Mark Underberg practiced corporate law for 30 years, advising directors and officers in corporate governance and other aspects of corporate law. Until 2012, he was a partner in the New York City law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He has a law degree from Cornell Law School.
Overview and Courses
Contracts can make or break a business. Successfully preparing and interpreting a contract allows both parties to clearly define expectations under the protection of the law.
This certificate program explores the many different aspects of contracts. You will investigate the creation of enforceable agreements that clearly and precisely set forth the rights and obligations of parties in order to achieve business objectives with acceptable levels of risk. Throughout the courses, you’ll have the opportunity to spend time breaking down the different types of law, procedures, and elements that make up contracts, as well as investigate strategies to mitigate risk and minimize consequences in the event that a contract is breached. You will also demystify legal jargon relating to contract law in order to enhance collaboration between businesspeople and their counsel. By the end of this program, you will have gained a set of tools that will enable you to create and manage contracts in your business confidently and effectively, as well as be a more active and informed partner to your legal team.
The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.
Course list
In today's fast-paced business environment, it is important to know the general legal framework governing contract law and the essential elements necessary to create an enforceable contract.
In this course, you will gain the tools you need to navigate legal contracts. You will spend time exploring various bodies of law, breaking down the elements necessary for an enforceable contract and recognizing opportunities to avoid the inadvertent creation of enforceable contractual obligations. Though this course does not teach you how to become a lawyer, it will enable you to become a better "client" to lawyers in your legal department or outside counsel. By the end of this course, you will become more skilled at recognizing possible legal issues at an early stage in order to avoid future contractual disputes.
- Feb 26, 2025
- Apr 23, 2025
- Jun 18, 2025
- Aug 13, 2025
- Oct 8, 2025
- Dec 3, 2025
How do you ensure a contract says what it means? This course provides tools to make certain that a contract reflects the goals of the parties and minimize the risk that a court will interpret a contract in a manner inconsistent with its intended business objectives.
In this course, you will explore how contract disputes arise as well as how and by whom they are resolved — an important starting point. You will become familiar with rules of construction that courts use when interpreting contracts and when courts infer terms — or fill the gaps — in contracts. You'll then redraft ambiguous language to promote clarity. This knowledge will put you in a better position to avoid unintended consequences of contractual provisions and ensure that your contracts reflect the business objectives they're designed to achieve.
The following course is required to be completed before taking this course:
- Creating Effective Contracts
- Mar 12, 2025
- May 7, 2025
- Jul 2, 2025
- Aug 27, 2025
- Oct 22, 2025
- Dec 17, 2025
Contracts should reflect business objectives in provisions that are clear, complete, and enforceable. In this course, you will study how various contract concepts relate to each other within a single document and how to approach an agreement with a holistic view.
You will explore how contractual provisions can be modified to allocate various risks to one party or another. This is an important skill; after all, which party will bear which risks in a particular transaction are often the most hotly negotiated terms of a deal. You will examine how to use contract provisions to allocate risk and control among parties to a contract. As a result, you will be better equipped to discuss with your legal team how to anticipate risks through an informed use of those provisions in your contracts.
The following courses are required to be completed before taking this course:
- Creating Effective Contracts
- Interpreting Contracts
- Mar 26, 2025
- May 21, 2025
- Jul 16, 2025
- Sep 10, 2025
- Nov 5, 2025
- Dec 31, 2025
During the life of a contract, things don't always go as planned. What happens when one or both parties fail to perform a contractual duty? This course explores various consequences resulting from non-performance of contractual obligations and available legal remedies. You will also review strategies for reducing damages for breach of contract and allocating contractual liabilities.
By the end of this course, you will have gained tools to work effectively with your legal team to use contract terms to limit, expand, or modify the remedies for breach of contract that the law would otherwise provide.
The following courses are required to be completed before taking this course:
- Creating Effective Contracts
- Interpreting Contracts
- Managing Risk in Contracts
- Feb 12, 2025
- Apr 9, 2025
- Jun 4, 2025
- Jul 30, 2025
- Sep 24, 2025
- Nov 19, 2025
How It Works
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Faculty Author
Key Course Takeaways
- Ensure that contracts contain the elements necessary to be legally binding
- Ensure that contracts reflect the intention of the parties and minimize risks of interpretation in court that could harm business interests
- Use various common contractual provisions to effect the allocation of risk and control among parties
- Assess available remedies for breach of contract and determine ways they might be reduced or enhanced
Download a Brochure
Not ready to enroll but want to learn more? Download the certificate brochure to review program details.What You'll Earn
- Business Contracts Certificate from Cornell Law School
- 40 Professional Development Hours (4 CEUs)
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Who Should Enroll
- Business professionals in any sector
- Leaders and executives who engage with legal professionals
- Compliance officers
- Procurement professionals
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“I feel more confident in all aspects of my job, especially those that relate to accounting and finance. This was a weakness for me previously, but the knowledge I gained through the certificate program has helped me contribute more effectively to my organization.”
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Business Contracts
Select Payment Method | Cost |
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$3,600 | |