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What Can You Do with a JD/MBA Dual Degree?

A JD/MBA dual degree prepares graduates for careers that combine legal expertise with business leadership. Graduates often pursue roles involving mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, financial regulation, contract negotiations, and organizational risk management. These areas draw on both legal knowledge and business skills to help organizations make informed decisions.

What is a JD/MBA Degree?

A JD/MBA is a dual-degree program that combines a Juris Doctor (JD) in law with a Master of Business Administration (MBA). The JD provides an education in legal principles, research, and reasoning, while the MBA focuses on business management, finance, economics, leadership, and organizational strategy. In many programs, full-time students can complete a dual degree JD/MBA in four years, saving both time and money.

Together, these degrees help graduates connect legal knowledge with business strategy. A corporate attorney with an MBA can better assess the financial risks and opportunities of a merger. A business executive with legal training can better understand contracts, regulations, and corporate governance. This combined perspective can help professionals weigh risks, spot opportunities, and make stronger decisions for their organizations.

What Do You Learn in a JD/MBA Dual Degree Program?

JD/MBA students develop skills to analyze legal issues and understand the financial and operational needs of businesses. They learn to evaluate business transactions, assess legal and financial risks, negotiate agreements, and help make strategic decisions. These skills can support careers that bring law and business together.

  • Financial analysis and decision-making. Use financial information to evaluate options, assess risks, and make informed business decisions.
  • Strategic thinking. Evaluate how legal requirements and business goals affect one another.
  • Legal research and analysis. Identify legal issues, interpret laws and regulations, conduct legal research, and evaluate compliance with applicable requirements.
  • Communication and persuasion. Present arguments clearly, negotiate contracts, and explain complex legal and business issues to clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
  • Problem-solving and collaboration. Analyze complex problems, develop practical solutions, and work effectively with teams.
  • Professional and ethical practice. Consider legal obligations, business responsibilities, corporate accountability, and the ethical impact of decisions.
A group of students in a law classroom at Willamette

What Jobs Can You Get With a JD/MBA Dual Degree?

JD/MBA graduates can pursue careers in law, business strategy, compliance, consulting, and public policy. The dual degree can be particularly relevant to roles that involve interpreting legal requirements, managing risk, negotiating agreements, or making business decisions. Consider using your business and law degree to pursue career paths such as:

*Speak with a career advisor for specific career paths that benefit or require a JD and MBA.

Is a JD/MBA Worth It?

A JD/MBA program can be worth the investment for students who want careers that combine legal knowledge with business management skills. Corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, compliance, and business consulting are examples of fields where both degrees can be useful. The combination may also benefit professionals pursuing leadership roles that involve business strategy, risk management, and major organizational decisions.

However, earning both degrees requires a significant investment of time, tuition, and effort. Not every career path requires both degrees, and an additional degree does not guarantee a higher salary or faster career advancement. Consider your long-term goals, the roles you want to pursue, and the cost of completing both degrees before deciding whether a JD/MBA is the right fit.

A student practicing their courtroom skills within a law clinic

Should I Get a JD, an MBA, or a JD/MBA?

You don't always need both a JD and an MBA to reach your career goals. The right choice depends on the work you want to do and the skills you need.

  • Practice law. A JD is the right degree for becoming a lawyer. An MBA may be useful if you plan to work with business strategy, finance, or corporate clients.
  • Work in corporate law. A JD can prepare you to practice law in a business setting. Adding an MBA may help you understand complex transactions, financial decisions, and corporate strategy.
  • Pursue business leadership or consulting. An MBA may be enough for many management and consulting roles. A JD/MBA may be a better fit if your work will also involve legal issues or regulation.
  • Work in compliance or legal operations. Some positions call for legal training, while others focus on business processes, risk, or management.
  • Combine law, finance, and corporate strategy. A JD/MBA can help you approach business decisions from both legal and financial perspectives.

