Master of Laws - Concentration in International Trade and Foreign Investment Law (LL.M.) (Major Research Paper or Project)

The public international law governing international trade and investment is central to the workings of interdependent economies. Almost all countries have trade and investment relationships with their neighbours, or within wider groupings. Regional trade agreements and bilateral investment agreements number in the thousands, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has attained a pre-eminence few international organisations can claim. Yet, international trade and investment law has an impact well beyond the purely “economic” sphere and is a key component of the resolution of global issues. For instance, problems related to climate change cannot be resolved satisfactorily without reference to trade and investment disciplines. Even the task of dealing with global health issues has required at times an incursion into trade and investment law.

The LL.M. with concentration in International Trade and Foreign Investment Law provides students with the public international law foundations underpinning international economic governance and enables them to study and work on these critical issues, with the comparative advantage of being situated in Canada’s capital. Students benefit from the close proximity of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal, private law firms with trade and investment practises and NGOs interested in global issues, and the relationships that many of the University of Ottawa's faculty members have with such organisations.

This program relies on the knowledge and expertise of over ten faculty members who teach and conduct research in the fields of international trade and investment law. The program was designed with a view to meet the specific needs of LL.M. Students in these expanding fields: fundamental knowledge, strong research skills, systemic and critical thinking, and case-studies.

The programs are offered in English and in French, and sometimes in a combination of both. In accordance with the University of Ottawa Policy, examinations, assignments and the research paper or thesis may be written in either English or French.