Testimonials

• Testimonials Dresden (both semester)
• Testimonials Study Dresden / Exeter
• Testimonials Study Dresden / London
• Testimonials Study Dresden / Prague
• Testimonials Study Dresden / Strasbourg
• Testimonials Study Dresden / Seattle
• Testimonials Study Dresden / Szeged
• Testimonials in general

Testimonials Dresden (both semester):

Zhenyu Xu, China, class 2024/2025

Previously graduating from engineering subject with over 6 years’ professional experience as in-house patent counsel, I got a greatest opportunity to study in this LLM program. It was my vision to systematically study in a law subject, with a focus on European IP. The beautiful and peaceful city on the River Elbe deeply attracted me together with its long history, providing an overall good environment for an enjoyable study and a high quality of life. This one-year LLM is proved to be far beyond my expectation. The well-structured lectures and interactive case studies enabled us to gain basic knowledge and thorough understanding of Copyright, Data, Trade Mark & Design and Patent Law. Fundamentals of Research module provided a solid foundation for us to study and research legal questions properly and effectively, in particular it is very helpful to students without a law degree or previously working in other jurisdictions. My favourite modules are Ring Lectures, in both winter and summer semesters, attorneys and in-house counsel from various famous law firms and companies gave us an insight to their practical work in the field of Intellectual Property Law and Data Law. These impressive seminars and workshops further deepened our knowledge and broadened our horizons. Thanks to effective communication and detailed guidance from IP LLM coordinator team, their strong support guaranteed us to have a fruitful academic achievement. Another advantage of our program is the diversity of class, we are able to exchange our opinions and share our practice with law students from around 20 different countries. The most valuable academic experience for me was the active participation in patent law moot court which included an opposition case before the EPO conducted by a former Director of EPO and an infringement case before the UPC conducted by Hoffmann Eitle Law Firm. I benefited quite a lot from the two high-quality moot courts which not only strengthened my understanding of substantial patent law but also enhanced my oral presentation and teamwork skills. After successfully completing my study within one year, I got a satisfactory position in a top tier German patent law firm, which solely focuses on patent litigation in Germany and Europe. In general, this program made me much more confident and passionate about my next professional journey.

Idil Kayra Birinci, Turkey, class 2023/2024

Before starting the program, I worked as an attorney for four years in Turkey. I decided to study the LLM in International Studies in IP Law and Data Law to specialize in these important fields and pursue an international career. I studied both semesters in Dresden. I was initially concerned about studying in a foreign country and navigating a different university system. However, the program coordinators were incredibly helpful, providing valuable advice that eased my transition. The strong theoretical education of the program was complemented by the practitioners’ panel lectures, which offered insightful perspectives. I found the practitioners' panels so valuable that I chose to take this module in both semesters. We had lectures from scholars and practitioners from all over the world, which enabled us to understand different legal systems. One thing I liked a lot was the flexibility of the curriculum as I enrolled in three more lectures than required without any problems. If you want to learn more, there are no barriers from the administration. In addition, it was very easy to contact the lecturers, which I found very valuable. The relevance of the program’s detailed subjects became evident during my hiring process for my new job in Munich. The subjects we studied were very on point and relevant in practice. I feel that I have truly developed expertise in IP and data law, gained valuable international perspectives, and strengthened my academic skills significantly. Besides that, the program was highly diverse, which made it easier for international students to adapt. Lastly, I really enjoyed living in Dresden. It is a beautiful city with amazing architecture and history. It is also very practical and easy for foreign students to live in.

