Duration of Instruction: September - October, and Oral Exam in October. This is a basic course in the field of Public International Law addressing fundamental issues in the field such as Sources, International Personality, States, Territory, Jurisdiction, Immunities, The Law of Treaties, State Responsibility, International Organisations, The United Nations, The Use of Force and Settlement of Disputes.  The course is mainly constructed for law students on a graduate level, while it can also be useful for students from other but related academic fields, such as in international relations, as there is an emphasis on approaching the topics to be dealt with also from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The course covers the legal foundations and principles of International Environmental Law and European Union Environmental Law. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, structured as interactive lectures with student participation, the main emphasis is placed on covering and explaining the legal foundations and principles of environmental law, including sustainable development, sustainability and the UN SDG,  within each of the two legal systems of International Environmental Law and European Union Environmental Law, the influence of International Environmental Law on European Union Environmental Law, the development of statutory solutions and the influence of legal practice. This will be followed by a general introduction of the chief topics of environmental law within each legal system. In the second part of the course, some specific themes of environmental law within each legal system will be thoroughly and critically analysed, requiring active student participation and initiative. Among these themes are the conservation of biological diversity, pollution prevention, participation rights and access to courts, human rights and the environment, and legal issues relating to the Arctic. (See also course LÖG187F, Transnational Climate Law).

Duration of Instruction: October - November. The objective is to present an overview of international cooperation for the protection of human rights, international human rights instruments their implementation and enforcement, as well as recent trends in the evolution of international action on human rights, etc. The course will present the system for the protection of human rights within the United Nations and focus on some of the major human rights treaties, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Human Righs Committee and the international Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The main features of regional human rights cooperation in the world will be introduced, and particular attention will be paid to the European Convention and the Court of Human Rights. Issues in the field of humanitarian law will also be covered, as well as role of international criminal courts in implementing fundamental human rights.

The course covers the legal foundations and principles of International Climate Law and European Union Climate Law. The course also covers some statutory solutions adopted by individual states in response to their international obligations, along with some landmark national case-law. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, the main emphasis is placed on the legal foundations and principles of climate law, the influence of International Climate law on European Union Climate Law, and the development of statutory solutions within a few states. In the second part, which will be conducted in the form of seminars, a few themes of International Climate law and European Union Climate law will be thoroughly and critically analysed, requiring active student participation and initiative. (See also course LÖG110F, Themes on International and European Union Environmental Law).

The objectives of the course are threefold. First, to provide a clear and concise overview of the topics of the Energy Law of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) as well as explaining core concepts in this specialised and important field of law. Second, to analyse the main rules of EU Energy Law, including the “Clean Energy for All Europeans Package”, and the connection between energy regulation and climate regulation. Third, to examine Icelandic energy legislation.

A course taught in English dealing with the Law of the Sea, being a special sub-section of public international law. The course is mainly aimed for law students on a master's level, besides exchange students, while also being suitable for students from other related academic fields. After conlcuding the course students should be able to understand the legal framework and to work with instruments in this field. The basis will be studying the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) prescribing the international  legal framework for different ocean areas and for activities there.  Also we explore other important instruments in the field as the UN Fish Stocks Agreement. Emphasis is on delimitation and legal status of different maritime zones and on the rules governing the exploitation of marine resources.

International Economic law is a growing field in the area of public international law. The aim of this course is twofold:

 1) To learn about international trade, finance, investment and economic development. We learn the international law principles, rules and standards which govern the establishment by economic operators (primarily business and industry) of the various factors of production on the territory of other states or which regulate their international transactions in goods, services and transfer of payments.

Major themes: - Introduction to international economic law. General concepts and context of international economic law. - The multilateral trading system (WTO) - institutional law & dispute settlement, substantive WTO law. GATT Article I - the most favoured nation principle, domestic regulation. GATT Article XI - quantitative restrictions to trade. GATT Article XX - general exceptions, i.e. trade and environment. TBT and SPS agreements, GATS, TRIPs, SCM and anti-dumping. - The International Monetary System. The IMF as lender of last resort, exchange arrangements, conditionally and borrowing by the Fund. - The International Monetary System; World Bank and its affiliates, BIS, Paris Club, Group of ten, etc. - International Investment: Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), Codes towards Multilateral Investment, host State responsibility, foreign investor protection, dispute settlement, dispute settlement and development of standards through specialist for a such as ICSID, Iran-US Claims Tribunal.

 2) To understand the current critique to positive economic law (current system in force), discuss scientific (legal) questions on global justice and political economy and philosophy and propose better rules de lege ferenda (for the future).

