FREE Trial with Benzinga Pro happening right now!
An education in business law is not exclusive to a law degree. If you are a part of any business, there is always a reason you should know the laws you operate under, especially if you’re starting your own company. Online courses make it extremely convenient to get this knowledge, with a wealth of information available in all sectors of business law.
From supplementing your current law school coursework to educating yourself as a corporate employee, understanding the laws that govern your job will help you avoid violation and expensive lawsuits.
Quick Look: The Best Business Law Courses To Take Right Now
- Intro to Business Law for Entrepreneurs (+Free Book!) by Udemy - Get this course
- Business Law for Managers by LinkedIn Learning - Get this course
- Corporate and Business Law by Udemy - Get this course
- Contract Law by edX - conContract Law by edX
- Startup & Small Business Law: Business Registration & More by Udemy - Get this course
- Business Law Essentials by Udemy - Get this course
- Wage and Hour Law Compliance by Udemy - Get this course
- Do It Yourself Trademarking by Udemy - Get this course
- European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals by Coursera - Get this course
What You Can Expect to Learn in a Business Law Course
If you are seeking online business law courses, you’re likely a busy professional trying to expand your skillset. From a manager that wants to get familiar with wage compliance to a startup founder who needs to know about trademark laws, online business law courses allow education to fit into your schedule. If you are bringing this education back to the workplace, most classes offer a certificate of completion as well.
What You Should Look for in a Great Course
When selecting a course that deals with such a technical topic, it’s important to evaluate the legitimacy of the class based on specific factors. When looking at a potential course, consider the following factors.
Price
It’s important to evaluate the cost of this supplementary education. When figuring out payment, you could be looking at a one-time price or a membership through subscription. Also, with the subscriptions, you could also have access to a library of other courses to further your knowledge.
Price varies depending on the learning platform, the teacher, and the depth of knowledge taught. Also, with some classes being discounted periodically, you may be able to score a deal with a holiday or special occasion sale.
Instructor’s Knowledge
With the technical field of law, your instructor’s background and qualifications are one of the most important things to look at when evaluating the legitimacy of a class. Does the instructor work in the industry currently? Have they taught business law before?
Specific Skills and Information
Are you starting your business law education from scratch? Or, are you looking to specialize in a certain area?
With classes designed with beginners and intermediates in mind, you’ll find that the majority of classes are offered for “all levels.” This is a great option because it allows you to skip over any information you already know, or start building a strong foundation if this is your first business law experience.
It is your responsibility to make sure that the class you select offers you the skills you need. You can ensure this by checking the syllabus before signing up for a program. You can usually find it posted on the information page of the class.
The Best Business Law Classes
With so many options online, we’ve narrowed down the best business law courses you can take right now. We’ve further broken them down by price and skill level.
Best for Business Law Beginners
Are you new to business law? Consider one of these top-rated business law courses.
1. Intro to Business Law for Entrepreneurs (+Free Book!) by Udemy
- Who's it for? All levels
- Price: On Sale
Are you starting your own company and want to know how to protect your family’s assets? Do you know how to ensure brand and product protection, stopping others from copying your products?
This course strives to answer these important questions. Your instructor Chris Haroun, an award-winning MBA professor, will take you through the life cycle of a company. You’ll learn red flags to watch for and how to proceed if you run into any of the issues stated above.
If you’re looking for a strong introduction to business law for your business, this course is a good option. Haroun is also one of the best-selling business teachers on Udemy, making Intro to Business Law a budget-friendly class that covers the basics.
2. Business Law for Managers by LinkedIn Learning
- Who's it for? Beginner
- Price: On sale
Even if you’re one managerial part of your company’s bigger picture, you can still be held liable for certain workplace incidents. To prepare yourself, it’s a great idea to learn your legal responsibilities with Business Law for Managers from LinkedIn Learning.
With no prior knowledge or experience with law required, this class covers what you need to know about U.S. business and property law, including topics like trademark and patent law, wrongful discrimination and discrimination, and business ethics.
LinkedIn classes are accessed through a membership subscription, but you can access Business Law for Managers through a one-month free trial when signing up for the first time.
