Business Law

Our legal system keeps our society running smoothly with laws covering all aspects of personal and business interactions, and courts to dispense criminal justice and adjudicate civil disputes. Lawyers are needed at every level of the legal system. Students who specialize in business law courses find employment in government and private industry, and many become entrepreneurs who start their own legal practices or consultancies. A business law education prepares a graduate to work in many capacities exercising working knowledge of the legal system and its applications to property, patents, contracts, labor relations, arbitration, taxes, and every other nuance of running a business. Entry into law school is highly competitive, with most law schools applications exceeding available space.
Business Law Degree Description

The rules regulating legal practice vary from state to state, but every state requires an attorney to complete a bachelor’s degree and three years of law school, in addition to passing the bar exam. Most law schools do not require a specific course of study at the bachelor’s degree level, but law school applicants should have a strong background in language and communications. For law school students who want to specialize in specific areas, bachelor’s degrees in related fields are valuable, such as engineering for patent law, or accounting for tax law.

During the first half of law school, students will take courses introducing them to general legal concepts, such as legal writing, constitutional law, civil procedure and property law. In their final years, law students can choose areas of law to specialize in. Business law degree graduates will take specialized business law courses to prepare them for work in tax law, patent law, contract law, corporate law, and regulatory compliance.
Business Law Careers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment in the legal profession to increase at about the same rate as the average of other professions over the next decade. In most years, there are more law school graduates than there are new job openings, so competition for entry level positions is intense. About 26 percent of attorneys are self employed, either as partners in firms or as sole proprietors running their own legal firm or other business. A business law education can lay the foundation for a career in many fields not specifically related to law.

Every business has a demand for legal counsel. Large corporations have legal departments with full-time legal staff to advise them on the legal aspects of their businesses. A corporate lawyer will negotiate contracts, deal with civil and criminal proceedings, and advise his employer on regulatory statutes, labor relations, accounting, and tax matters. A legal executive or business administrator with a legal background is often in a prime position for promotion within the company to corporate executive positions.

A business law degree is an excellent credential for an entrepreneur who wants to work as a business consultant, tax consultant, labor relations negotiator, or is interested in starting and managing any business, not necessarily law related. A business law education is useful for running an enterprise of any size.

A business law degree is also in demand for many positions in government. Most regulatory agencies have legal staff to advise and direct their operations and interactions with private business and the public. Business law courses can prepare a worker for employment in tax enforcement, auditing, regulatory compliance, public health and safety, and many other government functions.