Business Law Track Requirements
A Guided Path of Study
The Business Law Track will expose you to core substantive courses in business law and socialize you to the business community and business law practice through experiences such as Foundations of Business Law, Financial and Accounting Basics for Lawyers, and individual mentoring with faculty and practitioners involved with the Business Law Program. The Business Law Program will work closely with you to develop and market your transactional and counseling skills. Upon successfully completing the Business Law Track, you will receive a Letter of Completion to accompany your transcript, which will highlight your skill sets and professional attributes that make you well-suited for a business law-related career.
The Business Law Track requires students to complete six Core Courses, one business-related Elective course, and attend at least three business law lecture or events during the course of their law school career. Each of these components is further described below. In addition, students pursuing the track are expected to attend at least two meetings with the program director or associate director prior to graduation.
Track requirement are subject to annual review.
Participating in the Business Law Track
Students are not required to commit to the Business Law Track, but those who are considering it should join the Business Law Track Blackboard course as soon as possible as an expression of interest. Students enrolled in the track course will receive exclusive news, invitations, and other offers by email from the Business Law Program, and they may also receive priority consideration for certain opportunities, such as participation in the transactional law team. To join, please log on to Blackboard, search the course menu for "Business Law Track," and submit a request for enrollment. Prior to graduation, students will formally elect the Business Law Track upon completing the requirements and requesting a Letter of Completion.
Learning Outcomes
1. Students will demonstrate understanding of substantive law related to business associations; income taxation; and another business law-related practice area, such as bankruptcy, secured transactions, or securities regulation
2. Students will be capable of performing legal analysis and reasoning in the areas of business law above
3. Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of business, accounting, and finance fundamentals
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to perform legal analysis and reasoning, problem solving, and written and oral communication to address challenges in working with parties whose business concerns and objectives may differ
5. Students will demonstrate the professional skills of negotiation, collaboration, and counseling through 1) drafting and negotiating contract terms; 2) putting together a completed group work product; and 3) making presentations to clients
6. Students will hone their practical business law skills in research, problem solving, client counseling, advocacy, and professional and ethical responsibility through an immersion experience in a business focused externship or business focused clinical program.
The Business Law Program requires students to complete six Core Courses, as listed below.
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* Financial and Accounting Basics for Lawyers may be waived for students who have undergraduate or graduate degrees or minors in Business, Accounting, Finance, or related areas. Any student who may be eligible for a waiver must request program review and receive a signed approval form from the director or associate director.
** Courses that currently qualify for the Skills Course Requirement are: Writing in Law Practice: Advising Government Agencies; Real Estate Negotiation and Drafting; Contract Drafting; Business Planning Seminar; IPEC-Business; Externship; Writing in Law Practice: Drafting Negotiated Agreements; Negotiation; or Mediation.
*** Courses that currently qualify for the Statutory Course Requirement are: Administrative Law; Bankruptcy & Creditors Rights; Securities Regulation; and Commercial Law: Secured Transactions.
Sequencing
We recommended that students interested in the Business Law Track sequence their course work according to the following schedule:
| Fall 1L | Spring 1L |
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| Fall 2L | Spring 2L |
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| Fall 3L | Spring 3L |
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In addition to the Core Courses, the track requires students to complete one business law-related elective course, which may also satisfy a student’s Cardin Requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to take further Business Law related courses as their schedules allow. Some course choices and their specialized areas of study are noted below. For more information, please visit the course catalog.
