‘I chose this programme because I was looking for a deep dive into International Tax Law’

Spencer Landsiedel wanted to broaden his international tax knowledge. He ended up following the Advanced Master's International Tax Law at the University of Amsterdam.

‘I was looking to broaden my international tax knowledge in a context where no single country's domestic approach dominated the curriculum or learning environment. While other similar programs purported to be "international", a quick glance at their course listings demonstrated that they were heavily influenced by the domestic tax systems of the countries in which their schools were located. The programme connected me with an international network of tax professionals and showed me the value of approaching problems from outside of your own narrow domestic perspective.’

Studying in Amsterdam

‘I really enjoyed my classmates and the city itself. My fellow LLM colleagues are now some of my best friends. I feel incredibly privileged to know such an outstanding group of people. Also, the city of Amsterdam is truly a marvelous place in which to live.’

Job opportunities

‘I took a one-year leave period from my current position to pursue the Advanced LLM and returned to that position upon completion of the programme. I am a tax litigation and advisory lawyer for the Department of Justice in Vancouver, Canada. I represent the Minister of National Revenue and the Canada Revenue Agency on tax appeals before the Tax Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal and provide policy recommendations to senior decision-makers at other federal departments and agencies.’

Law in action

‘I often use the tax treaty analysis skills - especially since we're likely to encounter tax disputes arising from the incorporation of the MLI's provisions into Canadian law within the next few years.’

Fellow students

‘Seventeen of us (out of a total 2019/2020 class size of 27, red.) returned to Amsterdam at the end of April 2022 and met up for dinner and drinks at the resturant Hannekes Boom. We've also continued to connect via our WhatsApp group, celebrating birthdays, sharing job opportunities, etc.’