Major themes: Economic justice in an unfair world. Reforming international economic law. Political philosophies: The law of peoples (Rawls) vs. The egalitarian law of peoples (Pogge). A theory of Justice (Sen). Human Rights Approach: Capabilities as Fundamental Entitlements (Naussban). Aid and Development: The bottom billion (Collier). Other global measuring indexes beyond GDP: measuring human progress, environmental protection and happiness.

Teaching methods: The course aims at active participation of students in discussion and their presentation of the topic of global economic justice in a research paper.

The first part of the course EU/EEA law is devoted to EU/EEA constitutional law: general principles and sources of EU/EEA law, the relationship between EU/EEA law and national laws and judicial protection of individual rights both at national and European level.

The content of EU-EEA law is covered by reading main textbook accessible in advance and provided by teacher. Other reading materials on EU and EEA institutions and legal framework are also offered to students to understand the nature and effects of European integration/cooperation.

Furthermore, a research project is required to learn with locate, summarize and update legal sources in the field with the use of public-access European legal and academic databases (Treaties and legislation, doctrine and case-law from European courts).

The programme will consist of : the European integration process; the European Union after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty; the  European institutions; European acts and their effects in the national legal orders; principles of EU law; the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and EU citizenship. These topics are analyzed in the light of the relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the EU and the EFTA Court, both in Luxembourg.

The course focuses on  the legal nature of EU and EEA law vis-a-vis other legal orders (international and human rights law, constitutions law) and the effect of EEA law in the national legal orders. Particular attention will be paid to comparing characteristics of EU and EEA law: the role of the Court of Justice and the EFTA Court in the development of EU/EEA law and the effectiveness of these legal orders to secure rights for private individuals and economic operators through these doctrines:  primacy, direct effect and State liability for breaches of European law.

Contents of the course in a nutshell:

• European constitutional law (EU and EEA Treaties).
• Legal framework, nature and judge-made principles of EU-EEA law that make European law unique.
• Comparative study of the effectiveness of EU and EEA law from a citizens rights´ perspective (access to justice).
• Interaction of EU-EEA law with national legal orders.

Method: Reading EU-EEA law textbook and other materials. Learning to do research in the field and writing a legal paper. Taking a written examination dealing with theory (textbook and materials) and practice (real documents for anaysis and comment).

The impact and importance of European law (EU and EEA law) has increased significantly in recent years. This is reflected in its evolution from an  internal economic market to one which incorporates social, political and fundamental rights in addition to economic elements. In spite of  fundamental differences between EU law and EEA law, the impact of EU/EEA law as a source of national laws in 27/30 European countries is undeniable. Consequently, EU/EEA law is essential to the legal environment, context and operation of any business.

The second part of the course EU/EEA law is devoted to substantive EU/EEA law in the following areas: -the single market, -the four freedoms and - the regulation of the economic activity by the State/EU.

EU Law: the foundations of the single market, the law of the single market: free movement of goods, free movement of workers and persons, freedom of establishment and to provide and receive services and free movement of capital, harmonization and common policy making; the principle of proportionality;  Union citizenship; the regulation of economic activity by the State and EU institutions.

EEA Law: the law of the internal market in the EEA legal order. Homogeneity and its limits. EU and EEA law in perspective.

Content of the course in a nutshell:

• European internal market and the four fundamental freedoms.
• Resolution of practical cases relating to European EU-EEA law from a professional perspective.
• Visits to Icelandic legislative, executive and judicial powers to discuss the incorporation, application and enforcement of EEA law in practice.

LLM final thesis is an independent research project which the student writes under an academic supervision. The project deals with challenging subject and original application of theories.

The course will cover a few of the basic features of the United States legal system and American constitutional law. Students will learn about several historical judgements delivered by the Supreme Court of the United States, from 1803 to the present day, and the consequences these judgements have had for the legal system and wider society.

The main purpose of the seminar is that the student, after finishing the seminar, is able to develop a list of universal "best practices" for successful corporate governance, applicable inter alia in Iceland, the United States, Germany and Japan. The student shall have gained a thorough understanding of the role of both in-house lawyers and alternative legal advisors providing services to stakeholders, boards, mangement, shareholders of corporations as well as surveillance officials.

It has been observed throughout modern history that the American Jury Trial System is “Democracy in the Courtroom.” Yet, the historical antecedents of the jury trial were radically different from today’s system. An understanding of it’s history and evolution will enable the student to evaluate the efficacy of the modern American Jury Trial System and it’s Constitutional foundations. In today’s “Information Age” people around the world have unparalleled access to insights into everyday life and institutions in all parts of the world. Nevertheless, these insights are determined by the media exposure given by news outlets and social media. The goal of the seminar is to inform the student of what is often a misunderstood or ill-informed reporting of the American System.

Francis Wasserman, former judge and prosecutor in the United States, will teach this course.

