What are the best books on business law?
The study of business and the law is applicable together in many areas of business. The entrepreneur, students of business, or law professionals must have at least a basic understanding of business law to function in the global world we live in. Businesses face many challenges and understanding business law will either protect you from lawsuits or protect your business through lawsuits. The best books on business law is a list compiled to give the reader and a broad perspective of business law. Some of the text include textbook from educators and others are written from the experts in the field.
Best Books on Business Law
THE LIST:
1 – Business Law | By Robert Emerson
Business Law emphasizes the significance of legal theory in the day to day basis of operation of the business world. In Business Law (Barron’s Business Review) the book, explains subjects such as government regulation, tort responsibility, contracts, product liability, environmental law, international law, consumer protection, and a lot more similar topics. Information about corporations, legal aspects of partnerships, franchises, property as a legal concept, intellectual property, and business crimes are also included and discussed thoroughly. All these complicated topics are made easy to understand with a helpful ‘Key Term’ section at every beginning of a chapter and a ‘You Should Remember’ at every end of a chapter.
Quotes from the Book;
“Most Civil Law nations follow the inquisitorial approach for their trials. This means there is an inquiry into the facts, directed from above, by the judge or magistrate.”
“All government, both state and federal, operates through agencies which are generally legislatively created. These agencies are given carefully drawn duties and responsibilities among which are the duties to promulgate rules and regulations, a quasi-legislative function.”
“The vast majority of disputes are settled out of court. Most do not even reach the point where a suit is actually filed. If a complaint is filed, settlement usually occurs before trial.”
“In the United States, as in England, decisions handed down by federal and state courts, that is, case law, constitute a primary source of the common law.”
2 – Law and Ethics in the Business Environment | By Terry Halbert and Elaine Ingulli
Issues such as gig economy, transgender rights at work, telematic surveillance, native and climate change, and other heated topics affecting business law and ethics are thoroughly examined in the Law and Ethics in the Business Environment. This book is focused on shocking controversies that will surely make classroom interaction with your professor more interesting. Contents about recent and essential court cases will lead to a thought-provoking state about modern legal and ethical predicaments. This book will help you deepen your problem-solving and communication skills when coupled with engaging assignments like mock trials, role plays, and negotiation training.
Quotes from the Book;
“According to Locke and other natural rights theorists, individuals enter into society to preserve their lives, liberties, and properties.”
“While the Anglo-American tradition emphasizing individual freedom of choice is a major reason our legal system demands no duty to rescue, law professor Steven Heyman argues that recognition of a duty to rescue is in line with that very tradition.”
“Law is not a static phenomenon, yet in certain ways, it appears bounded and clear cut.”
“Through much of Western history, the most influential ethical reference point has been religious; the rules to be followed were God-authored and were “written on men’s hearts.”
3 – Business Law Today, The Essentials | By Roger LeRoy Miller
A straightforward and practiced Cengage Advantage Books: Business Law Today, The Essentials: Text and Summarized Cases is the complete guide of the law and its implication in the business world. It thoroughly talks about contracts, government regulations, and secured transactions. It includes more topics that are not only affecting the business world but you as well. Questions on identity theft, financial crisis, diversity issues, and immigration law are holistically examined. Compelling articles and engaging cases highlight the application of the concepts that are discussed. This book also caters to multiple learning styles as it provides different learning tools to assist you during the study.
Quotes from the Book;
“Although the law has various definitions, all of them are based on the general observation that law consists of enforceable rules governing relationships among individuals and between individuals and their society.”
“Today, in most states, the courts of law and equity have merged, and thus the distinction between the two courts has largely disappeared.”
“Laws that govern business in the United States have their origin in the lawmaking authority granted by the U.S. Constitution, which is the supreme law in this country.”
“Political speech by corporations also falls within the protection of the First Amendment.”
4 – Business Law | By Mallor, Barnes, Langvardt, Prenkert, and McCrory
This book has been a catalyst for innovation and leadership in business law and the business world’s legal environment for almost 80 years now. This is because it offers a brief and thorough discussion on topics that encompasses the general business law. It is also adaptive to changes in its conventionality and adds updated views. This book was the first to incorporate the definition of “legal environment” method in a business law textbook in 1976. Over the years, this was also among the first books that introduced corporate social responsibility, business ethics, e-commerce law, and global legal dilemmas. This pedagogy is continuously integrated into Business Law.