Testimonials Study Dresden / Exeter:

Julian Wrangel, Germany, class 2022/2023

The LL.M. programme provided me with a unique opportunity to study intellectual property law from the perspective of two different jurisdictions. Starting in Dresden during the summer semester, the well-structured programme gave me a comprehensive overview of different areas of IP law. This theoretical background set the stage for my experience in Exeter, where I encountered a truly special and unique aspect of the programme. My time in Dresden gave me a broad understanding of all IP-related topics. While the various courses provided a comprehensive theoretical background, the practitioners’ panels provided skills and understanding of how the theory would work in practice. I was very impressed by the high academic standard of the programme in Dresden. It gave me a solid foundation for the next stage of my studies at Exeter and my career as an IP lawyer. At the University of Exeter, the interactive, small-group teaching methods and the focus on practical legal skills were an outstanding and unique feature. I gained invaluable experience in participating in legal discussions, producing extended legal writing and presenting arguments to an audience in a concise and effective manner. This interactive approach, coupled with well-structured seminars such as Copyright Law and Artificial Intelligence and the Law, contributed significantly to my academic and professional growth. Outside the academic program the university offers an incredible variety of activities, such as sports and language courses. The campus life in Exeter is also very attractive, as the numerous student societies offer an extremely wide range of social activities of all kinds. You quickly get to know many students from a wide variety of courses. All in all, I can highly recommend the whole LLM programme, especially because of the opportunity to study at two different universities. The programme, with its balanced mix of theory and practice, exposure to foreign jurisdictions and interactive teaching methods, has undoubtedly further enhanced my internationally oriented career in IP law.

Katrin Eßer, Germany, class 2020

Despite the challenging overall circumstances, the lecturers here at Exeter place a lot of emphasis on us getting to know each other. One lecturer always "throws" us into "breakout rooms" via Zoom in pairs or threes at the beginning of the "online-live" VL. This is really quite nice when you can just chat a bit with other students and get to know each other. It feels like most of the students are in Exeter, but getting to know each other online is always more difficult than in the university. But through the group work, it works quite well and you get to know one or the other. The exams in Exeter this year will be in the form of essays that we do at home. In the end, the time abroad is very short, but I'm still really happy that the whole thing with Corona worked out at all and in view of these circumstances it's really great and also much better than expected.

Testimonials Study Dresden / London:

Jenny Cathiard-Guillermin, class 2022/2023

As I was prospecting for an LL.M in IP, the offer made by the TUD to study in Germany and the UK appeared as a unique opportunity that I needed to seize. By doing so, I deepened my knowledge of IP, participated in intellectually stimulating projects that helped me broaden my horizon towards the application of IP (such as the selective research project conducted between TUD and the CEIPI on AI and IP) and covered a range of practical during my time at the partner university, the prestigious Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Whether in Dresden or London, I was part of an international cohort through which I gained valuable insights into various jurisdictions and legal cultures. This program met my expectations as it offered a cross-border view of IP and encouraged its students to discover the practical sides of this type of law by confronting us with the legal culture and reasoning of different jurisdictions ranging from civil, common or International/European law. This knowledge has easily been reused in my current work as IP counsel. Thanks to the LL.M., I can bring more clarity to IP issues brought to me and sharpen my view on specific topics related to this field. To conclude, apart from adding a great line to my CV, the LL.M. was also the opportunity to meet many impressive individuals who helped me build an extended international network of reliable legal professionals. It is fair to say that, overall, academically, professionally and humanly, this LL.M. has uplifted me.
Feel free to reach me on Linkedin for more details on my experience. I will be glad to share about the latter and answer questions to future students.

Pierre Gerber, France, class 2021

The International Studies in Intellectual Property Law program of the TU Dresden offers solid, comprehensive technical knowledge as well as valuable practical insights from legal professionals. As a whole, the training received both in Dresden and in the partner universities makes for an excellent background to start a career in the highly specialised field of IP law. Students are carefully supervised by a helpful and supportive team, even in the difficult context of the Covid pandemic, allowing for a pleasant learning experience. The semester at Queen Mary University of London focuses on more specific areas such as the licensing of IP rights as well as more peripheral topics such as trade secrets. It is a challenging course of study that complements the IP-rights oriented lectures at TU Dresden nicely. All in all, one can only recommend this LL.M to lawyers or students planning their future career in IP law.

