Overview The programme examines the legal challenges created by digitalisation and IT that extend well beyond standard law curricula. It is aimed at professionals and graduates who want to specialise in digital and IT law; no prior IT background is required because the technical foundations are taught within the programme. All courses are delivered in English by experienced university professors and practising specialised lawyers in the historic city of Würzburg, making it accessible to international students.
Structure The degree is organised over three semesters. The first semester contains six compulsory modules: Introduction to Informatics, Introduction to German IT Law, Machine Ethics, Fundamental Rights and Data Protection, Cybercrime I, and Procedure Law. In the second semester students select six courses from options including Company Law and Digitalisation, Legal Tech, Competition Law in the Digital Age, IP Law, Cybercrime II, Robot Law / AI Law, E‑commerce / Consumer Protection, and Labour Law 4.0. The third semester is dedicated to writing the master’s thesis and completing an oral examination.
Outcomes and relevance Upon successful completion the university awards the academic degree Master of Laws (LLM). For practising lawyers in Germany, the university can additionally certify the theoretical component required for the specialist lawyer qualification in IT Law (Fachanwalt IT‑Recht, § 14k FAO). The programme equips graduates for specialist roles where law and digital technologies intersect, including positions in law firms, in‑house legal departments, regulatory and compliance units, and legal tech environments.
Key facts / requirements
Semester 1 (compulsory): students take six core modules that establish both technical and legal foundations for digital law practice:
Semester 2 (electives): students select six courses from specialist elective options to tailor their expertise. Typical electives include:
Semester 3: reserved for the Master's thesis and the final oral examination.
Learning outcomes: graduates will be able to apply technical concepts to legal problems, analyse and advise on data protection and cybercrime issues, assess regulatory and liability questions arising from AI/robotics and platformisation, and use legal‑tech tools in practice. The course also prepares practising lawyers for the theoretical part of the German Fachanwalt IT‑Recht certificate.
This programme requires both an appropriate university degree and verified practical work experience. There are two main admission routes depending on the credit volume and type of your first degree. If your first degree is not in law, you must also show foundational legal competences. International and domestic degrees are considered if they are equivalent to the stated ECTS/degree types.
General requirement
Academic qualification — two routes (choose the one that applies)
Additional requirement for non‑law degrees
Notes for international applicants: foreign degrees are eligible if they are comparable or equivalent to the specified German qualifications; practical-work credit recognition is subject to review and approval by the Audit Committee of the programme.
Winter Semester (International)
15 July 2026
Winter Semester (EU/EEA)
15 July 2026
Graduates are prepared for specialist roles at the intersection of law and technology, such as in-house counsel focused on IT and data protection, compliance officers, legal tech consultants, advisors on AI and robotics regulation, or positions in public authorities dealing with cybercrime and data protection. The programme's practical orientation and option to gain the theoretical part of the German Fachanwalt IT‑Recht certificate can be especially valuable for practising lawyers seeking to deepen their IT law expertise.
The blended delivery and evening schedule also make this degree attractive for professionals who wish to upskill without leaving employment, enabling career development while gaining an internationally recognised LLM.
University of Mannheim — Mannheim
University of Hamburg — Hamburg
Goethe University Frankfurt — Frankfurt am Main
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin — Berlin