Hong Kong’s Masters of Laws programmes focus on emerging areas of litigation from cross-border issues to environmental law, arbitration and intellectual property

Chinese University of Hong Kong offers three different programmes of study while at University of Hong Kong (HKU) they look at the intersection of technology and IP

CityU’s agreements with the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in France and the University of Fribourg in Switzerland allow students to gain an additional qualification

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Masters of Laws programmes in Hong Kong are focusing on emerging areas of litigation from cross-border issues to environmental law, arbitration and intellectual property. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 10:00am, 17 Jan 2022

It takes a lot to become well established in a legal career, not least the required combination of academic qualifications and solid professional experience. But as many now realise, to keep moving up and to keep abreast of the latest developments in increasingly complex areas, it also pays to study for a further formal degree and not simply learn on the job.

Fortunately, that need is being met by the selection of highly regarded postgraduate programmes offered by universities in Hong Kong. These options allow students to gain a more specialised knowledge of subjects ranging from arbitration and dispute resolution to environmental law and intellectual property.

And all the signs point to the demand for places on such programmes continuing to rise as the legal frameworks and case law evolve and the sector responds, as it must, to a new set of challenges impelled by technology, the climate crisis and changing priorities within society at large.

Legal practitioners at Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal in Central in May 202. Photo: SCMP

For instance, the Faculty of Law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK Law) now offers three distinct LLM (Master of Laws) programmes.

One focuses on Chinese Business Law (CBL) and gives students the skills and know-how to provide specialist China-related advice and services.

Another is in Energy and Environmental Law (LEL) and provides relevant training in areas such as energy investment and trade, project finance, infrastructure development, clean energy and climate change mitigation. There is a focus too on the sustainability challenges now facing the Asia-Pacific region, and many of the courses feature guest lecturers who are leading international practitioners in fields like energy security and environmental protection.

The third is in International Economic Law (IEL) and deals with the requirements and practice of cross-border business transactions. The key modules cover international sales and finance, World Trade Organization (WTO) law, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and international banking law. And, along the way, there is also a chance to conduct independent research in areas of particular interest.