LL.M. IP International Studies in Intellectual Property Law and Data Law

Study Intellectual Property Law and Data Law– and experience Europe!
What do excellent Intellectual Property Law and Data Law studies and some of Europe’s most beautiful historic city centres have in common?
Quite a lot! 😉 We are delighted that one of our partner universities’ locations is featured in the 2026 Tourlane Ranking among the most beautiful historic city centers in Europe:
Kraków – #14 🇵🇱
Even though an LLM year spent entirely in Dresden is awesome, you have also the possibility to spent some of your study time at one of our many partner universities throughout Europe and abroad. Studying at our partner universities means more than gaining an outstanding education in Intellectual Property Law. It also means having the opportunity to live and study in some of Europe’s most fascinating historic cities – and to experience centuries of cultural heritage right outside the university doors. Because studying IP Law in Europe should not only open doors to a great career – it should also open doors to Europe itself.
The application portal for the summer semester intake starting in April 2027 opens September 1st: Find out more here: llm-ip.de
Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag Hashtag
Krakow © Foto Wikimedia Commons Gswito

11 students in the master’s program experienced a particularly intense culmination to their semester as part of the patent law moot court: Arguments for and against the request for invalidation of the patent, late-filed documents, auxiliary requests, and other pitfalls were (almost) masterfully handled and should have thoroughly prepared all participants for their future careers. A very special thank you goes to former EPO Director Mr. Daniel X. Thomas for not only chairing the Moot Court but also providing intensive support both before and after the Moot Court. The students are heading into the summer holidays not only with these experiences but also with pages of comments on their statements and a large stack of additional slides covering European patent law.

On 6 and 7 July, our LL.M. programme had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Helena Jahromi Kowalewska for an engaging and thought-provoking seminar on the legal subjects and entities at the heart of EU Digital Legislation. The seminar provided students with an introduction to jurisprudential research in the field of EU Digital Law, focusing on the different legal subjects addressed by key EU digital legislation. Students explored not only legislative approaches, but also a range of methodological perspectives, including economic analysis and comparative legal research.
Particular attention was devoted to the Digital Services Act (DSA), Data Act and AI Act, while also examining their interplay with the GDPR. Throughout the seminar, students were supported in developing their individual research through a practical methodological toolbox and dedicated Q&A sessions.
The final presentations offered a fascinating opportunity to compare and contrast a wide range of individual research topics, including:
🔹 The effectiveness of the DSA's internal complaint-handling mechanism under Article 20 in protecting users against wrongful content removal
🔹 Balancing data access and business protection: the role of the data holder under the EU Data Act
🔹 The interaction between the Data Act's user-centric access regime and the GDPR's protection of data subjects
🔹 The treatment of hybrid datasets under the GDPR and the Data Act
🔹 The lawful deployment of AI systems by public security authorities under the EU AI Act and the Data Act
🔹 Defining the AI provider: scope, responsibility and proportionality under the EU AI Act
🔹 AI regulatory sandboxes and their potential to incentivise RegTech innovation
🔹 Human supervision in high-risk AI systems: an effective safeguard or a costly formality?
🔹 The deployer and the right to non-discrimination in high-risk AI systems
The diverse perspectives and lively discussions provided an excellent foundation for further reflection and will feed into the students' individual final essays.
✨ It was a fantastic two days! A huge thank you to all our participants for their excellent contributions, curiosity and enthusiasm – and, of course, a very special thank you to Dr. Helena Jahromi Kowalewska for sharing her expertise and for guiding our students through this fascinating field of EU Digital Legislation!
We look forward to seeing how these discussions and research projects develop further!

We were delighted to welcome Dr. Tilman Dralle for an intensive two-day workshop on "Data Protection." Dr. Dralle combines an outstanding academic background with extensive professional experience in data protection, compliance, and information governance. His work spans legal practice, corporate compliance, and international privacy standards, making him an ideal bridge between theory and practice. Over the course of two highly interactive days, participants explored the core principles of modern data protection law, current regulatory developments, and the practical challenges organizations face when implementing compliance in an increasingly data-driven world. Complex legal concepts were brought to life through practical examples, lively discussions, and real-world scenarios. Our students embraced the opportunity with remarkable enthusiasm. They were fully engaged throughout the workshop, asked insightful questions, challenged assumptions, and contributed to stimulating discussions that enriched the learning experience for everyone involved.
A sincere thank you to Dr. Tilmann Dralle for an inspiring workshop that perfectly demonstrated how academic excellence and practical expertise can come together to create an outstanding learning environment.

As part of our Ring Lecture Series, we were delighted to welcome Julia Präger for a guest lecture on "Combating Cross-Border Product Piracy." As an attorney specializing in intellectual property law at Bird & Bird, Julia advises national and international clients on trade mark, design, and unfair competition law, bringing extensive practical experience in cross-border IP matters to her work. Her lecture offered our students valuable insights into an area of law that is becoming increasingly important in today's interconnected global economy. Beyond the legal perspective, Julia shared practical experiences from her professional work, giving participants an excellent opportunity to connect academic concepts with legal practice. A sincere thank you to Julia Präger for taking the time to share her expertise and experience with our students. We greatly appreciated your visit and the inspiring exchange.