Quotes from the Book;
“Business law courses examine many substantive legal rules that tell us how to behave in business and in society.”
“The class action, allows one or more persons to sue on behalf of themselves and all others who have suffered similar harm from substantially the same wrong.”
“Lawsuits are not the only devices for resolving civil disputes. Nor are they always the best means of doing so.”
“Sometimes settlement of civil litigation is impeded because the litigants have vastly different perceptions about the merits of their cases.”
“The U.S. Constitution exhibits the principle of separation of powers by giving distinct powers to Congress, the president, and the federal courts.”
5 – Business Law: Text and Cases | By Clarkson, Miller, and Cross
Business Law: Text and Cases is a complete, reliable, and easy to read textbook that provides the perfect combination of “black letter law” and contemporary cases and issues. The book contributes a firm student introduction that makes law open, engaging, and up to date. Topics such as ethics, e-commerce, digital, corporate, and global affairs are consolidated in this edition. There is also an added feature like the latest digital updates and how it affects the law. Students will find the layout of this book accommodating as it has cases in points, numbered examples, exhibits, and summaries designed to be student-friendly.
Quotes from the Book;
“The study of business law and the legal environment of business has universal applicability.”
“Laws and government regulations affect almost all business activities-from hiring and firing decisions to workplace safety, the manufacturing and marketing of products, business financing, and more.”
“Because of our colonial heritage, much of American law is based on the English legal system.”
“Positive law, or national law, is the written law of a given society at a particular time.”
“The historical school of legal thought emphasizes the evolutionary process of law by concentrating on the origin and history of the legal system.”
6 – Law for Business | By Ashcroft, Ashcroft, and Patterson
Law for Business is a book that delivers a pragmatic approach to law that highlights the popular issues needed to thrive in the business world. This edition emphasizes current business difficulties such as the capacity to contract, trademark infringement, employment, and agency. It also has up-to-date information on business ethics and discussion on current corporate accusations and scandals. The well-renowned authors: Ashcroft, Ashcroft, and Patterson, consolidated concise chapters with a meaningful, realistic model and utilization. The book is outlined with a Learning objective, MindTap Learning, optional online tools, and legal video to make business law easier to understand for application in your future success.
Quotes from the Book;
“The court system involves much more than just the various types of courts and the judges who preside over them.”
“Religious teachings, social mores, habits, and peer pressure all contribute to social control of conduct by various people, but only the rules of law apply with equal force to every member of society.”
“Intentionally causing confusion about another’s product can be a tort. This can be done by making false statements about another’s product or by representing goods or services as being the goods or services of someone else.”
“Trademarket or trade name infringement is unauthorized use or confusingly similar imitation of another’s mark or name. A trademark owner may get a court to halt anyone’s commercial use of the mark.”
7 – International Business Law and Its Environment | Schaffer, Agusti, and Dhooge
International Business Law and Its Environment understand that today’s business transcends beyond the physical borders of a nation. Due to that, it provides a comprehensive, easy-to-follow discussion on the legal ramifications and implications of international business. You explore the social, legislative, trade, and moral issues of today’s global business leaders. Topics such as intellectual property licenses, foreign direct investment, and trade are highlighted as the three primary manners of conducting business in a different country. You also get pieces of information on real-life examples, cases, ethical considerations, and managerial implications that are beneficial in transacting in international business.
Quotes from the Book;
“It has been said that America’s interest in international education has peaked and ebbed with the changing tide of the American political climate, rising in times of economic expansion and ebbing during periods of political isolation or economic protectionism.”
“In the last half-century, America faced an increasingly competitive global marketplace and a mounting trade deficit.”
“We begin with the premise that the world of international business is a dangerous place and that the management of the international business is the management of risk.”
“Today most people agree that no business is purely domestic and that global competition and world events affect even the smallest local firms.”
8 – Business Law Basics | By James Hart
Business Law Basic: A Legal Handbook for Online Entrepreneurs and Startup Businesses will discuss the involvement of different legal entities and evaluate the positive and negative effects of each. Readers will gain a deep understanding of how a legal entity that is accurately structured can defend you legally and lead you to save time and money. So, if you are interested in learning more about partnerships, sole proprietorships, Limited Liability Companies, and S and C- corporations, then this is the best resource book for you. It has a comprehensive list of the ten most prevalent errors done by entrepreneurs in everyday transactions that you need to avoid in order to find success.
