisdictions of States, the use of tax planning techniques such as ‘tax havens’, and the anti-avoidance and anti-evasion approaches of States and their international organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Through the study of this module, you'll attain an in-depth understanding of legal and regulatory tools utilised to combat financial crimes within and beyond the UK. The module examines the practices of combatting contemporary financial crimes, the actors involved, the role of gatekeepers and regulators. You'll be introduced to comparative methods in dealing with complex problems affecting multinational corporations, governments, non-government institutions and actors in financial markets, commercial and trade environments. Specific mention is made of corruption and its effects, as well as the opportunities for evasion of tax and money laundering prohibitions offered by cryptocurrencies.

The module explores the nature of foreign direct investment by multinational corporate groups and similar entities, and the incorporation of companies within cross-border groups. The module also explores the international and municipal (ie national) consequences of incorporation and non-incorporation of businesses. Further, the module explores the impact of multinational corporate groups on the host States in which corporate direct investment is made, together with the legal and other approaches taken to curb the powers of multinational corporate groups and to hold their personnel accountable.

This module examines emerging modes of normativity at the intersection of law and blockchain technology. Environmental and political crises paired with the disruptive power of blockchain technology (and the potential of web3.0 more generally) opened a new frontier of governance. This frontier is characterised by a move away from centralised structures towards decentralised networks, and from traditional public institutions to a proliferation of private actors. Consequently, it necessitates a re-evaluation of the interplay between market forces and state authority, giving rise to novel hybrid models and alternative approaches. 

Throughout this module, we will meticulously examine these global and local developments, delving into concepts such as network states, the emergence of startup cities, the intricacies of jurisdictional design, innovative ReFi (regenerative finance) models, the functioning of DAOs (decentralised autonomous organisations), the emergence of blockchain-based climate commons, and the dynamics within metaverse communities. Additionally, we will critically analyse the economic, political, and societal motivations underpinning these emerging normativities, providing insight into the forces shaping their trajectory.

Cross-border data transfers are vital for all sectors, driving innovation in technologies such as AI. However, the widespread exchange of data has raised concerns, leading to a decline in trust among citizens, businesses, and governments. This module explores the landscape of policies and regulations concerning cross-border data flows and the challenges related to data privacy protection, law enforcement, and digital industrial policies. Additionally, it examines the interests and policies informing data innovation and their role in fostering trust in cross-border data sharing.