Duration of Instruction: September - October, and Oral Exam in October. This is a basic course in the field of Public International Law addressing fundamental issues in the field such as Sources, International Personality, States, Territory, Jurisdiction, Immunities, The Law of Treaties, State Responsibility, International Organisations, The United Nations, The Use of Force and Settlement of Disputes.  The course is mainly constructed for law students on a graduate level, while it can also be useful for students from other but related academic fields, such as in international relations, as there is an emphasis on approaching the topics to be dealt with also from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The course covers the legal foundations and principles of International Environmental Law and European Union Environmental Law. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, structured as interactive lectures with student participation, the main emphasis is placed on covering and explaining the legal foundations and principles of environmental law, including sustainable development, sustainability and the UN SDG,  within each of the two legal systems of International Environmental Law and European Union Environmental Law, the influence of International Environmental Law on European Union Environmental Law, the development of statutory solutions and the influence of legal practice. This will be followed by a general introduction of the chief topics of environmental law within each legal system. In the second part of the course, some specific themes of environmental law within each legal system will be thoroughly and critically analysed, requiring active student participation and initiative. Among these themes are the conservation of biological diversity, pollution prevention, participation rights and access to courts, human rights and the environment, and legal issues relating to the Arctic. (See also course LÖG187F, Transnational Climate Law).

Duration of Instruction: October - November. The objective is to present an overview of international cooperation for the protection of human rights, international human rights instruments their implementation and enforcement, as well as recent trends in the evolution of international action on human rights, etc. The course will present the system for the protection of human rights within the United Nations and focus on some of the major human rights treaties, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Human Righs Committee and the international Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The main features of regional human rights cooperation in the world will be introduced, and particular attention will be paid to the European Convention and the Court of Human Rights. Issues in the field of humanitarian law will also be covered, as well as role of international criminal courts in implementing fundamental human rights.

The course covers the legal foundations and principles of International Climate Law and European Union Climate Law. The course also covers some statutory solutions adopted by individual states in response to their international obligations, along with some landmark national case-law. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, the main emphasis is placed on the legal foundations and principles of climate law, the influence of International Climate law on European Union Climate Law, and the development of statutory solutions within a few states. In the second part, which will be conducted in the form of seminars, a few themes of International Climate law and European Union Climate law will be thoroughly and critically analysed, requiring active student participation and initiative. (See also course LÖG110F, Themes on International and European Union Environmental Law).

The objectives of the course are threefold. First, to provide a clear and concise overview of the topics of the Energy Law of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) as well as explaining core concepts in this specialised and important field of law. Second, to analyse the main rules of EU Energy Law, including the “Clean Energy for All Europeans Package”, and the connection between energy regulation and climate regulation. Third, to examine Icelandic energy legislation.

A course taught in English dealing with the Law of the Sea, being a special sub-section of public international law. The course is mainly aimed for law students on a master's level, besides exchange students, while also being suitable for students from other related academic fields. After conlcuding the course students should be able to understand the legal framework and to work with instruments in this field. The basis will be studying the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) prescribing the international  legal framework for different ocean areas and for activities there.  Also we explore other important instruments in the field as the UN Fish Stocks Agreement. Emphasis is on delimitation and legal status of different maritime zones and on the rules governing the exploitation of marine resources.

International Economic law is a growing field in the area of public international law. The aim of this course is twofold:

 1) To learn about international trade, finance, investment and economic development. We learn the international law principles, rules and standards which govern the establishment by economic operators (primarily business and industry) of the various factors of production on the territory of other states or which regulate their international transactions in goods, services and transfer of payments.

Major themes: - Introduction to international economic law. General concepts and context of international economic law. - The multilateral trading system (WTO) - institutional law & dispute settlement, substantive WTO law. GATT Article I - the most favoured nation principle, domestic regulation. GATT Article XI - quantitative restrictions to trade. GATT Article XX - general exceptions, i.e. trade and environment. TBT and SPS agreements, GATS, TRIPs, SCM and anti-dumping. - The International Monetary System. The IMF as lender of last resort, exchange arrangements, conditionally and borrowing by the Fund. - The International Monetary System; World Bank and its affiliates, BIS, Paris Club, Group of ten, etc. - International Investment: Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), Codes towards Multilateral Investment, host State responsibility, foreign investor protection, dispute settlement, dispute settlement and development of standards through specialist for a such as ICSID, Iran-US Claims Tribunal.

 2) To understand the current critique to positive economic law (current system in force), discuss scientific (legal) questions on global justice and political economy and philosophy and propose better rules de lege ferenda (for the future).

