Business Law LL.M. Degree Requirements

This memorandum lists both the general degree requirements established by the Academic Rules as well as the more specific requirements applicable to the Business Law LL.M. Degree.

General Requirements for the Business Law LL.M. Degree

  1. Complete LAW 6020 – Introduction to American Law (2 credits)
  2. Complete a minimum of 24 credits of law school course work, including at least 17 credits from the list of approved Business Law courses. Courses taken outside the Law School must be approved in advance of enrolling
  3. Earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 for all coursework
  4. Satisfy the degree writing requirement by completing one of the following:
    • LAW 6021 – LL.M. Legal Writing and Legal Skills I
    • LAW 6023 – LL.M. Contract Drafting or LAW 6837 – Contract Drafting
    • A course, seminar, independent study, or externship/internship that requires a significant writing research component of at least 5000 words (double-spaced) on a business law topic, OR that involves significant practical experience in a business law-related setting. The Faculty Chair of the Business Law concentration will determine whether a writing project meets this requirement.

Specific Requirements of the Business Law LL.M. Degree

  1. Required Courses — Business Law LL.M. students must take both:
    • LAW 6051 - Business Associations/Corporations (4 credits)
    • LAW 6076 - Essentials of Business for Lawyers (3 credits)*
      The following Carlson School courses may be substituted for Essentials of Business for Lawyers:
      • Financial Accounting (3 cr) (MBA 6031)
      • Financial Statement Analysis (2 cr) (ACCT 5161)
      • Financial Statement Analysis (2 cr) (ACCT 6102)
  2. A course fulfilling the writing requirement.
  3. Take at least two of the following (exceptions may be made by Faculty Chair)
    • LAW 6001 — Contracts (4 cr)
    • LAW 6102 — Mergers and Acquisitions (3 cr)
    • LAW 6857 — Corporate Tax (3 cr) LAW 6100 prerequisite
    • LAW 6114 — Partnership Taxation (3 cr) LAW 6100 prerequisite
    • LAW 6837 — Contract Drafting OR LAW 6023 – LL.M. Contract Drafting (2 cr)
    • LAW 6107 — Bankruptcy: Power, Process and Procedure (2 cr)
    • LAW 6109 — Creditors’ Remedies/Secured Transactions (3 cr)
    • LAW 6055 — Advanced Corporate Law (3 cr)
    • LAW 6211 — Federal Securities Regulation (3 cr)
    • LAW 6100 — Basic Federal Income Tax (3 cr)
    • LAW 6721 — Business Reorganization in Bankruptcy (2 cr)
  4. Recommended Courses — to fulfill the 17-credit minimum
    • LAW 6041 — Investment Management Law (2 cr)
    • LAW 6049 — Advanced LLCs and Partnerships (3 cr)
    • LAW 6054 — Corporate Finance (3 cr)
    • LAW 6061 — Financial Regulation (3 cr)
    • LAW 6062 — Energy Law (3 cr)
    • LAW 6106 — Federal Tax Procedure (2 cr)
    • LAW 6113 — Construction Law (2 cr)
    • LAW 6207 — Antitrust (3 cr)
    • LAW 6213 — Real Estate Transactions (3 cr)
    • LAW 6214 — Insurance Law (3 cr)
    • LAW 6217 — Securities Litigation (3 cr)
    • LAW 6227 — Products Liability (2 cr)
    • LAW 6244 — Employee Benefits (3 cr)
    • LAW 6402 — Food, Drug and Device Law (3 cr)
    • LAW 6601 — International Business Transactions (3 cr)
    • LAW 6619 — International Trade (3 cr)
    • LAW 6622 — International Business Operation and Negotiation (3 cr)
    • LAW 6623 — Integrative Leadership (3 cr)
    • LAW 6626 — Complex and Cross-Cultural Negotiations (2 cr)
    • LAW 6627 — International Tax (2 cr)
    • LAW 6637 — Business and Human Rights (2 cr)
    • LAW 6642 — Consumer Protection Law (3 cr)
    • LAW 6647 — European Union Business Law (3 cr)
    • LAW 6650 — Advanced Administrative Law (3 cr)
    • LAW 6662 — Professional Responsibility – Business (3 cr)
    • LAW 6703 — U.S. Trade Sanctions and Export Control Laws (2 cr)
    • LAW 6803 — Risk and Compliance: Theory and Practice (2 cr)
    • LAW 6805 — Risk and Compliance: Corporate – Legal and Practical Foundations (2 cr)
    • LAW 6807 — Cooperatives and Collective Entrepreneurship (2 cr)
    • LAW 6814 — Racketeering and the RICO Act: Criminal and Civil Liability (2 cr)
    • LAW 6817 — Practical Estate Planning (2 cr)
    • LAW 6818 — White Collar/Corporate Crime (2 cr)
    • LAW 6830 — Corporate Counsel (2 cr)
    • LAW 6843 — Financial Crises and Scandals and How to Minimize Them (2 cr)
    • LAW 6844 — Advanced Real Estate Transactions (3 cr)
    • LAW 6847 — U.S.-China Trade War (2 cr)
    • LAW 6858 — Principles of Corporate Governance (2 cr)
    • LAW 6873 — Nonprofit Law (2 cr)
    • LAW 6881 — Comparative Laws (2 cr)
    • LAW 6898 — International Bankruptcy (2 cr)
    • LAW 6902 — Cannabis Law and Policy: Past, Present and Future (2 cr)
    • LAW 6912 — Law Firm Practice and Management (2 cr)
    • LAW 6927 — Comparative Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation (2 cr)
  5. Eligible Graduate Level Courses (5000–8000) in Other University Departments
    • Advanced Corporate Finance Analysis and Decisions (4 cr) (FINA 6242)
    • Advanced Topics in Fixed Income and Derivatives (2 cr) (FINA 6529)
    • Compensation and Benefits (4 cr) (HRIR 6501)
    • Compensation Theory and Applications (2 cr) (HRIR 6502)
    • Corporate Finance Analysis and Decisions (4 cr) (FINA 6241)
    • Corporate Strategy (4 cr) (MGMT 6085)
    • Employer-Sponsored Employee Benefit Programs (2 cr) (HRIR 6503)
    • Executive Compensation (2 cr) (HRIR 6504)
    • Financial Information Systems and Technology (2 cr) (IDSC 6421)
    • Financial Management of Depository Institutions (2 cr) (FINA 6122)
    • Industry Analysis and Competitive Strategy (4 cr) (MGMT 6031)
    • Information Technology Management (2 cr) (IDSC 6041)
    • Introduction to Derivatives and Financial Risk Management (2 cr) (FINA 6522)
    • Knowledge Management (2 cr) (IDSC 6471)
    • Managerial Decision Making (2 cr) (IDSC 6481)
    • Managing the Global Corporate Tax Rate (2 cr) (ACCT 6075)
    • Securitization Markets (2 cr) (FINA 6324)
    • The International Environment of Business (4 cr) (MGMT 6305)
  6. A student may petition the Business Law Faculty Chair to include a course not listed here if the course will substantially further the student’s understanding of the degree’s subject matter.
  7. Core Business Law faculty
    • Edward Adams
    • Carol Chomsky (emeritus)
    • Tom Cotter
    • Prentiss Cox
    • Oren Gross
    • Kristin Hickman
    • Claire Hill
    • Karen Lundquist
    • John Matheson
    • Brett McDonnell
    • William McGeveran
    • Steve Meili
    • Amy Monahan
    • Richard Painter
    • Daniel Schwarcz
    • Paul Vaaler