No business experience? Forum

[HydroFlask666]

I currently have a major in a humanities field, and am interested in doing "corporate law" (whatever that is). Will I learn everything I need about corporate/business law in law school or should I have just been an accounting/finance major? My school offers a certification program in business fundamentals, but I would honestly rather use those credit hours to take interesting, legitimate academic classes. At OCI, do interviewers for corporate prefer those with a business background? I've heard the analogy that majoring in business to be a corporate lawyer is like going to medical school to practice medical malpractice law. Is this analogy close to being true? Thanks!

[AreJay711]

Junior associate transactional work doesn't really require any business knowledge. You're basically copying and pasting, checking to make sure all the i's are dotted and t's crossed, and looking over random contracts for due diligence.

[HydroFlask666]

Thanks for answering! Anyone else?

[DJ JD]

While having a business background would be helpful for terminology or familiarity w/ documents, practicing transactional practice is markedly different (most would say dull in comparison) than what you'd do in a business setting, so it's not something that's going to be a bar from practicing (except maybe tax; I'm not sure I believe tax bros that say they'll take people w/o accounting degrees, but let's be honest, who wants to do tax law anyways?).

Anyways, yeah, there are plenty of liberal arts and various other basket weavers that end up practicing transactional law, so don't worry, it's not a bar.

I will say having a nice background will help you get interviews as a 1L before 1st semester grades come out, but only to the extent that it has to be relatively impressive. People with [Big 4, MBB, IB, PE, etc.] experience killed the game, but at the same time, people working similar but middle to low-tier roles in finance and accounting or K-JD business degree backgrounds faired like the rest. Nevertheless, it's a benefit, not a detriment. I got several offers as a 1L, and I'm a psych major.

[banjo]

Every top law school offers courses in corporate finance and reading financial statements. You'll also pick up some business concepts through courses on corporate law, corporate tax, etc.

[Butter]

If you are interested in corporate work, why didn't you take any economics courses in undergrad? While by no means necessary, I don't understand why someone interested in business work would not have taken a few simply out of interest. I think you will fair well, however; one's undergraduate major is not generally that helpful for anything other than signaling, and, even then, only slightly.

[Auxilio]

If you are interested in corporate work, why didn't you take any economics courses in undergrad? While by no means necessary, I don't understand why someone interested in business work would not have taken a few simply out of interest. I think you will fair well, however; one's undergraduate major is not generally that helpful for anything other than signaling, and, even then, only slightly.

I can answer for myself. I knew I was planning on law school, that meant ease of grade >> interest.

[Butter]

If you are interested in corporate work, why didn't you take any economics courses in undergrad? While by no means necessary, I don't understand why someone interested in business work would not have taken a few simply out of interest. I think you will fair well, however; one's undergraduate major is not generally that helpful for anything other than signaling, and, even then, only slightly.

I can answer for myself. I knew I was planning on law school, that meant ease of grade >> interest.

Ah, dude, don't disclose the secrets of our craft.

[Redamon1]

Every top law school offers courses in corporate finance and reading financial statements. You'll also pick up some business concepts through courses on corporate law, corporate tax, etc.

This. You'll pick up what you need in law school. Employers will care MUCH, MUCH more about your 1L grades than your undergrad major. Also, several law schools allow students to take classes across departments, so you can take some classes at the business school to count towards your JD. That said, taking one general economics course would be useful for personal knowledge and general background, since even the corporate law classes I've seen assume some basic familiarity with econ concepts.