The teaching method at the MIPLC is not restricted to theoretical classes, but also focuses on case studies, problem-solving and the practical application of knowledge, with special emphasis on litigation and negotiation skills. Students can test and practice their skills in simulated court cases and workshops or during an optional internship in a patent attorney’s office,
Munich Intellectual Property Law Center (MIPLC)
| Location | Munich (population 1,400,000) is Germany’s third-largest city and the capital of the state of Bavaria. Two world-class universities and an array of other renowned institutions of higher education have attracted over 100,000 students from all over the world. The particular economic strength of the Greater Munich Area with its focus on IT, biotechnology, aeronautics, and the automotive industry (BMW, Audi) allows for excellent opportunities to gather practical experience, e.g. through internships. Last but not least, as a major cultural center, and with its close proximity to the Alps, Munich is a very attractive city for students to live in during their studies. |
| Course focus | With the European Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office, the German Federal Patent Court, the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, and a large number of patent attorney’s offices, Munich is justly called the European capital of Intellectual Property. Right in the heart of Munich, the MIPLC offers its international and interdisciplinary, one-year, English-language LL.M. program “Intellectual Property and Competition Law”. Taught to a maximum of 32 students per year, the program equips its graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary to handle complex intellectual property issues in a global context.
The teaching method at the MIPLC is not restricted to theoretical classes, but also focuses on case studies, problem-solving and the practical application of knowledge, with special emphasis on litigation and negotiation skills. Students can test and practice their skills in simulated court cases and workshops or during an optional internship in a patent attorney’s office, company’s Intellectual Property department, or international organization (EPO, WIPO, OHIM). For the duration of their studies, students are matched with a personal tutor with whom they can discuss course content and prepare for exams. Tutors also help with the insertion into life in Munich. The MIPLC’s course catalogue includes basic courses on European, American and International Patent, Copyright and Trademark Law, and specialized courses on different topics, including IP & Competition Law, Software Patents, Innovation Policy, Trade Secret Law, Protection of Biotechnological Inventions, Copyright Licensing, IP and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Competition Law in Emerging Markets, Pharmaceuticals and IP, Intangible Assets Valuation, among several others. The LL.M. program is fully accredited by the accreditation agency ACQUIN (Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute). |
| Target group | Graduates from a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds with a keen interest in a career in Intellectual Property (patent attorney, in-house counsel for a company, patent examiner in a Patent Office, employee of an international organization, etc.). |
| Course language | English |
| Entry requirements |
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| Degree Awarded | Master of Laws (LL.M.) |
| Course Begins | Early October |
| Course Duration | 12 months |
| Duration of German language course prior to beginning of programme | 2 months (August-September for students awarded a DAAD scholarship). |
