Law degrees are typically awarded without a specialty, but students interested in business law can take electives or pursue a joint degree in law and business. Admission to law school is competitive and varies by country. Business law classes cover legal aspects of running a business, and dual-degree programs are available.
In most countries, law degrees are awarded without a specialty: that is, law students earn a degree in general law and graduate as lawyers, who must choose their own specialty. Students who know they want to focus on business law, or who want to work in a corporation’s legal department, often take many business law courses while in law school, but it is often not possible to obtain a specific degree in business law. More common is a joint degree in business and law.
The first thing a student who wants to earn a degree in business law must do is get admitted to law school. Admission criteria for law schools vary from school to school and country to country. In the United States, admission to law schools generally requires an undergraduate degree, as well as passing the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Other countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom admit law students to a multi-year course directly from high school, based primarily on grades and high school leaving exam scores. Law school admission is universally competitive.
Choosing a law school is the next step in pursuing the goals of a business law degree. While a business law degree program can be difficult, if not impossible, business and commercial law classes are almost always offered as electives, especially for higher-level students. Some schools’ business law programs are stronger than others. A student hoping to study commercial law or who wishes to pursue a degree in commercial law would be well served to research a variety of law schools, visiting whenever possible and asking questions about the commercial curriculum and available resources in commercial law. How many law school alumni work in the business law industry can be a good indication of a school’s business law strength.
Business law classes focus on the legal aspects of forming and running a business. Negotiating contracts, overseeing multi-layered transactions, and keeping track of accounting and tax management are essential topics. Cross-border commercial transactions are also generally covered. Most commercial law is civil in nature. Students will learn how to lead and advise companies to work within the bounds of the law, but generally not focus on prosecuting companies that deviate. Business crimes are usually covered in criminal law courses.
Many of the larger universities that are home to law schools are also home to business schools. A student may be able to achieve their business law degree goals by taking law courses concurrently with business school courses. Many schools also offer dual-degree programs, giving students the ability to earn a law degree and a business degree, such as an MBA, at the same time. Dual degree programs typically take longer to complete, usually about a year longer than a law degree.
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