Business Lawyer

What a business lawyer does

A business lawyer drafts and reviews contracts, advises on deals and relationships with partners, takes part in negotiations, represents the company's interests in disputes and makes sure the company's activity complies with legal requirements. They translate legal language into business language, explaining what the risks are and how to reduce them.

Skills you need

• knowledge of legal fundamentals and contract law
• careful reading of documents and precise wording
• analytical thinking
• negotiation and argumentation
• confidentiality
• understanding of business logic
• following changes in legislation

How to start and learn

The foundation is a law degree or a relevant course. Start with contract law and practical documents: learn to read, analyze and draft contracts. The best path is a junior lawyer position or internship next to an experienced colleague. Instead of a portfolio, quality of work matters: examples of document analysis and problem solving. For your own documents, always check the current version of the legislation.

Learn to explain legal conclusions to the business in plain language: a manager needs not a list of articles but an answer on what the risk is and what to do. Keep your own set of document templates and update it regularly. Confidentiality and careful treatment of client information are the foundation of the profession.

Where business lawyers work in Armenia

Business lawyers work in company legal departments, law and consulting firms, banks, IT companies and startups, and trading and manufacturing organizations. Private practice or freelance work is possible. Growth paths include senior lawyer, head of the legal department and specialization in a particular field. The choice of direction depends on your interests, and many specialists try several roles before finding the right one. It is important to keep learning and to document your experience.