The Law & Business Program offers an innovative and intensive upper-level curriculum to students interested in a career in business law. Students build expertise in business law, corporate management, accounting, and finance by choosing among an extensive array of elective courses, including intensive transactional courses and seminars, without extending their studies beyond the normal three-year J.D. program.
Graduates of the Law & Business Program are prepared to enter legal practice with a solid understanding of the basic principles of finance and accounting, how businesses work, the ways in which the increasingly complex regulatory environment impacts publicly traded companies, their managers and their directors, and how to work effectively with businesspeople to help them navigate the laws and regulations that govern business activities.
This certificate consists of a series of courses that any J.D. student can complete during their second- and third-year studies, this well-established certificate of specialization is highly valued by legal employers. In recent years, about 25% of graduating J.D. students have completed this certificate program. Find more information on certificate requirements and course offerings on the Law & Business Curriculum page.
In 2019, James H. Cheek III, J.D. '67, generously established the Cheek Business Law Scholarship and the Cheek Summer Stipends to provide financial support for deserving students participating in the Law & Business Program. Each year, the law school selects at least one Cheek Business Law Scholar to receive supplemental scholarship funds for their second and third years of study completing the Certificate in Law & Business. Cheek Summer Stipends support experiential opportunities in certain government agencies, courts, or other settings that enhance preparation for a career in business law.
The Law & Business Program at Vanderbilt Law was developed for students interested in transactional law. To celebrate the program's 25th anniversary, this video recognizes the faculty, alumni, and leaders who built the program, highlighting milestones in its development, as well as the key features that make Law & Business a unique and impactful part of Vanderbilt Law School.
"I engaged most intimately with the Law & Business Program. My corporate electives at VLS gave me a substantial knowledge base and a knack for issue-spotting legal problems in business situations."