Business
LawCornell

Certificate Program

Presented by five legal experts with deep knowledge and experience in both academia and the corporate space, this course introduces you to a range of topics that serve as a foundation for dealing with legal matters in business.

You begin with a look at the sources of law, the formation of legal arguments and the growing role of regulatory agencies. The course proceeds with a tour of online legal resources, then moves to various kinds of business structures, along with the circumstances under which you might use each. The course ends with a close look at the legal responsibilities that apply to people holding certain positions in business. 

Contracts are often written by legal professionals, but the best business deals are ones worked out collaboratively by people who know their business operations intimately. 

This course will help you gain a seat at the negotiating table, familiarizing you with legal terms and concepts involved in business deals. You'll learn how to collaborate with legal counsel and help negotiating parties address information gaps to reach agreement. 

With content provided by two Cornell Law School professors and two practicing corporate attorneys, this course is rich with practical video content and a course project that's designed to help you apply what you've learned to your own work situation. 

Running a business is, in many ways, a legal undertaking in itself. With so many moving parts and ongoing concerns, several areas of law are touched upon while doing business: employment laws and regulations, real property, litigation, business tax planning, and startup financial structuring. 

While it's important to draw on expert legal counsel when required, it's equally as important to be informed yourself. The more working knowledge you have of these specialty areas of law, the better you'll be able to identify and discuss them and be prepared to face your pressing issues head on.

This course is co-authored by by six legal experts, including Cornell Law School professors and practicing attorneys. Through a rich set of animated videos and a course project that ensures application of the concepts to your own work situation, you'll be ready face legal issues that are of particular relevance to your business.

To handle legal matters appropriately, business people need to know how to get good legal advice. This may require finding and retaining a lawyer, or it may involve working with existing in-house counsel. Business people must understand how lawyers approach legal issues and what lawyers need from clients in order to represent them effectively.

With content provided by four legal experts, including Cornell Law School professors and practicing attorneys, this course explains how lawyers work, how to establish an effective relationship with both in-house and external counsel, and how to work with legal professionals on business transactions and litigation. A course project guides you in applying these principles of attorney-client collaboration to your own work situation. 

Symposium sessions feature three days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics. The Leadership Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium in which we’ll discuss the ways that leaders across industries have continued engaging their teams over the past two years while pivoting in strategic ways. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to relevant topics for leaders. Throughout this Symposium, you will examine different areas of leadership, including innovation, strategy, and engagement. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from various industries.

Upcoming Symposium: October 15-17, 2024 from 11am – 1pm ET

• Tuesday, October 15, 2024  11am – 1pm ET
  • Navigating Change and Conflict
• Wednesday, October 16, 2024  11am – 1pm ET

• • Anticipating Opposition and Uncertainty

• Thursday, October 17, 2024  11am – 1pm ET

• • Exploring the Value of Feedback

All sessions are held on Zoom.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.