“The one-year study at the Institute of Law and Finance of Goethe University was a great pleasure for me. The Master's program in international finance helped me so much, both in my academic improvement and my self-development, and it will always have a special spot in my heart. I really appreciate the course structure of the program. Courses in the first semester mainly covered the field of basic economic theories and financial regulations, which lured me into the wonderful world of capital markets and gave me a taste of EU regulation frameworks as well as applied financial models. The second semester was a much deeper dive into detailed deal structures and real-world legal practices in capital markets. With the dedicated instruction of our amazing lecturers and the help of useful study materials, I was able to gradually integrate the contents from multiple classes with my previous experience and ended up having a thorough understanding of the mechanism of different types of transactions and essential legal clauses in market practices. Besides the courses, I also grew a lot from the cross-cultural interactions with the most motivated colleagues in the program who always have unique opinions and comments and I found them very inspirational to talk to. All in all, the program not only equips me with a solid knowledge base in the fields of law and finance, but also changes my mindset to a large degree and boosts my courage to network with more people so as to chase opportunities and pursue what I'm truly passionate about.”
"A fantastic program and highly recommended! It was a very challenging, yet exciting journey year with the ILF. I came from a very far country to Germany to obtain the highest standard of education offered by the ILF in order to pursue my dream to further my academic studies as well as my personal skills. I have always dreamt of a career in banking and financial law which led me to Frankfurt. During the one year at the ILF as a full-time student, I acquired not only a strong understanding of legal and financial theories and concepts, I also found my lifetime friends. Even though it was an especially burdensome year due to the pandemic, this program was extraordinary with a very diverse group of people, excellent professors, and impressive staff. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the ILF for the quality service during these challenging times.”
"The ILF program was probably one of the best choices I have ever made. Not only because of the practical knowledge which I gained from the LL.M. International Finance program, but also because the experience I had in Frankfurt am Main. That year opened up new opportunities for me to further my studies and personal life in Europe. The program provided legal courses on corporate finance, investment banking, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions etc., which brought us close to the practice of financial law, and also opened up our interdisciplinary perspectives through business-related courses such as fundamentals of finance, global economic environment and financial markets. During my internship and visits to top law firms in Frankfurt organized by the ILF, I learned more about the practice of legal services related to M&A and financing, and as a result, I have a clearer idea of my future career direction."
"We were privileged to have acclaimed academicians teaching us the intricacies of law and finance. On top of that, we were showered with an array of accomplished practitioners from top law firms, giving us an insight into the operation of these laws. With subjects ranging from Corporate Finance, Acquisition Finance, Economics, M&A, to Capital Markets etc., these have equipped us with great foundational knowledge upon which anything could be built. Topics ranging from securitization to structural subordination to recharacterisation to the relevance of capital structure and even valuation of a firm have all been explicated and comprehended well, in the two short demanding semesters. The simple fact of having smaller classes with Socratic Method of discourses has been a major impetus to my new found cognitive narrative. This coupled with an opportunity to intern at a top law firm is an unsurpassable experience. As may be expected, there is no dearth of conferences in the House of Finance hosted by the ILF, which not only paves another way to supplement your knowledge but provides you with great opportunity to interact with potential employers. I was particularly interested in this interface of law with finance which has been so brilliantly structured at the ILF that I undoubtedly feel I have been armed with an arsenal ready to take over this financial/ legal world. Without doubt, there is not any other LL.M. in Banking, Finance and Securities Law which can come close to the one at the ILF. I can very well vouch on behalf of my classmates that this has been an experience of a lifetime which will keep us all well equipped to take on any challenge we face in our respective careers."
"The LL.M. International Finance program exceeded my expectations in different aspects. The courses provided solid knowledge of law and finance essential for every lawyer in this field. They were cross-disciplinary, practice-oriented and lectured by lecturers who were experts and market leading lawyers. I could never have learned as much from any book or law school. Having a legal background, I enjoyed the lectures in M&A, acquisition and project finance the most, during which I familiarized myself with deal structures and the entire process of a transaction. This is what lawyers actually do! Additionally, the intercultural communication courses as well as interaction with other students in the classes were extremely valuable to me, and they have enhanced my adaptability to the international environment. After the program, I am not only determined to pursue these practice areas in my profession, but I am also inspired to learn continuously!"
"The ILF is located in an international financial center with great potential and opportunities. We learned from distinguished German and international lawyers and professors who are specialized in corporate finance, banking, capital markets and M&A issues and gain not only theoretical but also practical knowledge and they combine our interests of law and finance. Here we meet our peers from all over the world with diversified backgrounds, study together and share different cultures. The LL.M. International Finance program is one of the best choices I have ever made. It provided me with exciting challenges, improvements, and a solid foundation to pursue my future career path. I will never forget my marvelous time here."
"I was impressed at the beginning of the academic year, that the ILF arranged introductory courses for the whole class. I personally gained a lot from these helpful introductory courses, especially for me who comes from a non-European country (Indonesia). As a student of the LL.M. International Finance program, my classmates and I needed to participate in the mandatory courses specifically tailored for Asian students. However, this should not be seen as a limitation because the ILF allows the Asian students to fully participate in and audit any other non-conflicting courses (though no credit points will be awarded for such audited courses). One thing for sure is that as most of the ILF lecturers are professors or practitioners from reputable law firms or authorities (like the ECB and BaFin), students will not only receive text-book based lectures, but the lecturers are willing to share their valuable lifetime experiences, the Dos and Don’ts as well as relevant problem solving strategies from actual cases and precedents. I strongly believe that my whole experience gained at the ILF opened doors for me that may otherwise not be achievable."