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• 20 years (1980-2000) of achievements: CCLS was established in 1980 under the directorship of Professor Sir Roy Goode, QC. Subsequent directors included The Rt Hon Professor Ross Cranston, currently Solicitor General; Professor Brian Napier and Professor Ian F Fletcher. Current Director is Professor Chris Reed (arguably the world's first ever Professor of Electronic Commerce Law); Deputy Director: Professor Marise Cremona (Professor of European Commercial Law).

• It is a unique specialist department in the UK for advanced teaching and research in commercial law lato sensu.

• Primary objectives: promotion of the systematic study of national, international and uniform commercial law and its social and economic implication, and the development of knowledge, information and skills that can be placed at the service of government, public bodies, overseas institutions, the legal profession, industry and commerce.

• The CCLS teaches graduate (LLM, MPhil and PhD) students and serves the professional community. The Centre admits about 250 students annually on the LLM programme; there are also currently 60 PhD students. Students come from as many as 70 countries.

• The CCLS serves as a forum for the testing of new ideas and the exchange of information, views and expertise among academics, practitioners and those engaged in finance, commerce and industry.

• A particular feature of research and teaching at CCLS is the active involvement of leading practitioners and specialists from the City who impart their cutting-edge expertise in an educational programme that is a unique blend of academic and practical skills.

• The Centre pioneers with the introduction of new innovative highly practical and academically thorough courses. CCLS has introduced 45 specialist courses in Dispute Resolution, International Commercial Law, Banking and Finance Law, IT Law, Insolvency Law, Intellectual and Industrial Property. The Centre operates through four research units:

  • European Commercial Law Unit incorporating European Community Law, International Commercial Law, School of International Arbitration, Insolvency Law and Tax Law;

  • International Finance Law Unit;

  • Intellectual Property Law Unit; and

  • Information Technology Law Unit.

• The Centre is essentially international in composition and outlook, and is able to draw on the input provided by distinguished resident and visiting scholars from overseas, and to engage in comparative examination of the legal systems of other countries.