Be a Social Catalyst - Practicing Israel and International Law in the 4th Sector | Shlomo Lifshitz

College of Law and Business’ LLB for English Speakers – Do Good AND Make a Living

Pursue a Bachelors degree of Law at the College of Law and Business, home of one of Israel’s finest law schools, and kickoff a lucrative career in doing good within the “For Benefit” business landscape.

Intro

“For Benefit Corporations”, “B Corps”, “Socially Conscience Enterprises”, “The 4th Sector”. For many people who worry about society and the environment, and for many pragmatists who understand that businesses can no longer thrive without taking responsibility for their actions, these are not simply buzzwords casually heard in conversation. Rather, they are part of the new language associated with a movement that is sweeping the globe, and is set to steer commercial entities to form or to re-establish themselves as for-profit businesses that primarily serve social or public benefits, to the benefit of all of the companies stakeholders.

For students looking to pursue a career in law, this 4th Sector presents a unique opportunity, not only to develop professionally (and financially), while aiding with betterment of the world, but to deal with a revolutionary and ground-breaking plethora of legal topics that are necessary for it to emerge as a long-term, viable direction for business. If you are such a student, then Israel’s College of Law and Business’s (CLB) LLB for Hebrew-English Speakers program, offering an array of courses and clinics geared towards entering the 4th Sector, is an ideal setting to start your journey. Israel is known for out-of-the-box world-changing thinking and entrepreneurship, hence it’s called ‘The Start-up Nation’.

Looking at the 4th Sector through Legal Glasses

For Benefit Corporations (FBC) that are neither public, private nor non-profit may sound a lot like non-for profits, which are great idealistically and ‘good for the soul’, but are not particularly amenable to making a good living. The recent rapid advancement of the 4th sector since 2006 is evidence of both the importance and the endearing nature of the For-Benefit concept, but it is still a nascent movement, that is expected to continue to evolve, sometimes dramatically, in the coming years. As such, the Sector is destined to present some of the most challenging and fascinating legal questions of our time.

Here are a few possible topics you might encounter as an attorney practicing in the For Benefit world:

On a much more fundamental level – helping state and national governments develop and adopt For Benefit legislation.

Helping certified B Corps (B Labs’ certification) become FBCs – this is a particularly tricky hurdle, as it takes a company from being morally committed to social good, to being lawfully obliged.
To B or not to B (GreenBiz.com) – While many companies have already made their decisions, many need to learn HOW to weigh the economic and legal implications of making the move to become a For-Benefit.
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Part of being a For-Benefit is to provide value to all stakeholders – this will require negotiating unconventional roles, responsibilities, and incentives to increase stakeholder engagement with the mission.

Ownership and governance – how to preserve the social mission upon a transfer of ownership.

Enticing, no? At this point, you may be asking, where do I start?

Your First Step in the Fourth Sector, an LLB at the College of Law and Business

The College of Law and Business (CLB) based in Ramat Gan, Israel, offers the LLB for bilingual Hebrew-English Speakers (LL.B.) degree, providing a great runway for entering the For-Benefit arena. This socially conscious college has influenced and continues to affect Israeli law through its society-orientated legal clinics and involvement in legal actions in Israel.

As part of it mission, CLB states that “We have combined the highest levels of academic excellence with a strong focus on both social and global outreach to cultivate leaders who champion the values of excellence, professionalism, and human rights”. This mission manifests itself in all facets of the LL.B. and BA in Business programs: in the curriculum, in teaching principals, and in the program’s non-classroom activities, such as the seven legal clinics it runs. For instance, the LLB’s core coursework includes a “Law and Society” class, and the program offers internships at the immigration and Refugee clinics at Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Of course, the program is well-rounded , has an international perspective , and offers much more in just 3.5 years, including:

Student exchange programs with Yeshiva University’s Cardozo Law School and Chicago-Kent College of Law with a possibility of earning an LLM after one additional semester in New York city or Chicago.
Graduates may apply for admission to the JD Program at Iowa Law School (ranked among the top 30 law schools in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report).
Upon completion of the LL.B. studies, all students are eligible to sit for the New York State and Israeli Bar exams.

What are You Waiting for, The 4th Sector Beckons

The For Benefit business world has taken off, hopefully leading to a better world for all. If the prospects of practicing law in this sector are as appealing to you as they are to us, and you would like to be a catalyst for social change, act now and register for the LLB for Hebrew-English Speakers at the College of Law and Business in Israel. http://best.universityinisrael.com/jangloCLB