Entertainment Law LLM

The course aims to develop your understanding of how key fields within the entertainment industries operate, to assess the impact of the law upon them, and give you the practical skills necessary to succeed in a career in entertainment and media law.
Modules
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course. For more details on course structure and modules, and how you will be taught and assessed, see the full course document.
Core modules
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS
You will study the protection provided to creative works by intellectual property law. You will also examine essential legal issues in the context of the entertainment business, such as copyright (creation, infringement, ownership and control), privacy for entertainment personalities, protection of ideas, the role and relevance of trade marks and performers rights together with issues of enforcement.
POSTGRADUATE DISSERTATION IN LAW
The Dissertation module allows you to extend your research skills and develop an analytical understanding of a specialist topic of your choice within the broad field of entertainment law, with supervision for your independent research. You will need to agree the topic with the module leader, and it must not replicate materials covered in other areas of your coursework.
RESEARCH THEORY AND PRACTICE
This module introduces you to the research methodology including general concepts of legal and social scientific (empirical) research, and gives you a deeper understanding of the principles of advanced research. It will enable you to consider the relevance of these methods for the study of law. It will also enable you to evaluate your own work and that of other researchers and authors.
THE REGULATION OF RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS
You will cover the formation and content of a number of relationships within the entertainment business. Focusing on contract and contractual theory as well as the broader context of relationships within entertainment, you will examine the negotiation process involved in music business, sports contracts and other media contracts. You will also study the role of professional organisations in the development of contractual terms, and analyse deficiencies in contractual bargaining and term formation that have led to legal intervention by the courts.
Option modules*
MERCHANDISING IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS
This module considers the creation, protection and merchandising of entertainment brands and products. It examines legal issues of brand development in the entertainment business in particular in relation to the use of trademarks, passing off (unfair competition) and design law, including the relationship of copyright law, and associated contract law use.
Areas include personality rights, character merchandising, sports merchandising, sponsorship, online and off-line brand creation and protection, ambush marketing, as well as fashion and design protection.
LAW AND MEDIA: CONTENT AND CONTROL
This module will analyse the legal regulation of content and control of the media. You will examine contemporary policy and regulatory frameworks for public and commercial media set in the light of technological advancement. You will develop awareness of legal and regulatory issues in operating the media such as censorship and advertising.
LAW OF DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Considers how law and technology has created and influences law in relation to the digital entertainment business including the creation and distribution of products, examines how technological advances have affected relationships and rights within the digital entertainment business. It analyses ways that law has responded to the digital environment and technological change and examines legal issues arising from the development and use of social media for business and personal purposes.
*Subject to approval
Course team
Chris Ellins, Course leader
Associated careers
As an entertainment law graduate you will be able to develop a career in a whole range of professions within the entertainment industry. Perhaps the most popular of these are roles in sports, music, and media and communications law. The subject gives a modern edge to traditional law subjects and is well respected by employers.
Length of course
One year full-time; two years part-time
Location
Central London (Regent)
Additional costs information