Law sits behind why business works and addresses complex issues in an evolving business environment. Knowing the law empowers action. No matter where one is in their career, developing an understanding of law enables one to be a more effective businessperson and helps avoid costly mistakes in making business decisions. What is the best type of legal entity to set up your business? A corporation? An LLC? Does your choice affect your personal liability, taxes, ability to raise capital, or go public? What happens if your contract is not fulfilled? How do you protect your property? How do you engage with international trade? What are the latest rules on intellectual property and privacy?
Informed decision-making requires knowledge of the foundations of the American and international legal systems, including contract law, property law, business formation, and many other areas. That is what Law and Ethics give you. But the law is a baseline, and Ethics often begins where the law stops.
Ethics are at the forefront of American business leadership. Leadership means going beyond yes and no answers and making difficult decisions. What does it mean to be sustainable? Can you do your duty to shareholders, employees, customers, and the community at the same time? If not, who should come first? Should you monitor your employees’ emails? What about their lifestyles? How do we decide when goals collide?
Leaders have faced these questions and more for decades. By studying ethical theories and approaches to decision making, combined with case studies, our Ethics curriculum allows you to develop as an ethical leader.
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Current Areas of Research
- International trade and commerce
- International commercial activities and human rights
- Intellectual property, data privacy, and security
- Law and Ethics of AI
- Technology Disruption
- Tax avoidance, Sustainability, and Whistleblowers
Law and Ethics Faculty
