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    • Business Law

    Business Law Courses Online

    Study business law principles for navigating legal issues in business. Learn about contracts, liabilities, and regulatory compliance.

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    Explore the Business Law Course Catalog

    • L

      Lund University

      European Business Law

      Skills you'll gain: Intellectual Property, Legal Writing, Labor Law, Arbitration, Environmental Laws, Case Law, Legal Research, Tax Laws, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Commercial Laws, Legal Strategy, Business, International Relations, Compliance Management, Business Strategy, European History, Competitive Analysis, Regulatory Compliance, Business Economics

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.8K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law

      Skills you'll gain: Certified Public Accountant, Labor Law, Commercial Laws, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Bankruptcies, Organizational Structure, Business, Legal Writing, Contract Management, Sales

      Build toward a degree

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.3K reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      Y

      Yale University

      American Contract Law I

      Skills you'll gain: Case Law, Legal Writing, Commercial Laws, Legal Research, Contract Review, Civil Law, Contract Compliance

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      991 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Unlock Access to 10,000+ courses with a subscription.

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    • U

      University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      Corporate & Commercial Law II: Business Forms, Financing & Governmental Regulation

      Skills you'll gain: Bankruptcies, Securities (Finance), Commercial Laws, Loans, Banking, Financial Regulations, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Business, Financial Regulation, Organizational Structure, Governance, Mergers & Acquisitions

      Build toward a degree

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      381 reviews

      Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • L

      Lund University

      AI & Law

      Skills you'll gain: Legal Risk, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Artificial Intelligence, Intellectual Property, Legal Proceedings, Data Ethics, Labor Law, Legal Research, Innovation, Criminal Investigation and Forensics, Public Administration, Healthcare Industry Knowledge

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      671 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    What brings you to Coursera today?

    • Status: Free
      Free
      U

      University of Pennsylvania

      An Introduction to American Law

      Skills you'll gain: Civil Procedures, Civil Law, Personal Injury Law, Commercial Laws, Lawsuits, Court Systems, Legal Proceedings, Plaintiff, Legal Research, Case Law, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Criminal Investigation and Forensics, Legal Pleadings, Governance

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      5.1K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • L

      Lund University

      European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals

      Skills you'll gain: Legal Research, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, International Relations, European History, Regulatory Compliance, Business Economics, Compliance Management, Environmental Laws, E-Commerce, Public Policies, Case Law, Labor Law, Commercial Laws, Governance

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.3K reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Intellectual Property Law

      Skills you'll gain: Intellectual Property, Legal Strategy, Brand Awareness, Brand Management, Asset Protection, Regulation and Legal Compliance, Packaging and Labeling, Business Strategy, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Innovation, Business Valuation, Creativity, Legal Risk, Lawsuits, Musical Composition, Legal Research, Registration, Commercial Laws, Case Law, Economics

      4.8
      Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.5K reviews

      Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      Y

      Yale University

      A Law Student's Toolkit

      Skills you'll gain: Legal Strategy, Legal Research, Legal Writing, Case Law, Civil Procedures, Policy Analysis, Learning Strategies, Economics

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      1.5K reviews

      Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

    • Status: AI skills
      AI skills
      M

      Microsoft

      Microsoft Business Analyst

      Skills you'll gain: Microsoft Power Platform, Excel Formulas, Process Flow Diagrams, Business Process Modeling, User Story, Business Requirements, Stakeholder Management, Data Modeling, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visio, Software Development Life Cycle, Requirements Analysis, Requirements Elicitation, Quality Management, Pivot Tables And Charts, Power BI, Microsoft Power Automate/Flow, Scrum (Software Development), Business Analysis, Project Management

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      947 reviews

      Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

    • U

      University of Pennsylvania

      Business Foundations

      Skills you'll gain: Operations Management, Return On Investment, Operational Efficiency, Financial Statements, Financial Statement Analysis, Human Capital, Go To Market Strategy, Process Analysis, Branding, People Management, Financial Reporting, Capital Budgeting, Financial Accounting, Financial Modeling, Balance Sheet, Consumer Behaviour, Human Resource Strategy, Marketing Planning, Peer Review, Analysis

      4.7
      Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
      ·
      26K reviews

      Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

    • Status: Free
      Free
      C

      Coursera Instructor Network

      Corporate Governance

      Skills you'll gain: Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, Compliance Management, Risk Management, Business Ethics, Stakeholder Management, Corporate Strategy, Corporate Communications, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Organizational Structure, Accountability, Financial Reporting

      4.6
      Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
      ·
      193 reviews

      Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

    What brings you to Coursera today?

