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Studies & Degrees in International & Comparative Private Law

International and comparative private law deals with legal relationships between private parties, people and companies, that cross a border. Two branches come together. Private international law, also called conflict of laws, decides which country's courts have jurisdiction, which country's law applies, and how a judgment is recognised and enforced in another country. Comparative law studies the differences and similarities between legal systems, for example how contract, tort or property law works in civil law and common law countries.

A classic case: a French company buys goods from a German company, the delivery is incomplete, and the contract says nothing about the applicable law. In the European Union the Rome I Regulation gives the answer. A contract is governed by the law chosen by the parties; if they made no choice, a contract for the sale of goods is governed by the law of the country where the seller has his habitual residence.

Students also learn how these rules are made uniform. The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), with 95 members, has the mandate of progressively unifying the rules of private international law. UNIDROIT, based in Rome, studies methods for modernising and harmonising private law, in particular commercial law, between states.

Qualifications and levels

This is a specialisation, normally studied after a first law degree.

  • First law degree. Private international law is part of general legal training. In Spain the Grado en Derecho has 240 ECTS credits and takes four years, for example at the Universidad de Alcalá, which lists Spanish and English as its languages. In the United States, becoming a lawyer usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school: 4 years of undergraduate study and 3 years of law school, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
  • Master's degree (LLM). The specialisation itself is usually a one-year master's. The LLM in International Commercial Law at the University of Groningen lasts 12 months and has 60 ECTS credits. It is taught in English and starts in September. Its courses include Comparative Private International Law, International Contracts Law, Comparative Property Law, Comparative Tort Law and International Commercial Dispute Settlement Law, and it ends with a master's thesis of 12 credits. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • Short courses. Legal English courses help lawyers who work with international contracts. English for Law in Dublin teaches legal English mainly one-to-one, including contract drafting; the school states that it has delivered legal English courses for over 25 years. Such a course is language training, not a law qualification.

A specialised master's does not by itself give the right to practise law. In Spain, the professional title of lawyer requires a law degree plus further professional training; the Universidad de Alcalá notes that its Grado en Derecho gives access to the Máster de Abogacía, which qualifies for practice as a lawyer. In the United States, lawyers need a law degree and a state licence, which usually requires passing a bar examination. Ask each school what recognition its qualification has in the country where you plan to work.

Admission to an LLM

The Groningen LLM is selective. Applicants need elementary knowledge of European law and public international law and basic knowledge of private law; the detailed degree requirements are on the Faculty of Law's pages. For the start on 1 September 2027 the application deadline is 1 May 2027. The tuition fee for the 2026-27 academic year is €2,694 for EU/EEA students and €22,200 for non-EU/EEA students.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 5 active schools under this subject, one each in the United States, Spain, the Netherlands, Ukraine and Ireland: The Institute for US Law in Washington, the Universidad de Alcalá, the University of Groningen, the School of Law of Lviv Ivan Franko National University and English for Law.

When comparing programmes, look at the language of instruction, the legal systems the courses compare, whether the degree is an official master's, the share of practical work such as contract drafting or moot courts, and whether it counts towards admission to the legal profession.

Careers

Specialists work in international law firms, in the legal departments of companies that trade across borders, in arbitration, and in international organisations and public administration. The University of Groningen gives these job examples: international commercial lawyer, legal counsel in private firms, legal advisor in cross-border transactions, legal consultant, policy advisor on private international law and arbitration specialist.

For the United States, the BLS counted 863,700 jobs for lawyers in 2025 and projects employment to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035. These figures cover all lawyers, not only this specialisation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between private international law and comparative law?

Private international law decides which court has jurisdiction and which country's law applies to a cross-border private dispute. Comparative law studies and compares the legal systems themselves. Master's programmes often combine both.

Do I need a law degree first?

Normally, yes. It is a master's level specialisation. The Groningen LLM, for example, asks for elementary knowledge of European law and public international law and basic knowledge of private law.

Can I practise as a lawyer with an LLM in this field?

Not on the basis of the LLM alone. Admission to the profession is regulated by each country. In the United States lawyers need a law degree and a state licence, and in Spain a law degree followed by the Máster de Abogacía.