Quotes from the Book;
“He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” – Abraham Lincoln”
9 – Business Law | By Henry Cheeseman
Written by the seasoned author, Henry Cheeseman, Business Law provides an interesting perspective through the lens of real cases. This realistic approach of studying real-life scenarios through beautifully illustrated trials allows readers to immerse themselves in the fundamentals of business law. Doing this will be highly beneficial for their careers. The latest edition of this book is fully updated with many current cases from the federal courts and the U.S. Supreme court present for students to dive in and investigate thoroughly. There has also been ample of up-to-date addition of examples in the environmental, international law business, and ethical, legal inquiries to this Edition.
Quotes from the Book;
“In the words of Judge Learned Hand, “Without law, we cannot live; only with it can we ensure the future which by right is ours. The best of men’s hopes are enmeshed in its success.”
“The law consists of rules that regulate the conduct of individuals, businesses, and other organizations in society.”
“The U.S. legal system is one of the most comprehensive, fair, and democratic systems of law ever developed and enforced.”
10 – The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Business Law | By Constance Bagley and Craig Dauchy
Business Insiders embrace The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Law and Strategy as the most valuable business book one can read. No wonder why it holds a seat in the top 25 books an entrepreneur must-read. This book analyzes the different legal requirements and pitfalls in the business building process from the ground up to its operation. This book provides realistic examples that illustrate the importance of legality to entrepreneurs for them to achieve their goals, expand resources, and minimal risk management. It also explores topics such as leaving your job, hiring former co-worker, competition against a former employer, product liability, bankruptcy, and workplace regulations. You also get insightful lenses in the “gig” economy, social media, crowdsourcing, identity theft, and computer hacking.
Quotes from the Book;
“In a time of multiple “unicorns,” private companies with valuations in excess of $1 billion, including Airbnb, Snap, and Uber, entrepreneurship offers opportunities to build something enduring, to create good jobs, and to fill unmet financial, social, and material needs.”
“This area of law is exciting and challenging. Law not only constrains, but it also enables successful enterprise development.”
“Individuals start businesses for a number of reasons: to be their own boss, to pursue a passion, to help those who are less advantaged, to achieve financial rewards, to establish a new livelihood after corporate downsizing, to fill an unmet need with an innovative product or service, or to create something enduring.”
“Before starting a business, the would-be entrepreneur should consider the sacrifices-professional, financial, and personal-that will be required.”
11 – Corporate Law | By Stephen Bainbridge
Corporate law has been a long-standing bane in the existence of many students due to its complex applications. However, author Stephen Bainbridge managed to pen a book that simplifies the complexity of corporate law. Similar to its antecedents, Corporate Law (Concepts and Insights) is designed to support students by putting the law into an economic and business context. The instruction utilizes up-to-date information on federal securities law and state corporate law combined with a focus on pressing issues of modern Corporate conditions. This book is also easy to read with an uncomplicated and straightforward style of the text, which makes the complex financial and economic matters more natural to understand.
Quotes from the Book;
“A leading legal dictionary defines the corporation as “an artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state or nation…”
“Although the corporation’s legal personality obviously is fiction, it is a very useful one.”
“Corporate securities, like all commodities, are traded in markets.”
“More than half of the corporations listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange and nearly 60% of the Fortune 500 corporations are incorporated in Delaware.”
“The issuance and trading of stocks and other corporate securities were largely unregulated until the passage of the first state “blue sky law” by Kansas in 1911.”
12 – Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing | By Deborah Brightman Farone
The Best Practices in Law Firm Business Development and Marketing is an ideal resource for practicing attorneys, law firm leaders, consultants, educators, and legal marketers who desire to understand the essential marketing approach in the legal field. It identifies the most competent methods of legal marketing. The following topics are included; the best way to forge long-standing client relationship; the contribution of leadership, collaboration, and personalities in a company’s name and practices; essential management qualities in employing CMO; firm culture, compensation, coaching, training, incentives; reputation building and brand conceptions; up-to-date technologies; the purpose of legal services, acquisition of professionals, and outsourcing legal process; evaluation of A.I solutions.
Quotes from the Book;
“Profound developments in the legal profession in the late 1970s paved the way for the emergence of the legal marketing industry.”
“Since the early days of legal marketing and legal media, we’ve seen the profession explode, with the success of numerous publications covering the law, the proliferation of rankings, and the battle among firms to differentiate themselves by building better websites, creating pitch materials, and utilizing business, competitive and even artificial intelligence.”
