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04 March 2026
Categories: Legal News , Technology , Career focus , Commercial
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Core Disciplines Shaping Today’s Commercial Legal Practice

Commercial law is changing fast, driven by new technologies and the growing complexity of global markets. The University of Manchester’s LLM in International Commercial and Technology Law brings focus to that shift, highlighting the core areas that now define effective commercial legal work. By exploring corporate governance, data rights, fintech regulation and digital era intellectual property, this course gives professionals the insight they need to make informed, confident decisions in a rapidly evolving landscape

The course focuses on four core areas central to today’s commercial practice:

  1. Corporations, Technology and Law—examining corporate governance, AI in corporate decision making, and the legal implications of blockchain based financing models such as ICOs and STOs.
  2. Online Privacy, Defamation and Data Protection—covering GDPR, the 'right to be forgotten', and the tension between privacy rights and freedom of expression.
  3. Financial Law and FinTech Law—analysing regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies, online lending, market integrity, and the role of AI and big data in financial markets.
  4. Intellectual Property in the Digital Ecosystem—addressing challenges posed by 3D printing, global online distribution, and the enforcement of IP rights in a borderless digital environment.

Towards the end of the course, students also complete a supervised research project, allowing them to explore a specialist topic in depth.

The online, part-time nature of this course means professionals can study alongside current employment. Recent graduate and senior lawyer Hilda Wehbi said she 'would recommend this course to all legal professionals. We are in the midst of a technological revolution, and it is imperative that we are prepared for dealing with the legal challenges as well as opportunities that lie ahead.'

Visit the course page to learn more.  Apply by 30 June and receive 10% off tuition.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal expands Midlands residential development team

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL appoints new partner and head of intellectual property disputes

NEWS
A series of recent decisions has clarified important principles across property law, from perpetuities to lease renewals and public rights over land
Employers cannot rely on wellbeing services alone to defend workplace stress claims after a High Court decision awarding almost £1m to an overworked employee
Andy Burnham's brand of 'Manchesterism' could offer fresh thinking on legal aid and access to justice if it reaches Westminster, according to Roger Smith, NLJ columnist and former director of JUSTICE
The constitutional fallout from a change of prime minister, rather than the politics, is under scrutiny as questions arise over the limits of executive authority in a leadership transition
The legal profession is undergoing a fundamental shift from selling services to creating technology-enabled products, according to Professor Luke Mason, Head of School of Law at Regent's University London
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