¶ … Bachelor's of Business Administration with a special concentration in legal studies opens up a plethora of career opportunities with possible advancement into the field of law. According to the Glossary of Bachelor's Degree Programs on the Education Portal, "A BBA in Legal Studies prepares a student to work in various law sectors" including "public welfare, insurance, social services, human resources, real estate, taxes, banking, human rights, finance, business, and many others." The reasons for pursuing this degree are extensive. A high level of job security, relatively high starting and peak earnings salary, and tremendous amount of job flexibility and variety rank among the top reasons for pursuing a Bachelor's of Business Administration with a special concentration in legal studies. Because the degree can become a precursor to law school and a career as a lawyer, future career options are not only lucrative but also personally rewarding. A lawyer has the unique ability to "make a difference in both the lives of their clients and the lives of people everywhere, as a single case can set precedence for thousands of cases to come," (Boyer). Even before becoming a lawyer, the Bachelor's in Business Administration with a specialty in law entails helping others to decipher and apply the law in their personal or professional lives.

Starting off with a Bachelor's of Business Administration and specializing in law at this stage of an academic career expands opportunities for early career growth. "The unbelievable amount of jobs available is the number one reason to earn" a Bachelor's of Business Administration: Legal Studies degree (Glossary of Bachelor's Degree Programs). The Bachelor's program in Business Administration: Legal Studies allows for maximum career flexibility because it does not entail an immediate commitment to a pre-law program. The student can proceed at his or her own pace, and embark on a law degree when time and finances permit. Moreover, there are many job opportunities that the Business Administration degree itself presents even outside of the rubric of a law career.

Even more so than a pre-law course of study, the Business Administration: Legal Studies course offers insight into business development. Because more than one-quarter of all attorneys are self-employed, a foundation in Business Administration can come in extremely handy (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Some students need and want a firm understanding of how to run a business, and not only how to apply the law to that business. This degree program is one of the few that offers both legal and business training. When viewed as part of a long-term plan of career growth and development, a Bachelor's of Business Administration: Legal Studies starts to make perfect sense as a career stepping-stone.

Job growth, job flexibility, and job variety are three of the top reasons to embark on any field related to law. From the point of having a Bachelor's in Business Administration: Legal Studies, a student might opt for a legal assistant or paralegal career or alternatively, for a career as a lawyer. Even within the realm of business administration alone there are a number of career options within the corporate sector. Possessing a knowledge of law permits companies to make wise and informed decisions. The Bachelor's in Business Administration: Legal Studies may even lead to a collaboration with accountants and other members of a team dedicated to promoting the growth of an organization.

Although there is a wide range of attractive post-degree options, becoming a lawyer is certainly the most dynamic, powerful, and lucrative one. Within the field of law, a wide range of areas of specialization help the individual to pursue a rewarding career path focusing on any number of issues. A background in business administration permits, but does not limit, the student to pursue a viable career in business or corporate law.

Not only will a lawyer specializing in business law be able to help companies make informed decisions via legal counsel, but they will also be...

A lawyer specializing in business can also apply both business and legal knowledge to the establishment of a private practice.
Attorneys have the opportunity to establish a private practice in any given location, as long as they can become a member of the bar in the chosen state. This amounts to a great amount of personal and professional freedom. The Bureau of Labor Statistics stresses the importance of geographic mobility: "Because of the keen competition for jobs, a law graduate's geographic mobility and work experience are assuming greater importance." An attorney might choose to live in an area for business reasons, such as lack of competition. Or, an attorney might be interested in social justice issues or business issues that are unique to a given state. In some cases, the choice of where to live, work, and practice law is more related to personal preference than anything else.

Because each case that an attorney works on presents unique opportunities and challenges, the attorney also enjoys continually learning and growing. Few careers offer the opportunity to grow and develop as extensively as a career in law. Ultimately, a degree in law may lead to other options including a position in politics, as a judge, or as a professor who teaches law. All these are options that are available for an individual who starts off with the seemingly humble degree, the Bachelor's of Business Administration: Legal Studies.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "lawyers are increasingly finding work in less traditional areas for which legal training is an asset, but not normally a requirement," such as, "administrative, managerial, and business positions in banks, insurance firms, real estate companies, government agencies, and other organizations." This proves how important a foundation in business administration can be, even before a formal law program is commenced.

There are some drawbacks to pursuing the Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration: Legal Studies as well as to pursuing a future career as a lawyer. For one, the Bachelor's in Business Administration represents several years of academic commitment that could be applied towards law school. Law school is already a lengthy process, and there is some risk of burnout or financial straits. There are two ways to overcome this obstacle. For one, the Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration does expand career options beyond the field of law. Given that the legal fields are highly competitive already, this flexibility is desirable. Second, the Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration: Legal Studies may offer sufficient financial rewards in the short-term that can help pay for the law degree program without the need for costly student loans.

Some of the potential drawbacks to a career in law are also outlined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Competition is the most noticeable of these drawbacks. Law schools themselves have far more applicants than they do seats, and admission to law school is tough and highly competitive. Moreover, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes, "competition for job openings should be keen because of the large number of students graduating from law school each year." In fact, this is one of the reasons why a Bachelor's of Business Administration: Legal Studies is ideal. The student has a number of different career areas to pursue and fall back on if the law degree does not prove lucrative in the short-term. "As in the past, some graduates may have to accept positions outside of their field of interest or for which they feel overqualified. Some recent law school graduates who have been unable to find permanent positions are turning to the growing number of temporary staffing firms that place attorneys in short-term jobs," (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Given this undesirable scenario, it is easy to see why a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration: Legal Studies is a preferable starting point than to simply leap off a cliff into law school.

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