Consider your long-term goals before committing to both degrees. If you want to practice law, start by looking at JD programs. If you want to focus on business, an MBA may be the better fit. If you want a career that brings the two fields together, a JD/MBA may be worth considering.

How Long Does a JD/MBA Take?

Earning a JD and MBA separately typically takes about five years. At Willamette, students can earn both degrees in four years through a full-time, dual-degree program. This allows students to combine legal and business education while spending less time completing both degrees.

A classroom of MBA students at Willamette

What Our Alumni Have Done

Willamette JD/MBA alumni have pursued careers across law, business, government, and consulting. Their roles show how graduates can apply legal knowledge and business skills in a range of professional settings.

  • Associate Counsel, Western Union
  • Associate General Counsel, Pluralsight
  • Associate Legal Counsel, Adobe Systems Incorporated
  • Attorney at Law, Essent Law
  • Attorney, Montgomery Anable LLC
  • Attorney, Novation Law
  • Attorney, SAIF
  • Attorney, Sherman, Sherman, Johnny & Hoyt
  • Corporate Transactional Attorney, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt
  • Program Attorney, Epiq Global
  • Associate Attorney, Stahancyk, Kent & Hook P.C.
  • Deputy District Attorney, Marion County District Attorney's Office
  • Deputy Prosecutor, Mason County Prosecutor's Office
  • Of Counsel, Swanson, Lanthen, Alexander, McCann & Prestwich, P.C.
  • Partner, Andreys and Author Attorneys at Law
  • Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division
  • Trial Lawyer, Law Office of David Reinard, P.C.
  • Business Marketing Manager/Staff Operations Manager, Hewlett Packard
  • Business Strategist, The James Law Group
  • Management Analyst III, State of Washington
  • Senior Account Executive, Client Management, JWA Public Affairs
  • Supply Demand Analyst, Intel
  • Vice President of Operations, Newland Communities
  • Contract/Grant Analyst, State of Utah Department of Technology Services
  • Director of Strategic Legal Solutions, Special Counsel/D4 e-Discovery
  • Litigation Support Project Manager, Bates Group
  • State Contract Analyst, State of Utah
  • Vendor Contract Manager, Ancestry
  • Data Manager and Policy Analyst, Clackamas County
  • Executive Director, Modern Military Association of America
  • Public/Private Partnership Specialist, Marion County Emergency Management
  • Secretary of the University of Oregon, Board of Trustees
  • Senior Civil Rights Investigator, Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
  • Real Estate Attorney, Demco Law Firm
“Willamette is not only a community of intellectually curious individuals, but also a leading institution that has both a graduate business school and a law school right next to each other. Earning both degrees in nearly the same building and steps away from the State Capitol provides invaluable benefits and connections.”
Kaitlyn Metscher JD/MBA'25
Why Earn a JD/MBA at Willamette?
    1 /
    A Location That Connects Law and Business

    Salem offers opportunities to explore the connections between law, business, and government. Willamette's campus is steps from the Oregon State Capitol, the Oregon Supreme Court, and state agencies. Students can learn about public policy, regulation, and government affairs while building connections with organizations in the region.

    The Willamette campus directly across from the Oregon Capitol
    2 /
    Hands-On Learning Opportunities

    Willamette students can apply what they learn through practical experiences in law and business. Strengthen your legal knowledge through our law clinics, practice your courtroom skills with Moot Court, or build connections through an externship. MBA students also gain practical experience through projects with real organizations, portfolio management, and venture capital opportunities.

    Three law students at Willamette
    3 /
    Prepare for Careers with Support and an Extensive Network

    JD/MBA students can use both law and MBA career services. Our joint degree program allows students to connect with both career services to forge a path forward. Take advantage of our Attorney-Mentor program, join on-campus events, or consider internship and externship opportunities. Meet with our advisors one-on-one to discuss your goals and find support along your journey.

    As the oldest university in the Pacific Northwest, students can also take advantage of Willamette's extensive alumni network. Meet MBA graduates, law graduates, and even JD/MBA graduates to help reach your career goals.

    The Career Service Center at Willamette

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