Law

From the hiring process to privacy and compensation, employment law is a critical component of the relationship between organizations and workers. Contrary to popular belief, however, the law does not have all the answers to today’s tricky business situations. This certificate program draws attention both to the aspects of the law that involve specific legal protections and constraints, as well as to the zones of discretion within which employers and employees can act. You will start in the first course by developing a solid foundation in U.S. employment law: what you need to know and what you need to keep in mind in your business in order to avoid litigation. Subsequent courses cover specific areas of interest in the workplace, such as employee privacy, wages and benefits, anti-discrimination policies, and intellectual property rights. In each of these courses, you will begin with the basic outlines of the most important laws that relate to the topic under discussion. After you gain a baseline understanding, you’ll go beyond it to explore the discretionary areas within the law. This program gives you the opportunity to study real-world cases which challenged and in some cases divided the courts. You’ll read the cases, compare your assessments with those of your peers, then read the judges’ decisions. Throughout the program, projects will give you the opportunity to explore how each topic area relates to your own workplace. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear. The information provided in this course should not be used as a substitute for legal advice.

In the dynamic entertainment industry, understanding the legal landscape is essential for protecting your own work or managing projects effectively. Whether you're a creative, an agent, or an executive, this comprehensive certificate program provides the legal insights and practical tools you need to navigate a complex and evolving field. Throughout the program, you will examine real-world scenarios and fact patterns to assess key aspects of entertainment law. You’ll discover how to advocate for fair compensation, negotiate effectively with legal professionals, and distinguish between rights of reservation and reservation of rights. By evaluating diverse works, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how rights and credit shape production outcomes and industry relationships. You'll also strengthen your ability to identify and apply intellectual property rights across a variety of contexts, from individual creations to collaborative productions. The final course prepares you for the future by exploring the legal implications of AI in entertainment, ensuring you're ready to adapt as technology reshapes the industry. For the best experience in this program, it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

Hospitality industry labor laws have become increasingly complex to follow, as regulations were largely designed with other industries in mind. But it has never been more critical for employers to make sure that they are in compliance with both federal and state laws, which are rigorously enforced. This certificate program begins by providing you with a framework for discrimination law to help you identify the seven protected classes under federal law and then defines employers’ obligations in accommodating these classes. Additionally, you’ll delve into the specifics of discrimination laws, including sexual harassment and organizational liability under the law. Throughout the courses, you’ll have the opportunity to examine your organization’s current HR policies and practices to help recognize and minimize discriminatory behavior in the workplace. You will also study the nuances and complexities of wage and hour law and explore traditional labor law, including the National Labor Relations Act, the purpose of unions, and strategies to manage in a union environment. By the completion of the program, you’ll come away better prepared to adhere to employment laws to avoid costly risks, exposure, and damages. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the Hospitality industry’s most pressing topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

Success in business requires a basic understanding of law and the ability to partner with lawyers to address legal issues, set up new businesses, make business and property deals, and navigate laws and regulations. The first of four courses begins with a look at foundational legal concepts, including business structures and the legal responsibilities of corporate directors and officers.The second course examines how contracts and business agreements are ideally structured. The third course delves into specialty areas of law, including employment, real property, tax planning, litigation and startups. The series ends with a focus on partnering with lawyers to navigate legal obstacles and accomplish business goals. With content provided by ten Cornell Law School professors and five practicing attorneys, this series offers rich legal insight and practical approaches to real-life business situations. Animated videos, downloadable tools, carefully planned course projects and engaging activities make for a compelling and result-focused learning experience. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear. This program includes two years of free access to Symposium! These events feature several days of live, highly participatory virtual Zoom sessions with Cornell faculty and experts to explore the most pressing leadership topics. Symposium events are held several times throughout the year. Once enrolled in your program, you will receive information about upcoming events. Throughout the year, you may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program.

The path to a legal solution travels many roads and can often take a detour depending on the information lawyers uncover as they search for answers. Whether you’re a paralegal, law clerk, or business leader, this certificate program from Cornell Law School will help you explore strategies and resources that lawyers use to find law and legal precedent and identify how they apply that information to find solutions for their clients. Cornell Law School Professor Kim Nayyer will guide you as you discover legal resources that even nonlawyers can access in libraries or online, for free, including a template for developing a research strategy. You will also explore how lawyers across practice areas use specialized knowledge management systems, tools, and artificial intelligence products in their quest for legal solutions. By the end of the program, you will be able to see a legal question from a lawyer’s perspective, understand how they develop a strategy for approaching legal research, and determine the best resources for the specific legal information a lawyer needs. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