      Business Law learners also search

      Law
      International Law
      American Law
      Common Law
      Contract Law
      Employment Law
      European Law
      Justice
      1234…508

      In summary, here are 10 of our most popular business law courses

      • European Business Law: Lund University
      • Corporate & Commercial Law I: Contracts & Employment Law: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
      • American Contract Law I: Yale University
      • Corporate & Commercial Law II: Business Forms, Financing & Governmental Regulation: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
      • AI & Law : Lund University
      • An Introduction to American Law: University of Pennsylvania
      • European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals: Lund University
      • Intellectual Property Law: University of Pennsylvania
      • A Law Student's Toolkit: Yale University
      • Microsoft Business Analyst: Microsoft

      Frequently Asked Questions about Business Law

      Business law is a wide-ranging subject covering all of the legal requirements a company must follow throughout its life-cycle. This may include laws and regulations governing business formation, funding, and ongoing operations and corporate governance. Ensuring compliance with all applicable laws is an important component of business risk management, and these laws may also shape business strategy.

      Sometimes, business law is used interchangeably with corporate law, which focuses primarily on the legal structures, governance, and fundraising of businesses. There are different advantages and disadvantages to consider when establishing a business as a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation (Inc), for example. Similarly, companies must consider legal ramifications when deciding on a financing strategy; for instance, going public with an initial public offering (IPO) has many requirements governing shareholder obligations and accounting disclosures.

      More broadly, business law may encompass many aspects of commercial law that governs ongoing operations such as business transactions and how companies interact with their customers. This may include contract law, intellectual property law, environmental regulations, privacy compliance, and other types of consumer protections. Violating any of these legal obligations can expose a company to significant costs from fines and other legal penalties as well as reputational damage, making awareness and adherence of them essential.‎

      Business law impacts all areas of a company, but roles in certain departments are particularly important for ensuring compliance. Financial managers and accountants need to ensure proper procedures are in place to produce accurate financial statements, which businesses are required by law to provide for lenders, shareholders, taxation authorities, and other stakeholders. Human resources managers similarly have a responsibility to ensure that contracts, benefits, hiring practices, and other aspects of employee relations are in full compliance with the law.

      Professionals with a strong interest in business law may wish to become lawyers specializing in advising companies on these matters. Often called corporate counsels or in-house counsels, these lawyers advise executives on all manner of legal issues related to business formation and operations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lawyers earned a median annual wage of $122,960 as of May 2019, and typically complete a bachelor’s degree in English, government, history, or economics before attending a 3-year law school program.‎

      Absolutely. Coursera offers courses and Specialization in business law and related topics like corporate law, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance. These courses are delivered by top-ranked institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the ability to complete work remotely on a flexible schedule makes learning on Coursera a great choice for students as well as mid-career professionals looking to expand their skill set.‎

      The skills and experience you might need to already have before starting to learn business law include critical reading, writing, and analytical thinking skills. These skills, along with problem-solving, oral communication, and research skills are useful for individuals who want to learn business law and other types of law. Although it’s not necessary, having an understanding of how businesses run and being familiar with terms like balance sheet and income statement may be helpful before you start learning about business law. Presentation and negotiation skills can also come in handy.‎

      Those best suited for roles in business law tend to be inquisitive, willing to adapt to changes within an organization, and genuinely interested in understanding how laws and regulations affect the company. They typically enjoy solving problems and spending time researching complex legal issues. Individuals who work in business law and related fields tend to be detail-oriented and able to communicate with others in a variety of situations. They often immerse themselves in the operations of a company and spend time understanding the needs of an organization and the people within it, especially if they're a stakeholder in the organization.‎

      Learning about business law may be right for you if you're passionate about negotiating deals, interpreting laws and regulations, and preparing legal documents like contracts and deeds. You may enjoy advising business leaders and keeping up with the latest rules that apply to a specific industry. If you're a business owner, learning business law may help you understand topics like contracts, forms, and government regulations and how they apply to your company. Subject matter that address international business law topics may be beneficial if your company does business overseas. If you're planning to take a CPA exam, you may find learning business law useful as part of your exam preparation.‎

      Online Business Law courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Business Law skills. With a wide range of Business Law classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Business Law career skills.‎

      When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Business Law, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here.‎

      This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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