Financial Law
Bankruptcy Clinic
Bankruptcy and Creditors Rights
Consumer Protection Clinic
Consumer Protection Seminar / Course
Estates & Trusts
Financial Derivatives Regulation
Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic
Writing in Law Practice: Drafting Negotiated Agreements
Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Alternative Methods of Dispute Resolution
Arbitration
Mediation Theory and Practice Clinic
Negotiation
Corporate and Commercial Law
Antitrust Law Seminar / Course
Business Aspects of Health Care Law Seminar
Business Planning Seminar
Commercial Law: Sales
Commercial Law: Secured Transactions
Corporate Accountability and Social Justice
Corporate Governance Seminar / Course
Corporate Taxation
Employee Benefits Law Seminar/Course (ERISA)
Franchise Law
Mergers & Acquisitions
Securities Regulation
Taxation of Executive Compensation
Taxation of Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
Tax Policy Seminar
Writing in Law Practice: Drafting Negotiated Agreements
Tax Law
Taxation of Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
International Tax: Structuring Cross Border Transactions
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Corporate Taxation
Law and Economics
Transactional Law
Business Planning Seminar
Commercial Law: Secured Transactions
Contracts Drafting
Mergers & Acquisitions
Intellectual Property Law Survey
Foundations in Transactional Skills
Corporate Governance Seminar / Course
International Business Transactions
Commercial Litigation
Alternative Methods of Dispute Resolution
Arbitration
Negotiation
Civil Procedure and Trial Advocacy
Mediation Theory and Practice Clinic
Evidence Law
Insurance Law Seminar / Course
Antitrust Law Seminar / Course
Securities Regulation
Intellectual Property and Antitrust Law
Trade Secrets Seminar
Employment Law
Securities Law
Securities Regulation
Financial Derivatives Regulation
Corporate Governance Seminar / Course
Mergers & Acquisitions
International Business Transactions
Antitrust Law Seminar / Course
Law and Economics
Corporate Accountability and Social Justice
Real Estate Law
Foundations in Transactional Skills
Contracts Drafting
Land Use and Sustainable Development Law
Taxation of Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies
Business Planning Seminar
International Business Transactions
Compliance and Regulatory Law
Administrative Law
Corporate Governance Seminar / Course
Antitrust Law Seminar / Course
Insurance Law Seminar / Course
International Arbitration
Corporate Accountability and Social Justice
International Business Law
Admiralty Law
International Arbitration
International Business Transactions
International Labor Law: Workers' Rights in the Global Economy Seminar
Int’l Tax: Structuring Cross-Border Transactions
PLEASE NOTE: Courses chosen to satisfy one requirement will not also count to satisfy a different requirement. You may not “double-count” any courses you take for the Business Law Track, although you can choose how to count a particular course that may fall into more than one requirement category. Course availability subject to change.
Q: Do I have to declare myself as a candidate or do something affirmative to pursue the Business Law Track?
A: Yes. You should submit a request to be enrolled in the “Business Law Track” course through Blackboard. This identifies you to the Business Law Program as a student interested in business law and gives us the opportunity to work with you and get to know you for purposes of providing the Letter of Completion upon your graduation. The expression of interest is non-binding, and you can opt not to pursue the track at any time.
Q: Do you need a business or finance background to participate in the Business Law Track?
A: No. You simply need an interest in business law and a desire to learn basic business and finance principles that will enrich your understanding of the legal concepts you will study in the courses included in the Business Law Track. The Financial and Accounting Basics for Lawyers course is designed to provide this understanding of basic business and finance principles.
Q: Do Business Law Track students get a preference for enrollment in the Core Courses?
A: The Business Law Program will work with students and the registrar's office to ensure that students are able to take the required courses prior to graduation.
Q: What is the difference between the 4-credit and 3-credit Business Associations course?
A: Although the content of each section of Business Associations, as with any course, is determined by the professor teaching the section, the primary difference is the extent of coverage given to the various components of business law. The 4-credit course covers agency law, partnership and limited liability company law, corporation law and securities law. The 3-credit course will not cover all of these areas or necessarily cover them in the same detail.
Q. Can I substitute a different course for one of the non-core course requirements?
A. Maybe. Students seeking recognition for the non-core course requirement with a substitute course must receive written approval for the substitution from the director or associate director of the Business Law Program.
Q: Will I receive a certificate upon completing the Business Law Track?
A: No. The Business Law Track is designed as a guided curriculum that will help students develop the skill set necessary to work or practice law in the business community. Students pursuing the Business Law Track will work closely with the program director, and upon completion of the required courses, the Business Law Program will issue a Letter of Completion that details the student's preparation for practice through the Business Law Track.
Q: How can I identify myself as a student pursuing the Business Law Track to prospective employers?
A: Prior to completing the Business Law Track, students can identify themselves as a "Business Law Concentration Candidate." After completing the Business Law Track and receiving their Letter of Completion, students can list "Business Law Concentration" on their resumes. In addition, students can provide copies of their Letter of Completion to prospective employers.
Q: Do I have to pursue the Business Law Track in order to take courses identified as part of the track?
A: No. All students are welcome to take the courses identified as part of the Business Law Track, including Financial and Accounting Basics for Lawyers. We also welcome all students to take Foundations of Business Law, provided that there is available space.