The School of Law: Gateway to the Legal World
CityU School of Law is a leading centre for research and teaching in law. The educational mission of the School is to provide a well-rounded, intellectually rigorous and socially conscious education that nurtures doers and thinkers to contribute meaningfully to society. Our scholarly and research mission is to engage in innovation through theoretical, doctrinal and interdisciplinary legal studies so as to provide solutions to the complex societal issues that confront communities.
Established in 1987, CityU School of Law offers a high-quality education that fosters global knowledge, transferable skills and interdisciplinary perspectives. Our stellar international faculty comprises thought leaders whose research is cited frequently by courts and academics around the world. With their multicultural profile, they bring a diversity of expertise and strengths in a wide range of fields including arbitration and dispute resolution, Chinese law, commercial law, comparative law, corporate law and finance, criminal law and criminology, environmental law, international economic law, public law and human rights, private law, and technology law and policy. CityU School of Law is deeply committed to research that is beneficial to society and that enhances the rule of law.
At CityU School of Law, we provide our students with a broad and liberal education through law that will develop them into a thoughtful person who is able to understand how the law operates in the context of other fields of knowledge. At the same time, we intend the legal education we offer to nurture versatile legal professionals who have a good understanding of the practice of law and are able to navigate the uncertainties that exist in this era of disruption. We continue, therefore, to integrate interdisciplinary perspectives within our curriculum and strengthen the link between academia and practice to ensure that students receive a cutting-edge legal education that cannot easily be found elsewhere.
The Law School has already developed close links with many counterparts on the Mainland, in Europe, North America and across the Asia-Pacific region. As such, students have many opportunities to gain a global perspective in the study of law not only through the curriculum but also through various activities organised by the Law School such as the Global Legal Education and Awareness Project (G-LEAP), legal placement, student exchanges and mooting competitions. In addition, CityU School of Law is a founding member of the Center for Transnational Legal Studies, as well as a member of the THEMIS network, both of which provide numerous study abroad opportunities. These global opportunities will continue to be expanded to include more dual degree programmes with leading overseas law schools.
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
The LLB programme is the undergraduate law degree for students interested in legal education and practice. It provides students with legal knowledge in the areas of law which are prerequisites for the admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) and helps students develop the relevant intellectual, personal and technical skills. The programme is also suitable for students aiming for a range of other careers where legal knowledge is an advantage.
Programme Structure
In order to graduate, LLB students are required to complete 120 credit units comprising core law courses, law electives, Gateway Education courses such as English language courses and Chinese civilisation courses.
The core courses for LLB students comprise of Legal Methods, Research and Writing, Hong Kong Legal System, Law of Contract, Law of Tort, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Criminal Law, Land Law, Jurisprudence and Legal Theory, Company Law, Public Law of the PRC, and Private Law of the PRC. Students contemplating entry to the legal profession must also study Equity and Trusts, Law of Evidence, and Commercial Law.
In addition, LLB students may develop particular areas of interest by studying electives from various areas such as commercial law, environmental law, public law, international law, human rights law, international economic law, Chinese law, intellectual property law, cyberspace law, dispute resolution, international advocacy, comparative law, and criminal law. Special emphasis is placed on comparative and international legal perspectives. Some of the LLB lectures will be given together with the Juris Doctor (JD). Joint teaching of LLB and JD courses enables students to work together and develop team working skills.
Special Features
- Collaboration Programme with Georgetown University
- Scholarships for students with outstanding academic results
- Lectures supplemented by interactive learning in small tutorial groups
- Guest lectures by scholars from top overseas law schools or legal institutions
- Legal placement at law firms, international companies, banks and NGOs in Hong Kong, courts in mainland China or going overseas to work for NGO during summer
- Extensive training and financial support for students participating in international mooting competitions
- Exciting exchange opportunities with universities in Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, the Netherlands, the UK and the US
- Opportunity to edit the City University of Hong Kong Law Review, one of the academic journals led by the School
- Global Legal Education and Awareness Project (G-LEAP) — an opportunity to study for a month-long intensive course at the University College, Oxford (reconfirmed every 2 years)
For details of the LLB programme, please visit:
https://www.cityu.edu.hk/slw/prospective-students/bachelor-laws-llb
Double Degree Programmes
There are four double degree programmes in Law. Students will acquire wide-ranging legal knowledge and foundational knowledge in different areas of expertise:
- Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business Administration in Accountancy (hosted by School of Law)
- Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science in Computing Mathematics
- Bachelor of Social Sciences in Criminology and Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Social Sciences in Public Policy and Bachelor of Laws
Career Prospects
A law degree offers a firm foundation for a variety of successful careers in accountancy, business, finance, management, journalism and the Civil Service, and further study, both in Hong Kong and overseas. Graduates may pursue further studies or professional qualifications in law, business and management, accountancy, finance and corporate administration. Graduates who wish to practice law in Hong Kong will need to complete the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) programme which we also offer at CityU. The Master of Laws (LLM), offered by the School, also creates significant opportunity for law graduates to extend their qualifications to the postgraduate level.