As the world becomes increasingly globalized and interdependent, so too does recruiting and hiring top talent. The decision to pursue international talent, however, is not always straightforward — it requires significant consideration. This certificate program from Cornell Law School gives an overview of U.S. immigration law, which will provide you with the skills needed to strategize the trade-offs of various options for business visas. Whether you’re an HR professional or you manage a team, the courses in this program will equip you to recognize where a business immigration issue might also become a legal problem, to better comprehend how the law works (and doesn’t work), and to discern how lawyers approach immigration-related situations facing businesses. Additionally, you will discover how to identify where the ambiguities in immigration law can pose challenges and offer opportunities. By the end of this program, you will be able to assess your organization’s options for hiring, retaining, and terminating non-U.S. citizens, and partner with your legal counsel to advance the staffing and talent needs of your organization while complying with U.S. immigration law. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Intellectual property is increasingly becoming a central feature of today’s global economy. Business familiarity and comfort with this area of law can lay the foundation for a successful product, company, or career. In this certificate program from Cornell Law School, you will explore the fundamental features of trademarks, copyrights, trade secrecy, and patents, emphasizing their particular strategic benefits and pitfalls. You will align specific applications of IP law with the goals of your business, organization, or team, and acquire strategies to protect your hard work. Through elective courses, you’ll have opportunities to expand on these teachings in practical, relevant ways, such as anticipating potential issues with trademarks and copyrights or by promoting innovation in your organization. By immersing yourself in the terms and concepts of IP law, you will master best practices for partnering with legal professionals, allowing you to leverage these tools to advance your product, service line, or business. By the end of this certificate program, you’ll have a solid foundation in IP law, making you an even greater asset to your team and organization.

Securities regulation — the law of capital markets — is complex because the marketplace is constantly changing, with new instruments to raise capital, novel ways to market and sell securities, and evolving responsibilities to investors. Anyone whose work involves making or managing investments or raising capital for their organization needs a solid grounding in the types of instruments that may be considered securities and how the issuing, selling, and trading of these assets is regulated. This program will equip you to better understand and work within this complex and important area of finance and regulation, and to gauge the potential risks, liabilities, and protections involved with securities in their many forms. You will begin with an exploration of regulations around the issuance, offer, and sale of securities, homing in on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration process and exemptions from registration. While exploring what constitutes a security in the U.S. markets, you’ll discover the implications of defining a security and what regulations come into play. You will then examine the securities underwriting process and key steps in drafting, filing, and “going effective” on an SEC registration statement. Lastly, you will become familiar with liabilities that can arise under the federal securities laws. By the end of this program, you will have gained the practical knowledge to more confidently navigate the laws and regulations that affect securities and the capital-raising process. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order in which they appear.

Every written word can carry legal implications, and how persuasive your communications are can make the difference between mere words and impactful influence that can resonate, captivate, and ultimately shape outcomes in your favor. This certificate program explores various ways attorneys communicate with their business clients along with the best practices to make those communications more effective for all involved. Whether you're drafting business documents or composing emails with potential litigation ties, our Legal Writing and Communication program empowers you to communicate confidently in today's evolving legal landscape. Developed by Cornell Law School Professor Michelle Whelan, this program helps you examine the legal implications of your written and oral communications as well as some strategies for mitigating any risks associated with them. Since there may be times when you could be called to testify on behalf of your organization, you will explore how to be an effective corporate representative. As you delve deeper into the program, you'll explore the intricacies of witness interviews and uncovering potential biases. Witness interviews call for special consideration, and you will discover best practices for capturing witness accounts, including a template for documenting them. Could a hidden bias undermine an effective interview? You will have the opportunity to use a self-test designed to uncover any potential bias you may have. Finally, you will develop your skills of persuasion, which can be critical when creating business documents and drafting emails that could be tied to litigation. For the best experience in this program, it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

This certificate program from Cornell Law School will provide you with an introduction to the U.S. legal system and how it operates in a business environment. Throughout the courses, you will discover how to make informed business decisions based on your understanding of legal language and concepts. You will have the opportunity to explore the specific functions of different bodies of law and determine how to harness them by planning a legal compliance strategy. Examining each step of the litigation process, you’ll develop the ability to analyze whether using litigation is the best path to resolve your business conflicts. Beyond the litigation, you’ll also explore the limitations of judicial and regulatory power, how they may protect your business interests, and when you should find alternative protections for a specific business case. By the end of this certificate program, you will be able to navigate legal ambiguity, find the best way to collaborate with legal counsel, and assess the costs and benefits of pursuing various legal options. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

