Business law includes the formation and structure of various business entities, contractual obligations, intellectual property rights, regulatory compliance, international trade regulations, and the complexities of mergers and acquisitions, securities regulation, and bankruptcy. Some businesses are large and publicly traded; many are small and family owned. As an attorney, you may help clients to structure their transactions and to meet legal and regulatory requirements. Or you may be involved in the resolution of business disputes through arbitration, mediation, or in the courtroom. Whatever path you choose, courses in business law will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed.
We strongly recommend that all law students take the survey course on Business Associations.
We also offer a wide range of advanced classes and boast a distinctive strength in courses that prepare students to represent the interests of family and small businesses, including:
- Banking Law
- Business Associations
- Business Torts
- Corporate Finance
- Corporate Tax
- Family Business Law
- Financing the Start Up Business and Venture Capital Financing
- Income Tax
- International Business Transactions
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Partnership & LLC Taxation
- Sales
- Securities Regulation
- Small Business Capstone Course
- Social Impact of Business Activity
Other recommended courses include:
- Administrative Law
- Advanced Topics in Family Business Law
- Antitrust Law and Trade Regulation
- Copyright and Trademark Law
- Drafting Business Agreements
- Family and Small Business Externship
- In-House Counsel Externship
- Intellectual Property
- International Intellectual Property
- International Trade Law
- Nonprofit Organizations Clinic
- Project Finance
Not every course is offered regularly, and to be a well-rounded lawyer you should take many other courses as well.
An attorney who practices business law would profit from exposure to other business-related fields, including Labor and Employment Law, Commercial Law, Taxation, Intellectual Property Law, Real Estate Law, and Litigation.
We offer combination degrees in Business, Human Resources, Accountancy, and Economics, among others.
Our Family & Small Business Program seeks to support the resilience of these businesses.
We also offer Family & Small Business and In-House Counsel externships.
Our relevant student organizations include:
- Business Law Association
- Intellectual Property Law Society (IPLS)
- Sports and Entertainment Law Society
These (and other) faculty and staff may be available to advise you, supervise your own legal research ("SLR"), or hire you as a research assistant. Learn about them through their biographies, and then consider reaching out.
- Joel Campbell (Program Manager, Family & Small Business Program)
- Professor Cassandra Jones Havard
- Professor Ben Means
- Professor Etienne Toussaint
- Professor Emily Winston