LL.M. in International Economic Law, Business & Policy
The Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Economic Law, Business & Policy offers rigorous academic and professional training in subjects relating to international economic law, business, and related policy issues. This specialized program seeks to provide foreign international business lawyers, government policymakers and academics, with a broad base of expertise in such areas as international trade, international dispute resolution, international business transactions, international investment law, international environmental law, international intellectual property law, and other aspects of international business.
The LL.M. in International Economic Law, Business & Policy is limited to students with a primary law degree earned outside the United States. Except under unusual circumstances, candidates must have at least two years of professional legal experience before commencing the program.
Prospective applicants to the Stanford Law School LL.M. program with a primary interest in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance or securities should apply to the Stanford Law School’s program in Corporate Governance and Practice (CGP) instead of the International Economic Law, Business & Policy program.
LL.M. students are required to be in residence at Stanford during the full (nine-month) academic year. They are required to take a minimum of 35 credit units and a maximum of 45 credit units.
Note to applicants:
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program awards up to three years of funding to Stanford graduate students from all disciplines, with additional opportunities for leadership training and collaboration across fields.
Applications for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program are due in early Autumn, one year prior to enrollment. View dates and deadlines. You can also sign up for Knight-Hennessy Scholars email alerts to stay up to date on the availability of their online application.
Degree Requirements 2025–2026
Total Required Units for Graduation: Minimum 35 units/Maximum 45 units
Minimum and Maximum Units per Quarter: Minimum 9/Maximum 14 per quarter
IELBP Mandatory Courses
Candidates for the LLM in International Economic Law, Business & Policy must successfully complete each of the following courses:
- Introduction to American Law – 3 units* (early September, pre-Fall quarter)
- Professional Responsibility – 3 units* (early September, pre-Fall quarter)
- IELBP LLM Colloquium – 4 units (2 units each: Fall and Winter quarter)
* The 6 units for Introduction to American Law and Professional Responsibility count towards your total unit minimum/maximum, but are not counted as part of the Fall Quarter unit distribution.
Strongly encouraged, but optional (required for taking the New York Bar**)
- Advanced Legal Writing – 3 units (Fall, Winter, or Spring)
One advanced Legal Writing course (any SLS course with a “ALW”) is required for the New York Bar, but IELBP LLM students can opt out with the permission of the Teaching Fellow.
IELBP LL.M. Core Distribution Requirements
Each IELBP LL.M. student must successfully complete four (4) courses adding up to at least nine (9) units from the following choices, depending on offerings and availability. Please note the 2025-2026 course offerings are still subject to revision and some courses may be unavailable.
Each student will meet with the IELBP LL.M. Teaching Fellow to identify optimal course selections for each quarter. In preparation, please consult the course descriptions listed at https://law.stanford.edu/courses/.
- Antitrust
- Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies: Law, Economics, Business, and Policy
- Blockchain Governance
- Business, Social Responsibility, and Human Rights
- Climate Law and Policy
- Global Litigation
- Governing Artificial Intelligence: Law, Policy, and Institutions
- Immigration Law
- Industrial Policy, National Security and the World Trading System
- International Business Negotiation
- International Business Transactions and Litigation
- International Commercial Arbitration
- International Investment Law
- International Law
- International Trade
- Legal Practice in International Organizations: Challenges, Strategy and Leadership
- Mediation
- Negotiation
- Transnational Litigation and Arbitration
Some of the courses listed above in the Core Distribution Requirements list may have prerequisites or are subject to limited enrollment, requiring you to lottery for the class or otherwise obtain the instructor’s consent. LL.M. students will receive further information about SLS lottery and consent information from the Admissions and/or the Registrar’s Office.
Related SLS Classes
All IELBP LL.M. students will have the opportunity to take additional courses of interest offered by SLS. Those LL.M. students considering taking the California or New York State Bar should note specific requirements for applying to the bar in those jurisdictions.
**For those taking the Bar Exam, the Associate Dean of Students will confirm New York or California bar course requirements for the 2025-2026 academic year. The Associate Dean will send a communication to all LLM students before they leave their home countries about information that might be useful for them to know in advance.
The SLS Website provides Bar Exam information for foreign students who obtain an LLM in the United States, available through this link.
Classes Outside the Law School
You are welcome to take non-law classes, e.g., those offered by the Graduate School of Business (GSB) and other schools and departments (Economics, Political Science etc.). You may count a maximum of 9 quarter units of non-law classes towards your LL.M. degree. Note the SLS Student Handbook rules regarding “Cross Registration in Other Schools and Departments of the University.”
For those taking the Bar Exam, you must confirm with the Associate Dean of Students the maximum number of non-law classes allowed by the bar examiners.
To take non-law classes for law credit, you must have approval from the IELBP Teaching Fellow and the Registrar’s Office. You can find SLS Approved Non-Law Courses at https://law.stanford.edu/nl-course. If the course you are interested in is not listed as an approved non-law course, you must submit a petition to the Petitions Committee (via the Registrar’s Office) to take the course. You can find physical copies of this petition in the Registrar’s Office and digital copies on the Registrar’s website.
You can find descriptions and schedules for all Stanford classes at http://explorecourses.stanford.edu and you may browse syllabi for many of those courses at http://syllabus.stanford.edu. Please refer to individual course descriptions for more information on prerequisites, suggested background prior to enrolling, and enrollment restrictions. Please note that individual departments and schools set their own requirements for cross-registration, but your Teaching Fellow can advise you on how to pursue these offerings.
Note these requirements are subject to revision. Confirmed guidance respecting course selection is distributed to students at the start of the academic year.