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In popular imagination, lawyers try cases and argue before juries. The majority of lawyers, however, rarely set foot in a courtroom. The practice of many lawyers at top firms consists of negotiating, structuring and advising clients with respect to business transactions.
How do lawyers gain a sufficient understanding of business practices and culture to communicate effectively with their corporate clients? Most learn the hard way — on the job. Others enroll in combined M.B.A./J.D. programs, requiring an additional year of study. Virginia offers a third way: the Virginia Law & Business Program, which integrates business and legal analysis in the law school classroom.
The Law & Business Program brings business school faculty into the Law School to teach the basics of accounting and finance. It provides students the opportunity to hone these skills through enhanced versions of core business law courses, and it gives students the chance to review key transactional documents and strategic decisions alongside senior counsel and executive officers. In short, the Law & Business Program allows students to develop the skills necessary to understand and better serve their future business clients.
The Law & Business Program is an opportunity, not a “track” or separate degree program. Any Law School student who decides to take the introductory course in Accounting and Corporate Finance, or who has equivalent prior experience, can take advantage of the enhanced core courses and intensive courses. However, we recognize that not all students will want to make this level of investment, and some will decide that their interests lie elsewhere. We therefore offer more traditional versions of all of the core business law courses.
Contact: Jim Kingdon, Director of the Law & Business Program
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