The principal goal of Foundations in Business Law, a first-year day elective course, is to provide a substantive foundation in the most important fields of business law. These include Business and accounting concepts; Business Associations; Securities Regulation; Commercial Law under the Uniform Commercial Code; and Taxation. This course provides a foundation for further study and is not intended as a substitute for the upper-divisional courses in those substantive fields.

Foundations in Business Law is a requirement for students pursuing the Business Law Track. (For more information see https://www.law.umaryland.edu/academics/programs--centers/business-law-program/academics/) Because it sets a foundation for the study of the specialized fields of business law, first year students interested in pursuing the Business Law Track essentially are required to choose this course for their first-year elective. (Upper-division students interested in taking the course must speak with the Director of the Business Law Program to receive permission to enroll.) Nonetheless, the course also is appropriate for students who are simply curious about business law or who seek an introduction to (or review of) the core fields of business law as well as basic business and financial concepts.

A second goal of Foundations in Business Law is to expose students to the practice of business law. The course will include guest lecturers who are leading professors and practitioners in the field of business law. As part of these lectures, the Course will introduce basic principles of accounting, finance, investing, and how practitioners help client navigate complex legal issues impacting businesses.