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Born in Brazil, Julia Shimizu, a seasoned corporate lawyer, found herself drawn to high-tech, edgy, traditional-yet-modern Munich. With an already established career back home, she craved a fresh challenge. That’s when she discovered the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center (MIPLC).
“I found MIPLC through the DAAD German Academic Exchange Service’s database,” Shimizu says. “What drew me in was not just the programme’s focus on Intellectual Property but also its collaborative approach with multiple institutions. Munich’s dynamic environment added to its appeal.”
MIPLC is a collaborative effort between four institutions: the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, the University of Augsburg, the Technical University of Munich and the George Washington University Law School. This alliance offers students a well-rounded education, and as of 2022/2023, graduates receive a jointly conferred degree from the University of Augsburg and the Technical University of Munich, further enhancing the programme’s prestige and value.
From 2022/2023 onwards, graduates will receive a joint degree from the University of Augsburg and the Technical University of Munich, enhancing the programme’s value. Source: Munich Intellectual Property Law Center
A comprehensive curriculum
Recognising the interconnected nature of innovation, competition and technology regulation, MIPLC welcomes students from diverse backgrounds, including technology, natural sciences, economics, political science, and creative fields. Such varied cohorts pair well with its curriculum, which goes beyond the confines of traditional IP and Competition Law.
The extensive, fully accredited Master of Laws (LLM) in Intellectual Property and Competition Law is designed to prepare the next generation of IP experts. This one-year, full-time programme, which starts every October, equips students with a multifaceted understanding of European and American IP and Competition Law as well as a global perspective of other jurisdictions.
MIPLC regularly updates its curriculum to reflect the evolving legal landscape. In the 2023/24 academic year, new foundational modules on innovation and competition law, along with data law, were introduced to address the growing influence of digitalisation. Elective modules now include advanced subject areas such as digital health regulation, global data governance and artificial intelligence (AI).
Students benefit from courses such as “AI Law and Policy” and “Competition Law in Digital Markets” as well. Leading these courses are faculty drawn from MIPLC’s leading partners, as well as a variety of scholars and practitioners from around the world.
AI Law and Policy is taught by Prof. Dr. Michèle Finck, LL.M., Chair for Law and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Tübingen. This course equips students with a deep understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing AI within the European Union. Students gain insights into essential legal principles, regulatory structures, and ethical considerations related to the nascent and complex AI landscape in the EU.
The Competition Law in Digital Markets course, led by Prof. Dr. Peter Picht, Chair for Business, Competition, and Intellectual Property Law at the University of Zurich, tackles the unique challenges posed by competition in today’s digital marketplaces. Through case studies, group work, and comparative analysis of global jurisdictions, students master the legal principles and regulations governing competition in the digital sphere.
During her MIPLC journey, Carolina Banda, a Junior Research Fellow and doctoral candidate, Banda found the academic environment and multicultural friendships to be among the most rewarding aspects of her programme. This year, she taught the Digital Health Regulation Course for the first time. Source: Munich Intellectual Property Law Center
The best part? Personalised teaching from faculty. Small class sizes, averaging around 38 students from over 20 countries, enable faculty to provide individualised attention and encourage meaningful interaction. Some professors made a lasting impression on Shimizu. “Prof. Robert Brauneis was for me a brilliant educator who was able to get our attention full-time,” she says. “The Copyright Law course is a dense one with so many details and case laws, but he was able to make the topic easily understandable and interesting.”
Carolina Banda, a Junior Research Fellow and Doctoral Candidate at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, agrees. “The programme’s comprehensive curriculum, delivered by world-class yet approachable professors, fostered an atmosphere of meaningful discussions and collaborative learning,” she says.
To further prepare students for their future careers, the center actively supports students in securing internship opportunities with high-level representatives in various fields, including patent law firms, corporations, IP institutions, and academia.
“The internship opportunity I had right after graduation was crucial to shaping me for the future working opportunities that came later in Germany,” Shimizu says. “During my internship, I got more familiar with the local working culture and have real-life experience with IP and data protection topics.”
Banda credits MIPLC with providing her with the skills and knowledge necessary to confidently pursue complex legal issues, including those at the intersection of competition law, innovation, data protection regulations, and emerging technologies. “The research elements within the MIPLC programme, such as the thesis, were crucial in equipping me with the skills needed for my PhD journey,” Banda says.
Interested? Advance your career with the LLM in Intellectual Property and Competition Law at the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center.
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