Why study at ILF?

The LL.M. Finance program offers the following unique combination of features:

  • An all-finance curriculum with a great variety of courses
  • Lectures in both law and economics
  • A large faculty consisting of leading academics and practitioners
  • A program that is open to graduates of law, business or economics faculties
  • A two-month internship program in leading international institutions, offering work experience and an opportunity to establish professional contacts
  • A location in Frankfurt, the financial center of continental Europe
  • A small student body, which ensures an intensive learning experience
  • A truly international curriculum, faculty and student body
Aoife McCabe, Ireland, Class of 2010, Trainee Solicitor, Latham & Watkins, London

“I am confident that my decision to study at the ILF will be the most important decision of my professional career. The program has offered me the type of practical experience and professional contacts that usually money cannot buy. Two aspects of the program in particular make it unique in my opinion. First of all, the ILF internship allows students to get a foot firmly in the door at one of the leading international law firms, banks or institutions which sponsor the program, a feature which is highly valuable to graduates and lawyers facing an increasingly difficult jobs market. Secondly, the program is taught by many partners and practitioners from these world-class law firms and institutions, which allows students to firmly establish lasting relationships and invaluable contacts with leading professionals. I was very pleased to find that the program opened up opportunities for me not only in Frankfurt, but also in London where I have since received job offers from two of the ILF’s sponsor firms, one being the firm with which I did my ILF internship. The LL.M. Finance degree was worth every penny, and I would highly recommend it to anybody seeking to improve their career opportunities and broaden their network of international contacts.”

Vokhidjon Urinov, Uzbekistan, Class of 2008, Ph.D. student

"ILF is a dynamic institution that offers numerous avenues for pursuing an international legal career. It is a graduate program not only for legal practitioners but also for students who seek to do cutting edge research. One of the strengths of ILF is its enthusiastic and outstanding professors. My years at the ILF were some of the most progressive years in my academic career. The background knowledge I obtained at ILF proved to be crucial for my progress and fostered an opportunity to become a PhD student at one of the best universities. My current PhD research at McGill University is a continuation of what I researched at ILF. ILF professors and its administration rendered tremendous support for realization of my future scholarly plans. I appreciate their efforts in providing education for international students, especially for those who are coming from developing countries."

Maxime Colle, Belgium, Class of 2004, Associate, Nauta Dutilh, Brussels (Photography credits to: Heijdendael & Annegarn)

"The ILF combines two important things for me. The first is a thorough study of both financial law and finance. The wide range of courses allows you to set up your own program and to build your expertise both generally in financial and corporate issues, as well as in a very specific area of your own choice. As a practitioner, not only having the legal knowledge in the sterile environment of an auditorium is important, even more important is knowing how to use that knowledge in real life situations outside the classrooms. The second point I want to draw attention to, is that having the bricks is one thing, knowing how to build a house with them, is quite another. The majority of the classes at the ILF is taught by some of the greatest respected specialists in their fields of business. This, combined with a two-month internship at an international organisation (investment bank, commercial bank, law firm), shows you how finance is done in real life. As a lawyer, every day you are working with clients, bankers and audit firms who have not necessarily studied law. Therefore, when advising a client, you must comprehend the financial part of the transaction, the commercial reason behind it, possible accounting issues and most of all, you have to be able to speak the language the CFO, the auditor or the investment banker uses. Also, in order to explain to them why a certain point in a transaction should legally be structured in a different manner, you must be able to think like them and show them that you understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. All these things I have learned during my LL.M. at the ILF."

Sanjay Agrawal, India, Class of 2003, Associate, Credit Markets Department, JP Morgan, London

“One of the things that impressed me most about the ILF was the interdisciplinary course structure and combination of law and finance. The classes were highly interactive in the sense that the students had the chance to challenge the lecturers and to engage in dialogue. That really stimulated me. The ILF’s high caliber teaching serves to produce a very high quality LL.M. course. I was impressed by the unique blend of recognized academics and practitioners among the ILF lecturers. Drawing students from all over the world, the ILF is the ideal institution for the pursuit of academic and professional development beyond any geographic barrier. The truly international community of fellow students allowed me, a student from India, to experience something invaluable – an intellectually and socially stimulating diverse environment and interaction. Through their diverse educational and professional backgrounds, the students contributed to an exchange of experiences. Coming from a non-legal background, the program also gave me confidence in legal discussions.”

Shengzhe Wang, China, Class of 2004, Baker & McKenzie, London

“The one-year LL.M. program at Goethe University’s Institute for Law and Finance (ILF) has already left a broad and lasting impact on my life. Frankfurt as the European financial center has proven to be the ideal place for studying together with fascinating people from so many different backgrounds. At the ILF, I have been able to expand my economics background by putting together my own curriculum focusing on financial law in just the way I had envisioned. The ILF experience has proven to be an ideal setting to gain both a highquality academic education and many opportunities for practical training in well-known international law firms during as well as after completion of the program. I believe that my ability to see the bigger picture was improved a great deal, thanks to the opportunity to learn market practices from well-known practitioners from international law firms. This first-hand experience and the relationships I formed, have paved the road for me to work with Baker & McKenzie in Frankfurt. I feel confident that the ILF program has provided me with both the knowledge and the tools needed for a successful international career.”