Testimonials Study Dresden / Prague:

Chaoqun Li, China, Jahrgang 2021/22

I  was offered a place in the IP LL.M Program for the academic year 2021/22, providing me with the unique opportunity to study in both Prague and Dresden. This program is renowned for its intensive focus on intellectual property laws, encompassing not only well-structured academic theory but also invaluable practical insights within the field. What makes this program more attractive is the combination of studying in Dresden and one of its partner universities. My experience in the winter semester at Charles University in Prague was unforgettable: the charming city, affordable living expenses, rich culture, and the small-group-based interactive teaching styles.  The curriculum in Prague centered around copyright laws, addressing the current issues in copyright law such as the liability of services providers.  In my view, the IP-related courses in Prague were also friendly to students who did not study LLB and could serve as a foundation for the IP LL.M Program. In addition, you are welcome to select other LL.M courses such as health law, sports law, international public law, or human rights, which allows for a broader understanding of legal principles. In the summer semester, the courses at TU Dresden were intensive but well designed to cover different aspects of IP law, ranging from copyright, trademark, patent as well as data protection. I would suggest you pick up one aspect and specialise in it for your future career. In conclusion, I can only recommend taking the opportunity to study at a partner university abroad during the winter semester to gain insights into different legal systems and different approaches to the implementation of EU intellectual property directives. In return, it will not only enrich your academic experience but will also undoubtedly contribute to your personal growth and future career prospects.

Yamini Chandar Sha, India, class 2021

The Masters program offered by TU Dresden is truly informative and enlightening. The summer program at Dresden is well designed to cover various subjects of IP law. The lectures offered by scholars from across the world and workshops on data protection laws have helped me to cultivate a deeper understanding of different subjects of law. Despite this year's programme was virtual, which was challenging at times, I was impressed by the commitment and support from the faculty. Their expertise and guidance has been thoroughly helpful in terms of acquiring extensive knowledge and invaluable insights into different ways of thinking. The program's emphasis on compulsory internship also allowed me to explore different opportunities in the real world and build a successful career. The winter semester at Charles University, Prague focussed more on copyright laws. It focussed on team-work which allowed me to connect and engage with a diverse group of students from different cultures. Moreover, the University offered students courses on other subjects of law like corporate laws, sports law and many others which helped me broaden my knowledge. Overall, the experience gained through this semester has been truly enriching and worthwhile. In essence, the program offered by TU Dresden is an all in one knowledge package and certainly rewarding. I have been able to apply the knowledge I acquired from the program during my work and advance through my career. In all, pursuing this degree has been one of the most transformative experiences of my professional career.

Testimonials Study Dresden / Strasbourg:

Eirini Despotaki, Greece, class 2020 - Semester abroad in Strasbourg with subsequent participation in the Pan-European Seal Programme of the EUIPO

The study program lived up to my expectations despite the objective difficulties set to the coordinators as well as to us - students - by the global pandemic. My semester abroad in Strasbourg was a very enriching experience both on an academic and a personal level as it provided me numerous chances to expand my legal knowledge. Namely, I had the chance to write a mid-term essay on Patent Law and to participate in a Moot Court on Wine Law held in Reims, France. The modules of the summer semester in Dresden were held entirely online, keeping, however, their high academic quality. The availability and excellent assistance of the professors at all times is one of the things I appreciated the most as it compensated for the absence of physical interaction between students and teachers. During my studies, I decided to apply for a one-year-traineeship at the EUIPO, where I was eventually accepted. I am currently working at the Operations Department of the Office, and more precisely, in Oppositions Decisions. The Trademark Law knowledge I gained through my LLM has been proven more than handy in my daily tasks, which consist of drafting decisions on oppositions against European Union trademark applications. In the scenario where I wouldn't be working at the EUIPO, I would have probably looked for an internship at an international law firm that specializes in IP law, either in my home country or abroad. Overall, I feel like this LLM has been a valuable asset for my future career.