When it comes to corporate governance, a thorough and applicable understanding of the roles, rights, and interactions at play is crucial. This certificate program introduces you to the structures and characteristics of business organizations, such as limited liability companies, partnerships, and corporations, so you can understand how they are formed, operated, and governed. You’ll study key elements of corporate governance law, enabling you to anticipate and respond to the concerns of various stakeholders within your organization. You will analyze the roles and duties of corporate directors, management, and shareholders, and apply the laws surrounding fiduciary duties and the business judgment rule to various simulated corporate transactions or decisions. You’ll then determine how to avoid and reduce the risk of criminal liability arising within an organizational setting and apply this practical knowledge to business decisions. You will also establish ways to minimize potential disruptions, honing the ability to navigate internal and external investigations into possible wrongdoing to a successful and efficient close. Ultimately, by building a plan to respond to anticipated questions and concerns from all types of stakeholders, you’ll be prepared to put your newfound knowledge into practice in your organization and beyond. You will have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

Thinking of doing business globally? In this certificate program, you will discover how to identify and address some of the key legal issues that can arise during international transactions. Whether you have multinational operations, joint ventures or investments with foreign partners, or are simply purchasing and selling goods or services across borders, it is critical to gain an understanding of the intricate legal landscape of cross-border transactions. You will begin with an overview of the legal issues relevant to both public law and private law then explore practical solutions for dealing with these issues. By the program's conclusion, you will have developed practical insights and the ability to identify specific legal risks that commonly arise in global business transactions. You’ll also be equipped to propose effective solutions to these issues to operate effectively within national and international legal structures. You will have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule. This program includes two years of free access to the Leadership Symposium! These highly interactive virtual events span multiple days and explore today’s most pressing topics. Symposium offers exclusive opportunities to engage in real-time discussions with your eCornell community, applying insights from your courses to real-world scenarios. Through reflections and small-group discussions, you will deepen your learning, broaden your perspective, and expand your professional network. Symposium events are held throughout the year, providing ongoing opportunities to stay engaged, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen your skills. Once enrolled, you will receive access to the Symposium networking site as well as details about upcoming sessions. You can participate in as many as you’d like to make the most of your experience, though attendance is not required to complete your program.

Exploring your personal take on the ethics of business and fostering standards for your organization can improve decision making, fortify team culture, and enable you to avoid potential issues and dysfunctions in various business settings. This certificate program will give you the tools to apply the ethics of business to your organization. Throughout the program, you will break down the role ethics play in society and decision making. By using ethical reasoning, you will be able to anticipate issues that arise in business settings and create plans for avoiding them. You will then determine how to recognize psychological factors in yourself and others that interfere with making good ethical decisions and apply strategies to mitigate them. The program will culminate in the discussion of research-based blockers that negatively affect work culture ethics at the personal and organizational levels. You will examine responsive strategies for the most common social and organizational factors that exacerbate the human tendency to overlook or misapply ethical analysis. By the end of the program, you’ll be prepared to foster the development of a responsible organizational culture and address potential legal and ethical issues, supporting your team in today’s complex and ever-changing business landscape. For the best experience in this program it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear.

Regulations affect virtually every corner of business. In this certificate program, you will investigate the regulatory environment in which your business operates and how the rules, orders, and guidelines that regulatory bodies issue may affect your industry. You’ll also have the chance to explore U.S. antitrust laws, which focus on preventing three categories of behavior: agreements that restrain trade, monopolies, and mergers that restrict competition. Partnering with your legal team, you will examine ways to influence and challenge adverse regulatory policies issued in your industry as well as coordinate responses to actions taken by regulatory bodies. By the end of the program, you’ll have gained a set of tools that will enable you to be a more active and informed partner to your legal team so that, together, you can navigate the regulatory landscape and advance the business interests of your organization. Note: The information provided in this course is for academic purposes and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries and reshaping the global economy, making it crucial for professionals to grasp its legal, ethical, and policy implications. This certificate program empowers you to integrate AI responsibly within your organization, addressing these challenges head on. You will start by understanding AI systems, exploring their benefits and drawbacks, and tackling the legal and ethical issues they present. You’ll delve into AI’s impact on data privacy, bias, and accountability, while examining key U.S. and European regulatory perspectives. You'll also evaluate legal and intellectual property risks, develop strategies to mitigate your organization's legal and ethical risks, and promote effective and inclusive AI practices. The program further explores global AI dynamics, balancing innovation with compliance across international governance frameworks. You will gain practical tools for AI implementation, including change management, governance structures, and organizational alignment, along with advanced scenario planning for long-term strategic success. By the end, you’ll be equipped to deploy AI ethically, mitigate risks, and lead your organization through emerging AI challenges. For the best experience in this program, it is recommended to take these courses in the order that they appear. This program includes two years of free access to the AI Symposium! These highly interactive virtual events span multiple days and explore today’s most pressing topics. Symposium offers exclusive opportunities to engage in real-time discussions with your eCornell community, applying insights from your courses to real-world scenarios. Through reflections and small-group discussions, you will deepen your learning, broaden your perspective, and expand your professional network. Symposium events are held throughout the year, providing ongoing opportunities to stay engaged, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen your skills. Once enrolled, you will receive access to the Symposium networking site along with details about upcoming sessions. You can participate in as many as you’d like to make the most of your experience, though attendance is not required to complete your program.