A sporty break from studying last Wednesday: On June 17, eight of us from LL.M. IP-TU Dresden joined the REWE Team Challenge and completed the 5 km run through Dresden together. We would like to express our sincere thanks for the financial support provided by the Alumni Association.
With 32,000 participants and the event completely sold out, the atmosphere was incredible from the very beginning. Our start time was 8 p.m., and the route led us from Postplatz through Dresden's historic city centre, past the Hygiene Museum, and all the way to the finish line at Rudolf Harbig Stadium.
Along the course, we were cheered on with signs and music, which made the run even more special. At the stadium, we were welcomed with more music, drinks, and snacks - the perfect reward after crossing the finish line.
The weather was very warm and sunny, so the 5 km were definitely sweaty, but we all made it to the finish at a strong pace and were proud to collect our medals at the end.
A great evening with team spirit, energy, and a welcome break from university life.
'

Beyond the theory: over the course of the summer semester, Dr. Johannes Gilch, LL.M. didn't just lecture our students on AI and data protection law. He had them run a full DPIA simulation as a real-world project.
It started with a kick-off together with the clients, followed by several rounds of coordination, with documents being exchanged back and forth, just as it works in actual practice. In small teams, our students worked through a Data Protection Impact Assessment from start to finish. Identifying the risks of an AI system, weighing them against the rights of affected individuals, and documenting concrete mitigation measures. Exactly the kind of structured thinking that companies need, but that rarely makes it into a textbook.
The whole project then culminated in a full-day seminar in Dresden as its closing chapter. 🎓
To wrap up such an intensive day, we headed out with the group to enjoy a relaxed summer evening at Biergarten Saloppe Dresden by the Elbe. 🍻
New and returning students came together, shared experiences, and kept the conversations going in a far more relaxed setting. 💭
A special thank you also goes to our Alumni Association, who invited the students to the first round of drinks! These exchanges on equal footing, with people who have already walked the path, are often where the most valuable orientation happens.
A great project, good company, and a fitting reminder that strong legal training is built on practice and people, not just on coursework. ✨

One of the special events of our master programme is our graduation ceremony traditionally held each year at Eckberg castle Dresden, which just took place on May 29, 2026. We are happy that so many graduates were able to come back to Dresden and bring along their families to receive their well-earned certificates from Prof. Anne Lauber-Rönsberg accompanied by much applause. Dr. Jeannette Viniol delivered a speech on the topic of environmental claims. Julius Grimm spoke to the guests as a representative of the students and Dr. Johannes Gilch, LL.M. from the Alumni Association presented an award to the 3 best graduates of the year - Josephine Klawon, Melanie Schain, Julius Grimm - congratulations! The ceremony ended with a joyful get-together and much sunshine in front of the beautiful scenery of the river Elbe and Dresden. Heartfelt congratulations to all our graduates - we wish all graduates all the best!
(c) Fotos: Bert Siegel - art2viz

Eine weitere herausragende Sitzung in unserem LL.M.-Programm!
Ein herzlicher Dank an Prof. Axel Nordemann für den wirklich inspirierenden Vortrag zu einem kürzlich dynamischen und sich wandelnden Bereich des Immaterialrechts: Geographische Hinweise.
Als langjähriger Dozent in unserem Programm beeindruckt Axel weiterhin mit seiner einzigartigen Fähigkeit, komplexe Rechtsentwicklungen zugänglich, ansprechend und hochrelevant zu machen. Angesichts der bedeutenden jüngeren Entwicklungen im Bereich der Geographischen Indikationen waren seine Einsichten besonders aktuell und wertvoll. Die Diskussion hob nicht nur den rechtlichen Rahmen, sondern auch die wachsende strategische Bedeutung von GIs für Unternehmen, Kulturerbe und internationalen Handel hervor.
Was Axels Vorträge so besonders macht, ist seine Fähigkeit, bahnbrechende juristische Entwicklungen mit praktischen Implikationen zu verknüpfen und so kritisches Denken und lebhafte Debatten zu fördern. Wieder einmal haben sich unsere Schüler mit exzellenten Fragen und durchdachten Beiträgen gestellt und so eine äußerst interaktive und anregende Lernumgebung geschaffen.
Danke, Axel, für Ihr anhaltendes Engagement für unser Programm, Ihre Expertise und Ihre Begeisterung. Sitzungen wie diese erinnern uns daran, warum das Immaterialrecht nach wie vor ein faszinierendes und sich rasant entwickelndes Fachgebiet ist.

What an inspiring and energetic session in our Fashion Law seminar!
A huge thank you to Katharina Hein, founder of the newly established creative SUSI Creative Agency, for sharing her invaluable insights into one of the most fascinating and challenging areas of the fashion industry: Intellectual Property Law in practice. Drawing on her extensive experience with RIANNA + NINA — still an important part of her professional work and perspective — Katharina provided a highly practical look at the real-world challenges designers face when protecting creativity, originality, and brand identity. From design protection and copyright issues to enforcement strategies and everyday IP pitfalls, the discussion offered exactly the kind of practical perspective that law students rarely get from textbooks alone. What made the event especially memorable was the incredible engagement of our students. They asked thoughtful questions, challenged assumptions, and contributed genuinely valuable perspectives to the discussion. The exchange was dynamic, insightful, and a perfect example of how much we can learn when academia and industry come together.
Thank you, Katharina, for your openness, expertise, and inspiring contribution. And congratulations to our students for making the session such an interactive and enriching experience!