Testimonials Study Dresden / Seattle:

Philip Meinel, Germany, class 2022/2023 - Semester Abroad Seattle

In the academic year 2022/23, I had the opportunity to participate in this unique LL.M. program at TU Dresden, which was complemented by a stay abroad at the University of Washington in Seattle. This experience was not only an academic enrichment for me, but also a formative journey that uniquely combined the advantages of American and German master's programs. Both universities are characterized not only by their in-depth courses in intellectual property law, but also by their dedicated and experienced faculty. The lecturers helped to make the learning process not only informative, but also entertaining and practical. The stay abroad in Seattle also enabled me to immerse myself intensively in American legal practice. Understanding the differences between the legal systems in Germany and the USA proved to be a challenge that is invaluable to me in my day-to-day work. The active support from the university staff in Dresden and Seattle also helped me to quickly feel at home in both environments. A special feature was also the many events outside of class in both cities, which offered numerous opportunities to meet new people from different countries: from dinners together to pub nights to attending football games of the university team in Seattle. This was instrumental in making long-lasting friendships and expanding my professional network. Seattle and Dresden are ideal for this, as not only the cities themselves, but also the surrounding areas constantly offer new activities, such as hiking, skiing or weekend trips to Vancouver or Berlin. All in all, participating in the LL.M. program in Dresden and Seattle was an unforgettable and instructive time that I would recommend to anyone.

Sarah Kardesler, Germany, class 2022/2023 - Semester Abroad Seattle

For the past six months, I've been living the American college dream. I have had the privilege of studying Intellectual Property law at the University of Washington, and it was an incredible experience. The professors were not only experts in their field, but many of them had previously worked as lawyers, which made the classes practical and insightful. One of my favorite classes was music law, which was open to both law students and music students. It was fascinating to learn about the legal issues surrounding the music industry and to hear from music professionals about their experiences. Besides from my class experiences I dined with a professor at her home (I still can't believe she invited students to her house), gobbled up Thanksgiving dinner with 20 roommates in a shared house, and attended weekly cookouts with other international students who introduced me to their home country's cuisine (I'm now an expert in all things delicious). I tried to wrap my head around American football but quickly realized it was like trying to learn an alien language. I got stranded in Las Vegas during Christmas because I didn't know better than to book a flight on December 23rd (rookie mistake, am I right?). I got lost in massive American supermarkets and in translation. I made a ton of new friends and built a home far away from home. (I learned that home is where the Starbucks is, and my wallet can attest to that.) These past few months have been the best of my life, and I'm grateful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can't wait to see what Dresden and my time at TU hold.

Testimonials Study Dresden / Szeged:

Irem Aydin, Turkey, class 2021/22

I had the privilege to take part in this unique IP LL.M Course in 2021/22 in Szeged and Dresden. After almost 1.5 years in quarantine due to covid restrictions, traveling to Szeged, Hungary as part of my studies was an experience I could not forget. During my time in both countries, I was happy to meet people from different countries and cultures, and to build a life in a foreign country which made me gain skills that I will carry with me in every aspect of my life. Experienced staff of both TU Dresden and University of Szeged contributed to my professional and academic development, for this I'm beyond grateful. However, I think what makes this program unique is the fact that it encourages international mobility all around the world. Participating in this program made it clear to me that I can move to any country, and I will find nice people to surround myself with. Entering 2022 with people from 6 different cultures by combining multiple traditions, going to parties with my classmates, making friends that I can catch up in different countries, hosting and joining many dinner parties, eating endless apple pies, witnessing the growth of my peers, and celebrating career milestones all together are only some of the aspects that come to my mind when I think about my time in Szeged and Dresden. As a foreigner who started working in Germany after my studies, I use the knowledge I gained during my studies in this Course everyday. It can be challenging to navigate in a different country's legal system, however both the academic aspect of the studies and the practical aspect in terms of mandatory internship made it clear to me that I was given the right tools to find my way, thanks to everyone who contributed to the Course! I would highly recommend taking advantage of the program's duality, experiencing different cultures, learning from the professionals in the field and meeting lots of people! I'm excited for all the new students for their upcoming journey. Please feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn, I'm always happy to share my experience and help as much as I can.