Major themes: Economic justice in an unfair world. Reforming international economic law. Political philosophies: The law of peoples (Rawls) vs. The egalitarian law of peoples (Pogge). A theory of Justice (Sen). Human Rights Approach: Capabilities as Fundamental Entitlements (Naussban). Aid and Development: The bottom billion (Collier). Other global measuring indexes beyond GDP: measuring human progress, environmental protection and happiness.

Teaching methods: The course aims at active participation of students in discussion and their presentation of the topic of global economic justice in a research paper.

The first part of the course EU/EEA law is devoted to EU/EEA constitutional law: general principles and sources of EU/EEA law, the relationship between EU/EEA law and national laws and judicial protection of individual rights both at national and European level.

The content of EU-EEA law is covered by reading main textbook accessible in advance and provided by teacher. Other reading materials on EU and EEA institutions and legal framework are also offered to students to understand the nature and effects of European integration/cooperation.

Furthermore, a research project is required to learn with locate, summarize and update legal sources in the field with the use of public-access European legal and academic databases (Treaties and legislation, doctrine and case-law from European courts).

The programme will consist of : the European integration process; the European Union after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty; the  European institutions; European acts and their effects in the national legal orders; principles of EU law; the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and EU citizenship. These topics are analyzed in the light of the relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the EU and the EFTA Court, both in Luxembourg.

The course focuses on  the legal nature of EU and EEA law vis-a-vis other legal orders (international and human rights law, constitutions law) and the effect of EEA law in the national legal orders. Particular attention will be paid to comparing characteristics of EU and EEA law: the role of the Court of Justice and the EFTA Court in the development of EU/EEA law and the effectiveness of these legal orders to secure rights for private individuals and economic operators through these doctrines:  primacy, direct effect and State liability for breaches of European law.

Contents of the course in a nutshell:

• European constitutional law (EU and EEA Treaties).
• Legal framework, nature and judge-made principles of EU-EEA law that make European law unique.
• Comparative study of the effectiveness of EU and EEA law from a citizens rights´ perspective (access to justice).
• Interaction of EU-EEA law with national legal orders.

Method: Reading EU-EEA law textbook and other materials. Learning to do research in the field and writing a legal paper. Taking a written examination dealing with theory (textbook and materials) and practice (real documents for anaysis and comment).

The impact and importance of European law (EU and EEA law) has increased significantly in recent years. This is reflected in its evolution from an  internal economic market to one which incorporates social, political and fundamental rights in addition to economic elements. In spite of  fundamental differences between EU law and EEA law, the impact of EU/EEA law as a source of national laws in 27/30 European countries is undeniable. Consequently, EU/EEA law is essential to the legal environment, context and operation of any business.

The second part of the course EU/EEA law is devoted to substantive EU/EEA law in the following areas: -the single market, -the four freedoms and - the regulation of the economic activity by the State/EU.

EU Law: the foundations of the single market, the law of the single market: free movement of goods, free movement of workers and persons, freedom of establishment and to provide and receive services and free movement of capital, harmonization and common policy making; the principle of proportionality;  Union citizenship; the regulation of economic activity by the State and EU institutions.

EEA Law: the law of the internal market in the EEA legal order. Homogeneity and its limits. EU and EEA law in perspective.

Content of the course in a nutshell:

• European internal market and the four fundamental freedoms.
• Resolution of practical cases relating to European EU-EEA law from a professional perspective.
• Visits to Icelandic legislative, executive and judicial powers to discuss the incorporation, application and enforcement of EEA law in practice.

LLM final thesis is an independent research project which the student writes under an academic supervision. The project deals with challenging subject and original application of theories.

The course will cover a few of the basic features of the United States legal system and American constitutional law. Students will learn about several historical judgements delivered by the Supreme Court of the United States, from 1803 to the present day, and the consequences these judgements have had for the legal system and wider society.

The main purpose of the seminar is that the student, after finishing the seminar, is able to develop a list of universal "best practices" for successful corporate governance, applicable inter alia in Iceland, the United States, Germany and Japan. The student shall have gained a thorough understanding of the role of both in-house lawyers and alternative legal advisors providing services to stakeholders, boards, mangement, shareholders of corporations as well as surveillance officials.

It has been observed throughout modern history that the American Jury Trial System is “Democracy in the Courtroom.” Yet, the historical antecedents of the jury trial were radically different from today’s system. An understanding of it’s history and evolution will enable the student to evaluate the efficacy of the modern American Jury Trial System and it’s Constitutional foundations. In today’s “Information Age” people around the world have unparalleled access to insights into everyday life and institutions in all parts of the world. Nevertheless, these insights are determined by the media exposure given by news outlets and social media. The goal of the seminar is to inform the student of what is often a misunderstood or ill-informed reporting of the American System.

Francis Wasserman, former judge and prosecutor in the United States, will teach this course.