This certificate program is designed for management and union representatives new to labor relations who need to learn the basics. The program focuses on two key aspects of labor relations: negotiating an agreement (collective bargaining) and operating within an agreement (contract administration). Throughout the courses, you will have the opportunity to practice and apply key skills to your own organization’s issues and dynamics. You will focus on establishing a foundation in collective bargaining within the union environment and then take a close look at contract negotiation, including how to cost out a contract during tense and fast-moving negotiations. The last two courses provide a time-tested, comprehensive method to address workplace conflict, from the grievance through arbitration. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear. This program includes two full years of free access to the HR Symposium! These highly interactive virtual events span multiple days and explore today’s most pressing topics. Symposium offers exclusive opportunities to engage in real-time discussions with your eCornell community, applying insights from your courses to real-world scenarios. Through reflections and small-group discussions, you’ll deepen your learning, broaden your perspective, and expand your professional network. Symposium events are held throughout the year, providing ongoing opportunities to stay engaged, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen your skills. Once enrolled, you’ll receive access to the Symposium networking site and details about upcoming sessions. You can participate in as many as you’d like to make the most of your experience, though attendance is not required to complete your program.

Policy advocacy is a powerful tool for driving change. In this certificate program, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills needed to promote your causes effectively and create a lasting impact. Throughout the program, you’ll build a comprehensive toolkit for community engagement, including crafting compelling mission statements, conducting in-depth research, and developing actionable advocacy plans. You’ll explore how to analyze stakeholders, tailor messages for various audiences, and navigate the legislative process — from drafting impactful legislation to creating concise fact sheets. You’ll also harness the power of narrative and storytelling to engage with the media and amplify your message. In the final course, you’ll discover the essentials for running a successful political campaign, exploring practical strategies for planning and execution. By the end of this program, you will emerge with the strategic insights and hands-on experience to champion your cause and influence policy at local, state, and national levels. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

Contracts can make or break a business. Successfully preparing and interpreting a contract allows both parties to clearly define expectations under the protection of the law. This certificate program explores the many different aspects of contracts. You will investigate the creation of enforceable agreements that clearly and precisely set forth the rights and obligations of parties in order to achieve business objectives with acceptable levels of risk. Throughout the courses, you’ll have the opportunity to spend time breaking down the different types of law, procedures, and elements that make up contracts, as well as investigate strategies to mitigate risk and minimize consequences in the event that a contract is breached. You will also demystify legal jargon relating to contract law in order to enhance collaboration between businesspeople and their counsel. By the end of this program, you will have gained a set of tools that will enable you to create and manage contracts in your business confidently and effectively, as well as be a more active and informed partner to your legal team. The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

In today’s rapidly evolving cannabis sector, staying ahead of legal changes is crucial. With laws and policies frequently changing, it’s essential not only to understand what to look for but also to know how to find the most up-to-date information relevant to your role in the industry. This certificate program will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the legal landscape of high-THC cannabis. You will explore federal regulations as well as New York State's unique regulatory structures compared to other states. You’ll analyze strategic business entity choices, delve into taxation nuances, and examine the dynamic field of medical cannabis legalization. Upon completing this certificate program, you will be equipped with the knowledge required to make informed decisions, implement responsible practices, and successfully navigate the growing cannabis industry. Note: Cornell University, as a federally funded institution, cannot accept payment directly from cannabis companies. This program contains information about cannabis, a federally illegal substance, and is intended for individuals aged 21 and above. You’ll have six months to complete the required elements for this certificate program, but this flexible approach allows you to finish sooner based on your schedule.