One of my favourite parts about the joint JD/MBA program is that I have the opportunity to jump back and forth (both literally and figuratively) between law and business. Sometimes I get to wear my law hat and other times, my business hat. This is a luxury that most law students do not have.
As a consequence, many law students without business backgrounds are missing the fundamental business tools that law firms have come to expect from their summer and articling students.
That is how the concept for BizBasics was born. The BizBasics Speaker Series is a joint venture between Western Law and Ivey Business School in which Bay Street lawyers along with Ivey MBA students come to Western Law to run a series of introductory accounting, finance, and general business seminars specifically designed for law students.
BizBasics is the only program of its kind that brings law students up to speed on both the technical and soft skills involved in the business world. Seminars on understanding and interpreting financial statements are complimented by guest speakers discussing the importance of networking and business development in law.
Law students can RSVP for individual seminars on Western Law’s internal Career and Professional Development Office website. All seminars take place during the law school’s break period between 12:30pm and 2:00pm and students in attendance are provided with a complimentary pizza lunch.
One of the greatest outcomes of the BizBasics program has been the integration of the law school and business school. Each side is outstanding in its own right but this is the first time that this level of collaboration has occurred between them.
Over 10% of the MBA class is involved in either preparing seminar content or presenting the material at the law school. It has provided MBA students with specialized knowledge in certain areas (accounting, finance, excel, business communications, etc.) the opportunity to apply their skills in an environment where they are no longer the students, but rather the teachers.
Western Law continues to establish itself as one of Canada’s leading Business Law schools and BizBasics is an important initiative that both supports and strengthens this distinct reputation.
It is my hope that BizBasics will continue to improve and evolve in years to come.
About Michael Sherman:
Michael hails from Toronto and holds a BA from McGill University. Before returning to school to pursue a JD/MBA degree at Western and Ivey, Michael worked in marketing strategy for Rogers Sportsnet. Michael has extensive experience living and traveling abroad and loves country music. To de-stress from a long day of studies, Michael plays hockey and rugby for Ivey.