3. Corporate and Business Law by Udemy
- Who's it for? Beginner
- Price: On Sale
If you are looking for a general introduction to the legal framework that comprises your company, Corporate and Business Law on Udemy is an amazing starting point. This course comes from a more general perspective and is not taught from any particular business angle. Because of this, the information taught can be applied to numerous sectors of business.
This class is one of the pricer options on our list, but when you enroll and pay the fee, you’ll also receive lifetime access to all the videos and learning materials. It’s backed by a 30-day guarantee as well to bring you
Best Intermediate Business Law Courses
If you have business law experience, you may find the following courses useful.
1. Contract Law by edX
- Who's it for? Intermediate
- Price: Free to audit, add a verified certificate for $125
Contract Law is one of the specialization courses on our list, and it is taught by Harvard Law School professors Charles Fried. He is one of the leading authority on contracts and passes down his knowledge through his edX course.
If you’re in the business of writing or signing contracts, it’s important to learn the intricacies of the agreements, including the limitations of contract law. edX offers the self-paced course for free, however, you will have to pay a fee if you want a verified certificate of completion.
2. Startup & Small Business Law: Business Registration & More by Udemy
- Who's it for? Intermediate
- Price: On Sale
Startup & Small Business Law is the perfect course for those looking for an in-depth experience with the basics of business law. You will learn the essentials of regulating your business, including how to register your business, protect intellectual property, and how to hire a lawyer.
Your instructors bring a wealth of experience from the legal field and business world. Like all Udemy courses, this one also is backed by a 30-day money back guarantee. With the purchase, you’ll get full-time access to the course materials for life.
3. Business Law Essentials by Udemy
- Who's it for? Intermediate
- Price: On Sale
When it comes to business law, the best person to learn from is a business attorney. This makes instructor Stephen Kane perfect to teach his course Business Law Essentials on Udemy. As a startup and small business attorney, he wants to help his students undergo certain legal tasks online before they must hire someone to represent them.
Along with this, his syllabus includes teaching many DIY practices that can save you money in the long run. This course comes at a higher price than most, but if you crave control when handling your own legal situation, this could be a great course for you.
Best for Advanced Knowledge
Are you well versed in business law? These courses will enhance your business law knowledge.
1. Wage and Hour Law Compliance by Udemy
- Who's it for? Expert
- Price: On Sale
Wage and hour compliance law is a specialized topic of business law that’s essential to understand. This expert-level class covers how to pay employees on the federal and state level, including withholding taxes and workers’ compensation. You will need some previous experience dealing with basic wage laws to get the most out of this class. Also, prior FLSA knowledge is expected of all students.
It’s important to note that this course is specific to wage and hour law and it may not be right for everyone. Make sure to check out the full online syllabus prior to enrolling.
2. Do It Yourself Trademarking by Udemy
- Who's it for? Expert
- Price: On Sale
Are you looking to correctly protect your intellectual property and brand? If so, you should begin your education in trademarking, and Do It Yourself Trademarking on Udemy is a great place to start.
You will learn about the initial criteria needed to qualify for protection, what’s excluded in trademark protection, and gain a better understanding of when it’s time to hire a lawyer. Additionally, you’ll get an expansive understanding
3. European Business Law: Understanding the Fundamentals by Coursera
- Who's it for? Expert
- Price: On sale
International business comes with its own set of laws and if you want to do business in Europe, expanding your understanding of business law is irreplaceable. Learn to navigate EU legal sources and framework with European Business Law offered by Lund University on Coursera.
This course series is relatively expensive, however, it can be worth it if you’re looking to expand your geographic business boundaries soon. It takes approximately 10 hours to complete with flexible deadlines.
Final Thoughts
An education in law is no longer limited to those accepted into a university program. You can get general or specialized learning right from your house with the right online course. The first step is assessing what you need to learn and finding a great course to learn from.
Note that business law courses are meant to be a reference; they are not a substitute for actual legal advice. They do provide a great knowledge base to help you decide when it’s time to hire a lawyer or when you can handles things on your own.
Southern New Hampshire University Online
SNHU Online Offers:
- Flexible schedules
- Affordable tuition
- Online tutoring
- Access to electronic research materials
- Specialized academic advising
- Supportive online community