Felix Oludare Omosele, Nigera, class 2020

I was at the University of Szeged, Hungary for the winter semester of the LL.M. program. Fortunately, this period was before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in Europe, and I was, therefore, able to attend in-person classes. One of the commendable features of the study program at Szeged was its use of practicing professionals as lecturers. For example, a patent attorney was responsible for one of the modules that I took. Furthermore, the supportive role of the program coordinator easily offset the integration challenges that I faced off-studies while in the city. The summer semester at TU Dresden was entirely virtual and challenging – of course for obvious reasons. However, despite this forced constraint, I still found several aspects of the program admirable. In particular, the highlighting by students of country-by-country differences in IP legislation in an online table provides a comparative depth. Also, the perspectives gained from experts during the programs’ virtual “Practitioners Panel sessions” were quite impressive, and I believe all this would help me in my future professional career.

Testimonials in general:

Alexander Fischer, Germany, class 2021

The special advantage of the Dresden program is that you don't have to choose - as in most other Master's programs - whether you want to gain in-depth knowledge of German law or look beyond your own nose to gain insight into the mechanics of foreign law in another jurisdiction.  The fact that you get the best of both worlds at the TU Dresden and its various partner universities means, that the master's program enjoys an excellent reputation and, in my opinion, is also highly valued by employers. In addition, as a lawyer, you are presented with professional and personal challenges that allow you to grow noticeably, and yet you are always well looked after by a friendly and caring team at the institute - whether in Dresden, in online teaching, or abroad.
Prof. Lauber-Rönsberg and her team naturally transfer their tangible enthusiasm for the practice of IP law to the students, which is by no means a matter of course, even in a Master's program. Many contacts to law firms and companies through interesting practical lectures round off the studies and help the students to concretely plan their career in IP law after graduation.

Marek Nowicki, Poland, class 2020

"Despite the numerous challenges related to the corona pandemic, the IP-LL.M. program has been successfully converted to online teaching and was able to deliver an excellent academic experience. Students have been provided with a number of easy-to-use online tools designed to enable distance-based learning, including an all-in-one user-friendly platform, recorded lectures, live classes, e-textbook, and full access to the online library via VPN along with proper instructions on how to access and use all of these resources. Additionally, the weekly consultation hour meetings have allowed students to ask questions regarding organizational, technical, residence, and other issues. The IP-LL.M. team was always friendly, supportive, and ready to find individual solutions. Overall, I learned a lot and it has been a very positive experience for me.

Radek Matusek, Czech Republic, class 2018/2019

"The best part of the study program was that intellectual property law was taught in a more practical way that helps you better understand the law. Furthermore, intellectual property law is taught by professionals from various legal fields. And finally, the possibility to study with people from different countries gave me an opportunity to learn more about different countries and cultures".

Usman Ghaffar, Pakistan, class 2018/2019

"I am proud to say that I was part of the first batch of students who enrolled in this IP LLM course at TU Dresden during the launch of an all-exclusive English Track, during the academic year 2018-2019. It was a delightful, yet academically challenging experience to be a part of. I had the opportunity to obtain theoretical knowledge from highly prestigious and well-versed academics in the field of Intellectual Property Law, while the program also offered plenty of opportunities for networking and gaining practical experience. I strongly recommend this LLM course to anyone looking to expand their legal expertise in the specialized area of IP law, irrespective of which legal jurisdiction you have previously studied in. I also recommend it to people who aspire to practically advance their career in this competitive legal field, aside from seeking a specialized qualification.”