Certificate in International Business Law
Pitt Law’s Online International Business Law Certificate program helps students advance or begin their careers in international commercial law. The curriculum focuses on key foundational topics in U.S. and international business law applied to business transactions, and to the resolution of cross-border disputes through litigation, mediation, and/or arbitration.
After completing the International Business Law Certificate, you will have a solid working knowledge of the complexities of cross-border business transactions, a roadmap of the potential pitfalls and most likely areas where disputes will arise, and the framework for how to either avoid those issues, or work toward resolving them if a formal dispute arises.
Program Benefits
- Learn on your schedule with asynchronous classes
- Complete the program in 10 months
- Learn from experienced, working legal experts who teach courses and concepts applicable to real-world challenges
- Gain access to a valued and diverse network of colleagues and mentors within the Pitt Law and broader Pitt communities
- Build concentrated expertise to work more knowledgeably with lawyers and gain increased regulatory and legal awareness
Download Program Brochure

Find the online program that fits your needs. Our Online Master of Studies in Law (MSL) program is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their careers through a legal education with a versatile alternative to the traditional three-year JD degree. Our graduate certificates can further your expertise within a specific area of the law in 10 months. Students who complete a certificate program have the option of applying those 15 course credits toward the Online MSL degree.
Complete the form to get a program brochure for Pitt Law’s Online MSL plus your chosen specialization, or your chosen certificate program, delivered to your inbox.
Objectives of the Certificate in International Business Law

The International Business Law Certificate program was developed by working with practicing international lawyers who have years of experience in cross-border business transactions and the disputes that arise out of them. The program provides busy working professionals with a practical understanding of all aspects of cross-border business transactions, including:
- Establishing business relationships in new jurisdictions
- Understanding and analyzing risks in doing business
- Negotiating key substantive points, including in key specialty areas like intellectual property, investment and trade and tax law
- Providing the framework for resolving disagreements that may arise between the parties and litigating or arbitrating such disputes
Pitt Law's International Business Law Certificate Program Students
The certificate in international business law was designed for:
- Non-lawyers, both in the U.S. and abroad, who work closely with lawyers on cross-border matters
- This includes paralegals, legal assistants, and legal support professionals with law firms, as well as entrepreneurs and those who work in sales, procurement, insurance, and risk management for U.S. or multinational corporations
- Foreign-qualified lawyers looking for an online credential from a U.S. law school that is relevant to their practice in the international space
- Anyone who wants to gain knowledge about cross-border transactions and international disputes
- U.S. lawyers looking to get useful, practical information on cross-border transactions and disputes that is usually only available in on-the-job practice
International Business Law Certificate Courses
The certificate in International Business Law consists of five courses totaling 15 credits.
- Introduction to U.S. and International Business Law (3 credits)
- Commercial Aspects of Cross-Border Transactions (3 credits)
- Specialty Areas in Cross-Border Transactions (3 credits)
- Foundations of International Dispute Resolution and Litigation (3 credits)
- Special Topic in International Transactional or Dispute Resolution Law (3 credits)

Professor Laun currently serves on several public service non-profit boards of directors, including the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN); the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association (NLADA); on the Pennsylvania PA Continuing Legal Education Board; and on the Advisory Council to Pitt Law’s Center for International Legal Education (CILE).
Earning Your Legal Certificate in International Business Law is Just the Beginning
With your certificate, you will have a sure footing in international business law. Certificate students who successfully complete a graduate certificate program with a 3.0 GPA have the option to pursue the Master of Studies in Law degree at Pitt Law.
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