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Posted July 15, 2025

Best law schools for corporate law in the USA

Corporate law studies in the USA

If you are interested in studying corporate law in the US, there are several factors you need to consider when choosing where to undertake your studies – let’s take a look.

Academic reputation and networking opportunities

What is the law school’s reputation in this field? If you want to advance your career in corporate law it’s worth considering US law schools that excel in this area, as they are likely to be at the cutting edge of this subject and provide interesting insights for postgraduate law students. A good place to start your search for the best US law school for corporate law and what they have to offer, is a reputable ranking table.

Faculty expertise in this field

Consider the US law schools with expert faculty members in corporate and business law, as these are likely to provide excellent mentorship for their law students and have good connections and inroads into internship opportunities and work experience. A law school with specialised corporate law academics is also likely to have excellent facilities for its students including moot courts, well-stocked libraries and other resources.

Study modules

Universities in the United States offer an extensive selection of law courses – for example NYU Law has over 300 courses for Master of Laws students to choose from including Administrative Law; Corporate and Securities Law; Corporate Compliance and Enforcement Law; Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights; and Contracts and Commercial law. Check the websites of the law schools you’re interested in and see what selection of corporate law-related study modules they have on offer to help make your choice.

Internship and work experience opportunities

Landing a law internship or relevant work experience is a great way to advance your career in corporate law while undertaking your postgraduate law studies. Try and find out if the US law school that you’re considering has links that could help you. Try contacting alumni and current students of the law school to find out what potential internships are available and whether they have any help, advice or contacts.

Size of student cohort

The preferred size of the student cohort is very much a personal preference. A larger student cohort can often mean that the law school has a more extensive subject choice and greater flexibility in the program, which could be appealing to you. Conversely, you may prefer a more intimate student class size and a more personal experience provided by a smaller law school. Look at class sizes and law study options at the law schools, and work out what is more appealing to you.

Location, location, location

The location of your US law school is another key factor when deciding where to study corporate law. Do you want to study in a big city with access to the finance world and a legal hub, such as New York City, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Chicago or Boston? Or would you rather a more rural campus setting where you can fully focus on your legal corporate studies? It’s important to be comfortable in your student surroundings so you can succeed in your corporate law studies.

What are the best law schools in the US for corporate law?

Here are details of five of the best US law schools for corporate law according to recent rankings figures*.

Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School is located in Massachusetts, and is world-renowned for being one of the best global law schools. Related areas of interest for law students at Harvard include Corporate and Transaction Law; Bankruptcy and Commercial Law; and Negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Harvard Law School offers an LLM degree program that annually welcomes 180 students from around 65 different countries.

Stanford Law School

Stanford Law School is located in California and is a world-leading research university. Stanford offers an LLM degree in Corporate Governance & Practice, a specialised course that provides Master of Laws students with expertise in areas including bankruptcy, corporations, mergers and acquisitions, securities, tax, and venture capital. Stanford Law School also offers an LLM in International Law, Business & Policy, this course covers topics including international trade, international business transactions, international investment law, and international dispute resolution. There are two other LLM specialisations at SLS – LLM in Environmental Law & Policy, and LLM in Science & Technology. Each specialisation enrols 15-20 students each year.

Columbia Law School

Columbia Law School is located in the heart of New York City in the state of New York. Related areas of study include Corporate, Business and Transactional Law; Administrative Law and Public Policy; and International and Comparative law. Columbia Law School offers a customisable LLM degree program that can be studied over one year, as well as an intensive six-month Executive LLM in Global Business Law degree program.

University of Chicago Law School

The University of Chicago Law School is located in Illinois. It offers a General LLM degree program with over 200 course and lecture options, giving students the flexibility to create their own LLM pathway. Popular related specialties include corporate/securities and antitrust/regulation of business or commercial transactions. The University of Chicago Law School’s Master of Laws course annually welcomes around 75-80 students from more than 25 nationalities.

NYU Law School

NYU Law in New York City has over 100 faculty members and offers a selection of LLM degree programs including LLM in Corporation Law; LLM in International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration; and LLM in Taxation. The LLM in Corporation Law at NYU Law School enables students to study law related to business and finance under the tuition of leading academics in law, economics, bankruptcy law and corporate law, just a couple of miles from Wall Street, the heart of the financial capital of the USA. Students can also design their own LLM degree, choosing from over 300 different courses.

Corporate law graduate outcomes

This table shows the graduate outcomes for five of the best US law schools for studying corporate law.

US Law School

No. of Graduates in Business & Industry

Median Salary for Business & Industry Full-Time Hires

Harvard Law School

 

2.35%

$191,000

Columbia University Law School

5.8%

$192,000

NYU Law School

 

4.4%

$189,000

University of Chicago Law School

4.6%

$190,000

Stanford Law School

 

3.1%

$193,000

Source

US law schools for corporate law

There are plenty of other law schools in the United States that excel in corporate law – these include:

  • Yale Law School in Connecticut
  • UC Berkeley School of Law in California
  • Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Illinois
  • Duke University School of Law in North Carolina
  • Georgetown University Law Center in Washington DC
  • University of Pennsylvania (Carey) in Pennsylvania
  • UCLA in California
  • University of Virginia in Virginia
  • Vanderbilt University in Tennessee

Still looking for your LLM in Corporate Law? Use our course finder to find your perfect Master of Laws.

Sources: 1 & 2

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