Business Transactions

The Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study is designed for students who seek a focus on the legal aspects of business transactions during their time at the Law College.  The Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study has three purposes:

• to recommend those courses the faculty believes are important for the student and to encourage students to develop the skills and knowledge of doctrines necessary to be an effective and competent attorney advising clients on business transactions;
• to sequence those courses in such a way that students will gain maximum benefit from the skills and doctrines the courses teach; and
• to recognize the achievements of those students completing the Business Program of Concentrated Study.

The faculty recognizes that, among other skills, effective and competent business lawyers must have the ability to analyze and work with substantive doctrines in a variety of areas and the ability to bring to their practices the perspectives of different schools of thought and different disciplines.  Therefore, the faculty also encourages students participating in the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study to take a broad sampling of courses that emphasize different areas of the law and the perspectives of different disciplines.

Students are encouraged to declare their intention to participate in the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study as early as possible, so they can plan their course of studies appropriately.

The College of Law will recognize a student who successfully completes the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study by making a notation on the student’s transcript and by awarding the student with a certificate of recognition at the time of the student’s graduation. Completion of the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study does not certify one as an expert in business law, but merely recognizes that one has completed courses in certain basic areas essential to lawyers advising clients on business transactions.

The Dean’s Office shall designate a Program Coordinator to administer the requirements of the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study.  The responsibilities of the Program Coordinator include:

• assisting students in completing all Program requirements;
• considering and approving requests from individual students to take non-Program courses in fulfillment of Program requirements due to a required or recommended Program course being unavailable; and
• carrying out any other responsibilities necessary to administer the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study.

Required Courses

• Taxation – Individual Income Tax (4 credit hours)
• Business Associations (3 or 4 credit hours)
• Taxation – Business Entities (4 credit hours) [Prerequisite: Taxation-Individual Income Tax]
• Securities Regulation (3 credit hours) [Prerequisite: Business Associations]
• Business Planning (3 credit hours) [Prerequisites: Taxation-Individual Income Tax; Business Associations; Taxation-Business Entities]

The Business Planning course is the culmination of the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study. It draws on tax law, corporate law, partnership law, securities law, and other related subject areas and provides students with the opportunity to plan hypothetical but realistic business transactions. We also strongly recommend that students take Entrepreneurship Clinic even though it is not required for the program.

Estate Planning is also very important for students advising small business clients, and the course is strongly recommended.

*Other Recommended Courses
Students participating in the Business Transactions Program of Concentrated Study are strongly encouraged to take:

• Evidence
• At least one course with an international component
• At least one Uniform Commercial Code course

The following courses are also recommended: