07/02/2015
Business Law
FAQs
What do business lawyers do?
What is International Business Law, and are there opportunities for me?
Should I specialize in law school?
What practical business law experience can I get for credit at Lewis & Clark?
What kinds of business-related activities are there outside the classroom?
How hard is it to get a job practicing business law after graduation from Lewis & Clark?
What do business lawyers do?
The practice of business law covers many substantive areas and takes many forms. A JD degree, especially one in the field of business, provides an incredible amount of flexibility in career choices. The substantive areas of practice include contracts, tax, intellectual property (trademark, copyright, patent), entertainment, real property (real estate) transactions, labor and employment law, community development, environmental, Indian Law, water law, advertising, sports, international treaty, banking, aviation, transportation, and energy, to name just a few!
Lawyers who choose to practice business law can select from an almost limitless number of environments within which to work. Most select to work in small or large law firms, but many others work as a private or public corporation’s “in house” lawyer (referred to as in house counsel); in federal government agencies (such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, Internal Revenue Service, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Housing and Urban Development); in state agencies ( such as a Bureau of Labor and Industries, Workers Compensation Department, Department of Insurance and Finance); in an insurance company; a bank or financial institution; an accounting firm; or an investment banking firm. Although many people who work in settings other than law firms actually practice law, others who obtain a JD with a business law focus choose not to practice law but rather use their legal expertise in other ways. For example, many human resource managers have JDs, and use their expertise in employee benefits and labor and employment law. Businesses also value legal training for positions such as regulatory compliance officers, investment or securities bankers, management consultants, investment counselors, intellectual property managers, corporate board members, operations managers, and so forth.