Business Boot Camp

The classic law school experience is designed to teach you to "think like a lawyer." That is an essential skill, but there are also times when practicing lawyers need to reach outside that traditional legal toolkit and "think like a business person" as well as a like a lawyer. There are certain issues that confront all business professionals, including how to develop a business plan, how to keep track of money, how to value assets, how to raise the capital necessary to run their companies, and how to meet their business goals while also complying with the law. The goal of the BLS Business Boot Camp is to introduce students to these issues from the business person's perspective, and provide students with the vocabulary and framework they will need to communicate effectively with clients and evaluate their needs. The Business Boot Camp is being taught by a team of business and finance professionals from Deloitte Financial Advisory Services in collaboration with BLS faculty and alumni. The syllabus is based in part on an intensive course that Deloitte developed for first-year law firm associates, and will include the following topics: development of business plans; types and sources of financing; capital budgeting; valuation; how to read a financial statement; and the purchase and sale of businesses. The Business Boot Camp is a complement to - and not a substitute for - our many business and tax law courses offerings. Students participating in the Boot Camp do not need a background in finance or business law, as the Boot Camp is designed to help provide that background.

Grading and Method of Evaluation:
Pass/Fail Only.