Law (J.D.)/Business Administration (M.B.A.)

Illinois Institute of Technology

A solid understanding of the business world can be invaluable in many areas of law. Students in the J.D./M.B.A. joint-degree program combine the management expertise and business skills of an M.B.A. with a law degree, cultivating a unique and marketable skill set for the next economy.

This program is particularly valuable for those law students who intend to be involved in activities and commercial transactions within the business community. The M.B.A. program’s focus on professional specialization, combined with business-oriented law courses in the law school curriculum, enhances a lawyer’s ability to work effectively as part of the corporate and business worlds.

Enrollment in the joint J.D./M.B.A. joint-degree program enables a student to obtain a J.D. degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law and an M.B.A. degree from Stuart School of Business in approximately three and a half to four years of full-time study or five years of part-time study.

Program Overview

A solid understanding of the business world can be invaluable in many areas of law, especially for corporate attorneys or legal/management consultants. The primary objective of the program is to provide law students with a strong academic background in management.

Career Opportunities

Depending on their focus, business lawyers might provide advice to startups

negotiate and create a broad spectrum of contracts

help their clients form joint ventures

or engage in asset securitization, project finance deals, the leasing of operating space, obtaining licenses, transferring property, or negotiating contracts involving intellectual property rights or noncompetition agreements.

Business lawyers may also counsel clients on complying with federal legislation, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, False Claims Act, or Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. They might represent clients before federal and state agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the Financial Industry National Regulatory Authority.

Possible jobs include:

Administrative law judge

Auditor

Compliance officer

Consultant

Corporate attorney

In-house counsel

Government attorney

Law firm associate or partner