Bucerius Law School

Bucerius Law School is Germany's leading private and state-accredited law school; it has been referred to as a German "Ivy League" institution (Christoph Luschin in: Southwestern Journal of International Law 2012). Its graduates are among the most sought-after in Germany and abroad. Bucerius Law School has achieved this result because it is characterised by its international focus, practical and performance orientation, and attention to the personal development of each individual student. Bucerius Law School was founded in 2000 by the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, one of Germany's largest private foundations, in order to stimulate new developments in higher education. Bucerius Law School is an intimate campus institution with some 20 full-time professors, dozens of guest lecturers, 500 LLB students, 100 exchange students, 50 LLM/MLB students and almost 300 PhD students. Institutes and centres for Transnational IP, Media and Technology Law and Policy, Corporate Law and Capital Markets Law, and Foundation Law and the Law of Non-Profit Organisations all emphasise the strong link between business and law, the link that is at the heart of the Bucerius MLB and LLM degrees. Conditions for students seeking the MLB or LLM degree at Bucerius Law School are excellent. The school is located on a leafy campus in the centre of Hamburg. All Bucerius buildings, completely renovated or newly built, are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, allowing students to follow their individual study habits. Small-group study rooms facilitate students' working together outside of class; a cafeteria, a coffee lounge, a napping room and a small fitness centre encourage students to relax and socialise. Because of its location and the quality of its facilities, Bucerius Law School is the site of a wide range of conferences, external lectures, and other international events. The programme's lecturers - both full-time academics and members of the practising legal and business communities - are approachable and willing to share their experience with students, and to offer advice whenever needed. As graduates often emphasise, LLM/MLB staff are dedicated to providing strong administrative and personal support to the students.

Described by many as "Germany's most beautiful city," Hamburg combines a high quality of life with a strong economy and countless employment opportunities. Hamburg's success is due in no small part to having successfully united business and legal interests. For centuries, Hamburg has been home to one of the largest ports in the world. In addition, strong media, publishing and aerospace companies - some 350,000 enterprises in all, from large stock companies to a thriving start-up scene - also call Hamburg home. (For example, the main facility for several Airbus aircraft is located in Hamburg, as is the main office of Lufthansa Technik, the Lufthansa arm that carries out the important safety and maintenance checks for dozens of airlines from around the world.) Similarly, Hamburg's legal and political culture has always been defined by its strength and independence. It is therefore not surprising that Hamburg is host to legal institutions of national and global significance, including trial and appeals courts, the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. As befits a metropolis of some five million people, Hamburg offers a wealth of cultural and shopping activities and a vibrant nightlife. From opera to classical music to the club scene (where the Beatles got their start), Hamburg offers more opportunities than students can possibly take advantage of during their studies. The beautiful Bucerius campus, which successfully combines both traditional and modern architecture, provides a peaceful haven in the middle of Hamburg, adjacent to Hamburg's main commercial district and shopping areas. Just a short walk away, the beautiful Inner and Outer Alster Lakes and their surrounding parks provide a perfect place for students to sail or jog. Public transport is located directly next to the campus, so students can easily take advantage of all that Hamburg has to offer.

One full-time professor of Law at Bucerius Law School (Dean of the Programme) dedicates 100% of his time to running the programme. Students are actively supported by the LLM/MLB team throughout the programme in administrative, career, curricular and extracurricular questions.