The Master’s Degree in International Business Law is aimed at lawyers, managers and recent graduates who wish to acquire the specialist theoretical and practical skills necessary to work as lawyers in large and medium-sized companies and to deal with the problems arising from their presence in international markets.
The Master’s programme explores European law, as well as national law, one of the main tools for managing business activities subject to the challenges of the global market, and prepares students to face new challenges in terms of governance, commercial strategies, personnel management, investments, financial support, and credit and asset protection, including intangible assets. New paradigms of comparison are now expanding the sphere of competence of companies and, consequently, of corporate lawyers: corporate social responsibility, the digital and green economy, AI and the organisation of work after the pandemic.
The legal framework that underpins productive activities, amid market globalisation, technological innovations and the long period of economic recession, is subject to continuous interpretation and modification by national and EU legislators, a circumstance that requires operators and businesses to constantly update their skills.
The Master’s programme is therefore a useful and qualified professional training course available to business professionals and consultants who have to deal with complex and cross-cutting legal issues, identify the most efficient business strategies in the international market and, in general, manage strategies and operational procedures for resolving issues arising from entrepreneurial activity.
The training activities of the Master’s Degree in International Business Law are characterised by a predominantly pragmatic approach, based on a combination of theoretical discussion of legal institutions and practical case studies. In addition, the completion of the internship (as a complementary activity to lectures and seminars) is facilitated by the opportunity to come into contact with the Master’s numerous partners (companies, international law firms and other institutions and foundations).
The course is divided into four main thematic areas:
• European and International Law
• Private Law
• Public Law
• Legal English
The Master’s Degree in International Business Law aims to equip students with the ability to identify and address legal issues affecting businesses and to find the best solutions in the international context in which the business operates or intends to operate.
Therefore, the Master’s programme aims to train professionals with a view to joining the legal departments of medium-sized and large companies, and is therefore aimed at lawyers who intend to provide their services to companies, in-house lawyers, and managers who want to acquire skills in the legal field.
The Second-level Short Specialisation Degree for International business lawyer provides training on 4 macro-areas, divided in turns in educational modules:
EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL LAW
- Market and competition law
- Investment and international trade law
- Private, procedural and network law
- Customs law
PRIVATE LAW
- International contract law and European contract law
- Financial market law
- Trusts law
- Labour law in corporate restructuring
- Corporate law and business accounting
- Business crisis law and M&A
- Intellectual property law
- Legal corporate computer science
PUBLIC LAW
- International tax law
- National and international arbitration law
- Economic criminal law and corporate social responsibility
LEGAL ENGLISH
- Legal English
A maximum of 20 CFU will be recognized for previous attendance of: legal practice schools, (Level 1 and 2) Master’s Degrees, doctorates, higher education courses (certified or promoted by relevant training institutions), single courses and post-graduate schools in the legal field, or related to the Master’s Degree, after evaluation by the organizing committee.
The Italian page provides information on the individual courses available within the Master’s programme.
The Master’s Degree in International Business Law includes an opening day and two other days dedicated to the in-depth study of specific topics, attended by academics, professionals, business lawyers, entrepreneurs and representatives of partner companies, with the primary aim of providing students with in-depth knowledge and opportunities for discussion. These events are an opportunity to expand your network and create new opportunities for professional collaboration.
Master’s partner companies:
• Bottega S.p.A.
• Danieli & C. S.p.A.
• DeLonghi S.p.A.
• Lagardère SCA
• Marcolin S.p.A.
• Mitsubishi Electric Hydronics & IT Cooling Systems S.p.A
• Ormesani S.r.l.
• Rizzani De Eccher
• Tecnoeka S.r.l.
Master’s partner firms:
• Àdest Legal & Tax
• Bergs & More
• BM&A Studio Legale Associato
• Delfino e Associati, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Studio Legale
• Deloitte Legal
• Gianni & Origoni
• Grimaldi Alliance
• SAT Studio Legale – Spinazzi Azzarita Troi Genito Scimeni
• SNBS Studio Notarile Bevilacqua Simoncini
• Studio De Poli – Venice
Master’s Partner Institutions
• Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo
The general ranking of merit for the academic year 2025/26 will be published on the Italian page of this Master according to the timing provided in the Call.
Single course
Information
FAQ
The activities are divided into 300 hours of lessons plus 200 hours of traineeship at the Master’s partner organizations, or at another organization identified by the student, even among those already affiliated with the University. As an alternative to the traineeship, attendees can opt for a project work concerning the analysis of a practical case related to one of the topics of the course. The project work must be a specific chapter of the final dissertation.
An attendance of at least 70% of the lessons is mandatory. Each student can be absent for up to 90 hours during the entire course. The 200 hours of traineeship must be carried out in full. The final exam will be done in September, on a written paper (25 pages minimum) about one of the topics covered by the Master’s modules.
Yes, the materials used by the professors during the lessons will be uploaded to the University platform (Moodle), within the specific session dedicated to the Second-level Short Specialisation Degree for International business lawyer. Some of the materials will also be made available before the lessons, in order to allow a more effective, in-depth debate with the professors.
The students’ attendance will be recorded several times during the day, remotely, by the Master’s tutors. Except for exceptional, documentable cases, at the Master Direction’s discretion, if the number of absences allowed (90 hours) is exceeded, the student won’t be able to access the final exam and therefore to achieve the Master’s title.
The traineeship can be done at one of the Master’s partner companies, or at a company or organization chosen independently by the student. Every student can also apply to the traineeship offers available in the so-called “UNIPD display case”. Based on the agreements made by the University with partner companies, professional firms and other public/private organizations, traineeship will not be paid. In any case, applicants have the option of agreeing any possible reimbursement of expenses or benefits directly with the organization interested in hosting them.
No, it is not guaranteed; however, your application is guaranteed, and it is up to the partner to decide whether to pursue the relationship. The networking events organised during the course facilitate direct contact with partners.
Starting from a.y. 2018/19, students enrolling in one of the courses of the University of Padua receive a card with university badge functions: the Flash Studio Card.
It is the University personal electronic badge, which identifies its holder as a student of the University of Padua, allowing them to access university services, or even a card with financial functions.
It is valid for 7 years, also in the case of continuing higher-level courses, or other courses within the University.