Master Small
Kaplan University’s Concord Law School has launched a Web-based small-business-practice LLM program. The online master of law curriculum is touted as first in the country to focus solely on small-business law.
Targeted at suburban or rural lawyers for whom traditional training is unavailable, the part-time course seeks to prepare attorneys to tackle such unique legal issues as renting shopping mall space, small e-business on the Web, local business franchising, and succession planning for family businesses.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, generating more than 65 percent of jobs created in the last 15 years,” says M. Ellen Murphy, the program’s director. “The Small Business Practice LLM offers practical, integrated training designed to expand the reach and quality of legal services for small businesses.”
The two-year, part-time program will be co-taught by academics and legal practitioners. Students can expect to spend a little more than $20,000 for their degree—about $10,000 less than a traditional program, Murphy says.
Though the online school isn’t accredited by the ABA, the program’s inaugural class is set to begin on Aug. 30 with between 25 and 30 students.
