Access Restricted to Northwestern Law CommunityCommon Questions
Do I need to have any background in the law to prior to taking an Executive Education course?
No. Our program will provide you with all of the legal content and instruction that is required. Our goal is not to turn the business executive into a lawyer, rather we aim to provide a high level understanding of the law. Our world class faculty will provide you with all of the background needed to understand particular areas of the law.
What is the process to design a Custom Executive Education Program?
After it has been determined that the school and your organization are a fit, our academic director and program manager will focus on preliminary program design and will work to develop a keen understanding of the unique legal issues facing your business, the nature of the participants, the program objectives and any logistical considerations. The next step is preliminary design evaluation where the client company leaders, in collaboration with our academic director, review the overall program design and meet with the faculty members who will teach in the program. At this point, the first session of the custom program is presented and subsequent sessions are scheduled.
What is the relationship between the Executive Education Programs offered by Northwestern University School of Law and those offered by the Kellogg School of Management?
While there is a great deal of collaboration between the law school and the business school and many faculty members hold joint appointments - teaching in both the law school and the business school -- the law school programming specifically focuses on providing business leaders with a deep understanding of the law which they need in order to effectively function in today's business climate. An attractive feature of the law school executive education is the ability that the law school has to partner with Kellogg School of Management as the need arises to address general business needs that an organization may have. In another words, we can utilize the Kellogg expertise where appropriate.
Why should I enroll in a Program offered by Northwestern rather than a similar Program offered on-line or through a trade group?
While on-line learning may be appropriate for some types of educational programs, we believe that key benefits from classroom learning significantly outweigh distance education. Simply put, there are critical insights into your company's business and operations that you can only obtain in a classroom setting from interaction with your co-workers, peers and our faculty. It is one thing to have subject matter expertise (which many trade groups have), but it is something entirely different to be able to deliver the content in a way that compels the attention of an executives. Our expert faculty have spent a significant amount of their professional careers honing their teaching skills.
Shouldn't I be able to rely on my firm's lawyers to handle any legal issues?
Yes. As we have mentioned, we are not attempting to usurp the role of in-house or outside legal counsel. Rather, we provide the training that outstanding business leaders need to engage their counsel effectively and efficiently. Moreover, in today's business climate it is not enough to defers to the firm's lawyers when "legal issues" arise.
Where is the Allen Center located?
Located in the heart of Northwestern University's Evanston campus on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Allen Center is approximately 40 minutes north of downtown Chicago.
What facilities are available during a program?
Allen Center classrooms and study group rooms feature both wireless and wired Internet connections and power outlets for laptops. To facilitate team assignments, the study group rooms also contain large flat panel monitors, smart conference tables, computers, printers, and presentation supplies. Students have twenty-four hour access to two participant resource areas with computers, printers, copiers, and office supplies and all of the bedrooms are equipped with Internet connections and voice mail. The Allen Center's front desk is staffed twenty-four hours a day and provides a wide variety of services such as restaurant and event recommendations, transportation arrangements, and FedEx services. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as midmorning and midafternoon breaks, a cocktail hour, and well-stocked pantries for late-night snacks ensure that you will never go hungry. Northwestern School of Law Executive Education participants also have guest privileges at the University libraries, the 140,000-square-foot Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and Lester J. Norris Aquatics Center, the University beach, and miles of jogging paths along the lakefront.
