Business law
Certificate, graduate
Overview
Lead business. Navigate complexity. Create opportunity.
Build practice-ready business law expertise through real-world experiences that prepare you to advise businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators.
Business drives innovation, economic growth and opportunity — and every successful business depends on sound legal counsel. University of Idaho College of Law's business law certificate gives J.D. students the opportunity to build specialized knowledge in the legal principles that shape today's business world while developing the practical skills employers value most.
Through focused coursework, you’ll explore the laws that govern businesses from formation through growth, transactions and succession. Areas of study include contracts, negotiations, commercial transactions, intellectual property, taxation, bankruptcy, real estate, consumer protection and other core areas of business law. Along the way, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how businesses operate and the legal strategies that help organizations manage risk, seize opportunities and solve complex challenges.
What sets Idaho Law's business law certificate apart is its emphasis on experiential learning. Consistently recognized by preLaw magazine for excellence in practical training, Idaho Law prepares students to apply what they learn through externships, a robust pro bono program and hands-on clinical experiences, including the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic and the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic. Students graduate with practical experience serving real clients and tackling real business challenges — an advantage that stands out to employers. Idaho Law's national recognition in tax law further strengthens the program, with preLaw naming the College of Law to its 2025 Tax Law Honor Roll as one of the nation's top law schools for tax law.
The business law certificate equips you with the legal knowledge and practical experience to advise startups, represent established companies, work on corporate transactions, or serve as in-house counsel in today’s dynamic business environment.
To earn a graduate certificate in business law, you must be enrolled as a University of Idaho J.D. student. Explore Idaho Law’s J.D. program.
This program could be a good fit if you:
- Are interested in business, entrepreneurship or the legal side of commerce
- Enjoy solving complex problems involving organizations, contracts and strategy
- Want to advise businesses, startups, nonprofits or entrepreneurs
- Are interested in corporate law, commercial transactions, tax, real estate or business litigation
- Value hands-on learning through clinics, externships and client representation
- Want to graduate with specialized business law knowledge that helps distinguish you in a competitive legal marketplace
Shape the future of law in business
Curriculum
The business law graduate certificate is a 12-credit program included as part of your J.D. combining coursework and applied learning experiences. Students build technical expertise while gaining hands-on experience in the field.
Explore program courses in the University Catalog
Hands-on learning
- Live client clinics, including the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic (Boise only) and the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (Moscow and Boise)
- Externship program
- Pro bono program
Student organizations
- Business Law Society (Moscow and Boise) - The Business Law Society helps you explore careers in business law by offering networking opportunities, educational events and professional development resources.
- Idaho Law Golf Club (Boise only) - The Idaho Law Golf Club helps you build professional connections through the game of golf. Attend events at driving ranges and local courses where you can engage with faculty, alumni and practicing attorneys in a relaxed setting while developing networking skills and enjoying the outdoors.
Career outcomes
Current job openings
1,871 in ID, WA, OR, MT and HIPotential careers and mid-career salaries
- Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers
$98,760 - Lawyers
$133,639 - Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates
$146,907 - Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators
$95,623 - Postsecondary Law Teachers
$87,482
* Career data provided by Lightcast.
Costs and funding
Pursuing your law degree at University of Idaho offers exceptional value and a nationally respected education. No matter where you’re from, you’ll pay in-state tuition your first year of law school. And through the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), you’ll continue to pay in-state tuition all three years. Even if you’re not WRGP-eligible, you’ll still pay in-state tuition your first year and can establish Idaho residency to continue paying in-state for years two and three.
Explore current annual costs for earning your J.D. at Idaho Law — including tuition, housing, meals and personal expenses.
See law scholarships and financial opportunities to make your legal education even more accessible.
Contact information
For questions related to College of Law admissions, application materials, transcripts or enrollment steps, contact Idaho Law Admissions:
Renee Harrison
Director of Admissions
208-885-0143
rrharrison@uidaho.edu
Lundyn Jared
Assistant Director of Admissions – Moscow campus
208-885-2300
lundynj@uidaho.edu
Noe Sanchez
Assistant Director of Admissions – Boise location
208-885-8620
noesanchez@uidaho.edu
Application information
College of Law J.D. candidates can choose to obtain a legal specialization certificate in addition to their J.D. Students will learn more about the certificates offered at Idaho Law and the course requirements during their first year before starting their chosen certificate learning track. There is no extra fee to complete the coursework for a J.D. legal specialization certificate.
University of Idaho College of Law requires electronic applications via the LSAC Online Services website. The application is available after Labor Day each year.
Explore law school admission requirements and apply on our Idaho Law admissions website.
Overview
Have questions?
Have questions about the J.D. business law certificate, practical training opportunities or the Idaho Law student experience? Connect with our faculty members for personalized guidance about curriculum, mentorship, clinical experience and other experiential learning opportunities.
Nick Smith
Assistant Professor of Law; Director of the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic
J.D., University of Minnesota Law School
B.A., Brigham Young University
- Corporate social responsibility
- Impact investing
- Environmental
- Social and governance (ESG) factors
- Social entrepreneurship
208-364-4592
501 W. Front St. 337, Boise, IDCollege of Law, Faculty
Wendy Gerwick Couture
James E. Wilson Distinguished Professor of Law
J.D., Southern Methodist University ’03
B.A. in Economics and French, Duke University ’98
- Corporate law
- Securities regulation
- White collar crime
208-364-4547
501 W. Front St. 332, Boise, IDCollege of Law, Faculty
Law student empowers communities with "Know Your Rights" workshops
From rural roots to legal influence, Cruz Araujo builds bridges in law
The ability to see yourself and hear yourself working with actual clients is invaluable. It really helped me understand the practice of business law and gave me a greater sense of what it implied.
Cruz Araujo
College of Law alumnus ‘24