Juris Doctor (JD)
The JD is an internationally recognised degree issued by numerous universities. It is well established in several common law jurisdictions (Australia, Canada and the United States). Although the award has the word ‘Doctor’ in its title, this is a traditional usage and it is not generally regarded as equivalent to the PhD degree or other doctoral awards. It is a first law degree for students who are already graduates in a non-law discipline. It leads to the award of a Hong Kong law degree at the postgraduate level.
Special Features
- Completion of the JD and an LLM at renowned overseas institutions including Georgetown University (USA), University Paris 1 (France) and Université de Fribourg (Switzerland) via an accelerated path
- CityU JD and MBA option in three years
- Intensive summer courses in University College Oxford (UK)
- Legal placement in Hong Kong law firms, banking and international companies, courts in Mainland China and overseas NGOs
- Extensive professional training to sharpen advocacy skills and to participate in international mooting competitions
- Exchange study at an overseas university in Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Korea, Singapore, Sweden, Taiwan, the Netherlands, UK and USA
- Editorial Board membership of the City University of Hong Kong Law Review to sharpen writing and editing skills
Master of Laws (LLM)
The CityU Master of Laws (LLM) programme is dynamic in meeting the society and the world’s needs. It provides local and overseas students with the opportunities to learn the professional skills and knowledge necessary to become an integral part of the emerging Asian economy. The programme permits students to structure their legal studies to design their own career goals. Students are given the option to pursue their LLM degrees in one of the following streams:
- International Economic Law Stream
- Corporate and Financial Law Stream
- Intellectual Property and Technology Law Stream
- Common Law Stream
- Chinese and Comparative Law Stream
- General Stream
Cooperation with Overseas Universities
CityU School of Law operates collaborative programmes with the following overseas universities.
- Aix-Marseille University (AMU)
- Université de Fribourg (UF)
- University Paris 1, Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1)
Selected students will study at these partner universities and obtain one postgraduate degree from CityU and one from the partner university, where the designated study-loads at the institutions are successfully discharged.
Cooperation with the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC
The School of Law also collaborates with the National Judges College and the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC to provide advanced legal education to Chinese judges. A number of Chinese judges are selected to study in the Common Law stream of the LLM programme at CityU each year.
For details of the LLM programme, please visit:
https://www.cityu.edu.hk/slw/prospective-students/postgraduate-programmes/master-laws-llm
Master of Laws in Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (LLMArbDR)
Dispute resolution is not only carried in the courtroom through litigation, but also by arbitration and mediation, which are increasingly popular and well-respected alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques.
The LLMArbDR programme is designed to meet Hong Kong’s needs for arbitration and dispute resolution expertise in a variety of fields and to maintain and improve Hong Kong’s position as one of the leading arbitration and dispute resolution centres in the Asia-Pacific Region, as well as to make use of the special links between Hong Kong and Chinese mainland in this respect. The programme offers a unique blend of academic and practical training in a broad range of dispute resolution methods, with emphasis on domestic and international arbitration, as well as on mediation and negotiation. The LLMArbDR programme provides substantial leadership in its area and is taught by highly qualified and experienced professionals.
Professional Recognition
Upon completion of the LLMArbDR programme and subject to fulfilling certain requirements, graduates are eligible to apply for professional recognition both within and outside of Hong Kong, including:
- Membership of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb);
- Associateship of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (AHKIArb);
- Fellowship of the Hong Kong Institute of Arbitrators (FHKIArb);
- Accredited General Mediator of the Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited (HKMAAL) (subject to completing Stage 2 and Stage 3 requirements as stipulated by the HKMAAL Mediation Accreditation Committee);
- CPD points awarded by the Law Society of Hong Kong.
For details of the LLMArbDR programme, please visit:
https://www.cityu.edu.hk/slw/prospective-students/postgraduate-programmes/LLMArbDR
Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL)
The aim of CityU’s PCLL programme is to provide students with exceptional learning and training opportunities and to serve as a vital steppingstone towards the acquisition of skills in becoming outstanding prospective trainee solicitors and pupil barristers. Our highly regarded and practical PCLL programme is known to produce well-rounded and client-centred individuals with superior knowledge of substantive law combined with exceptional problem-solving, advocacy and drafting skills.
Why choose the CityU PCLL
- CityU School of Law is a vibrant institution at the cutting edge of legal education.
- We train our students to be excellent trainee solicitors and pupil barristers.
- Our diverse and well-credentialed faculty members bring experience and skill sets from various parts of the world.
- The PCLL produces “tomorrow’s lawyers” who are well-rounded and client-centred individuals with a superior knowledge of the law combined with exceptional problem-solving, advocacy and drafting skills.
- We teach much of the PCLL in small groups. This is the optimal method to learn the practice of the law.
- Our PCLL programme is highly regarded by the legal profession in Hong Kong.
For details of the PCLL programme, please visit:
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