Getting a business law degree, like Southern Cross University’s postgraduate one, is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of your legal obligations. This is particularly valuable in any industry that needs to meet government regulations.
It also positions you to manage all your strategies within the legal boundaries, allowing you to make sound decisions on an ongoing basis.
Business Law
As business transactions become more complex, legal regulations are required to protect consumers and businesses. For this reason, it’s important to have a deep understanding of the law and how it applies to businesses. This is why a business and law degree can make an excellent next step after completing an LLB.
Business law is an umbrella term that encompasses laws and regulations relating to business operations, including resolving disputes, forming business entities, operating companies and more. Depending on the program, a student could take courses like Corporate Law and Securities Regulation, both of which cover a variety of legal topics.
Regardless of the industry, anyone in business would benefit from a deeper understanding of the laws governing business. For example, a lawyer with a strong background in consumer law can help their clients avoid litigation and boost customer confidence. Similarly, a manager can ensure their company has robust business processes in place by having an in-depth knowledge of the laws that apply to them. This can minimise risk and deliver more value to their organisation.
Corporate Law
Corporate law deals with the power relationships between a company and its members. It is also concerned with the legal processes that companies follow to maintain compliance. It’s a subject students often choose to study in their business and law degree.
Having a business and law degree opens doors to career paths in financial institutions, law firms, manufacturing companies and marketing roles. It can also lead to a job as an HR officer, with particular specialisation in employment laws and workplace relations.
You can also use a business and law degree to work in government or defence sectors. In these organisations, you can specialise in areas such as contract law, consumer law, or the laws of property. Having a background in the law helps you to negotiate contracts and legislation effectively, which is an essential skill for any government or defence organisation. Alternatively, you could pursue a Master of Legal Studies (MLS). This qualification builds your law knowledge without needing to earn credentials to practise as a lawyer. It is available from many universities.
Commercial Law
Commercial law is a broad area that covers the rights, relations and conduct of persons and businesses engaged in commerce, merchandising, trade and sales. It can include areas such as intellectual property, taxation and contracts. This is the branch of law that deals with commercial matters and provides a legal framework for businesses operating in domestic or international markets.
A degree in business and law could lead to work in fields such as finance, insurance, banking or retail. There are also career opportunities in public services, such as local government and advice centres. A deep understanding of legislation is important in these areas, and a good grasp of how to interpret laws, regulations and policies will help reduce risk and deliver more value to organisations.
Having a specialised business law degree, like SCU Online’s Master of Business Law, will allow you to understand the potential legal implications of business processes and decisions. This will allow you to spot risks early and remove obstacles – saving time, money and resources. It will also help you increase your value to an organisation and open the door to more economic opportunities.
Contract Law
The ability to interpret and understand the legal implications of business decisions is a valuable skill in any career. A business law degree can open doors to jobs as diverse as globalising your company or working as a compliance officer to ensure your organisation meets local and international laws.
A business law degree can also help you understand contracts and how to draft them. It covers key principles like when a contract is enforceable, and what happens if you breach its terms. This can be particularly important for marketers, who need to be able to read and understand their contracts to avoid any misunderstandings with their clients or customers.
A business and law degree can also prepare you to work at the intersection of law and business, in roles such as compliance officers, policy representatives and research analysts. It can also help you make the transition to a legal career, as some students choose to apply their bachelor’s degree to a law or master of laws (MJur) program following graduation. Some students may decide to pursue non-profit or judicial work, such as becoming a police officer or city planner.
Consumer Law
Consumer protection laws regulate a broad range of sales, credit, finance and insurance practices on both a national and state level. They cover everything from deceptive advertising to product quality, debt collection, and more. These laws are meant to create a more equitable balance for buyers in the marketplace and protect consumers against financial loss. Federal agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Food and Drug Administration and Department of Justice help to enforce these laws and investigate complaints made against businesses.
Some lawyers choose to specialize in this area of practice because it allows them to make a difference in people’s lives. Others are drawn to the work because it helps them strike the right balance between protecting consumers and allowing corporations to function on fair terms.
This interdisciplinary major is one of the largest in the university, and it provides students with a unique blend of legal expertise and business acumen that can be applied across a variety of industries. It also gives students the foundation to pursue an advanced degree in law or a JD/MBA joint program in the future.