13 – International Business Law and the Legal Environment | By Larry A. DiMatteo
International Business Law and the Legal Environment presents business undergraduates with a clear perception of the legal systems that oversee the conduct of international business. DiMatteo’s transactional method leads learners into critical business activities such as contracts, finance to countertrade, import and export, dispute, licensing resolution, etc. This approach allows students to understand the real-world application of the context. The following elements are added in this edition; updated materials on sales law, joint ventures of European private law, and comparative contract; a new dedicated chapter on foreign direct investment, privacy law, environmental concerns, and emerging markets; World Trade Organization in-depth analysis and new case highlights.
Quotes from the book;
“Businesspersons can avoid misunderstandings by following standard practices, custom, and trade usage to minimize the risks of legal disputes.”
“No company is too small to go global. In fact, nearly 30 percent of all U.S. exporters in 2005 had fewer than 19 employees, and many had fewer than five.”
“Trade finance and global banking have evolved to the point where buying and selling things internationally is routine, safe, and efficient. Reliable payment collection methods are numerous and include letters of credit through banks, credit cards, and online payments.”
“Different international markets have different levels of risks. Risks are identifiable, and there are numerous low-cost ways of minimizing such risks.”
“To be successful, international entrepreneurs and exporters must assess foreign markets through market research.”
14 – Anderson’s Business Law and the Legal Environment | By David P. Twomey, Marianne M. Jennings, and Stephanie M. Greene
Acing your business law subject is entirely possible with the best-simplified business law textbook. Anderson’s Business Law and the Legal Environment augment your knowledge through real-life contexts and cases of predicaments, concerns, and dilemmas. With added dedicate chapters that explore the atmosphere of the legal conditions. These pieces of information are valuable sources that will help you prepare for CPA exams. It is up to date, complete, uncomplicatedly written, and enjoyable to read. This book has multiple online and in-text resources that will make you ready to pass your business law class.
Quotes from the book;
“Why have law? If you have ever been stuck in a traffic jam or jostled in a crowd leaving a stadium, you have observed the need for order to keep those involved moving in an efficient and safe manner.”
“The final decision in a federal district court can be appealed to a court with appellate jurisdiction.”
“Under the rent-a-judge plan, the parties hire a judge to hear the case. In many states, the parties voluntarily choose the judge as a “referee,” and the judge acts under a statute authorizing the appointment of referees.”
“Business ethics is the application of values and standards to business conduct and decisions. These values originate in various sources from positive (codified) law to natural law to ethical theories and standards and on to stakeholder values.”
15 – Social Media Law for Business | By Glen Gilmore
Social Media Law for Business: A Practical Guide for Using Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Blogs Without Stepping on Legal Land Mines focuses on identifying and avoiding the legal mistakes committed to Social Media. Social media has encapsulated the network where customers are from. However, there are so many mistakes that can be committed on different platforms. These errors can severely affect profit outcomes, especially when it comes to the legal aspect of conducting business with Social Media. This simplified Social Media Law for Business guides you with the legalities concerning social media. The chapters cover the following topics; business policies about social media; recruitment and employment by social media; content rights; and digital advertisement agreements and contracts
Quotes from the book;
“Social media for business is ultimately about business.”
“Letting your employees and customers comment on your social media policy may seem daunting to some, but if there is a problem with your policy, best to get it addressed early on.”
“When you post a photo or a video or an article of your own creation or even shared from another, be careful not to include commonplace brand logos or catchy tunes, as they may cause your entire work to be banned from being shared on social networks.”
“Do not think that because CC is a do-it-yourself site that you can simply change your mind if someone chooses to use your work consistent with the CC license you have used. This means that even if a really big company decides to use a work of yours where your only requirement under the CC license was that you receive attribution for your work, that’s likely all you will be entitled to receive: credit for your work.”
Final Thoughts on the Best Books on Business Law
This article was an attempt to consolidate the best books on business law. Obviously, the list is not an exhausted list of every book on the subject. However, the ‘best books on business law’ list attempt to orchestrate different angles and degrees on business law.
Meet Maurice, a staff editor at Bigger Investing. He’s an accomplished entrepreneur who owns multiple successful websites and a thriving merch shop. When he’s not busy with work, Maurice indulges in his passion for kayaking, climbing, and his family. As a savvy investor, Maurice loves putting his money to work and seeking out new opportunities. With his expertise and passion for finance, he’s dedicated to helping readers achieve their financial goals through Bigger Investing.