Spring 2008
Basic Information
Subject: Business Law
Course Number: BUS 4323
Building/Room: VJN/320
Meeting: Tuesday evening. 6:00p.m. – 8:45p.m.
Facilitator: Jonathan L. Bobbitt, B.S.B.A., M.B.A., J.D.
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Telephone: 731.427.7267
E-mail:
Office Hours: The instructor will maintain office hours one hour prior to class and one hour after class. Students may call or e-mail the instructor to set up an appointment.
Text: Cheeseman, Business Law: Legal Environment, Online Commerce, Business Ethics and International Issues.
Course Purpose, Goals, Objectives, and Topics
Business Law (3 hours): A survey of law comprising the legal and ethical environment of the commercial/business community, including contract law, tort law, real and personal property, secured transactions, law of agency, business organizations, constitutional and administrative law, product liability law, labor law, environmental law, and international law.
Goals and Objectives:
C To acquaint students with the basic terminology encountered in the study of business law.
C To acquaint students with a history of law and a general overview of laws governing business activities.
C To provide students with the opportunity to apply legal principles to factual situations.
C To train future business leaders in the art of recognizing the presence of issues which necessitate legal attention.
Topics
1. Legal Heritage and Critical Legal Thinking
2. Court Systems and Jurisdiction / Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
3. Torts and Strict Liability
4. Contract Law
5. Real Property, Personal Property and Bailment
6. Secured Transactions
7. Law of Agency / Liability of Agents and Principals
8. Employment Law: Worker Protection; Labor Law; Equal Opportunity in Employment
9. Business Organizations: Sole Proprietors; Corporations; Partnerships; Limited Partnerships; Limited Liability Companies; Professional Organizations; Limited Liability Partnerships
10. Shareholders, Directors and Officers
11. Landlord – Tenant Law
12. Administrative Law
13. Consumer Protection
Course Requirements and Expectations
Class Participation: Class participation is essential, expected and will be considered as a portion of each student’s final grade for the course. A portion of the class will be taught using the Socratic method.
Grading: There will be no less than two (2) and no more than four (4) written examinations. The scores of the examinations will be averaged, with equal weight being given to each examination, to determine the student’s final grade. The instructor reserves the right to determine the composition of the examination. However, students are advised that examinations for this course may be a combination of multiple choice, short answer, true/false, and essay. The final examination will be comprehensive.
Attendance: Class attendance is very important. The student may miss up to two (2) class meetings without penalty. If a student misses more than two (2) class meetings, he or she will not be permitted to sit for the final examination.
Tardiness: Punctuality is very important. However, it is understood that circumstances beyond the student’s control may prevent the student from being in class on time. Accordingly, the instructor has implemented the following policy. If a student arrives after his or her name is called on the class roll, the student is considered tardy. Two (2) tardies are equivalent to one absence for purposes of the attendance policy.
Class Cancellation: Due to the nature of the instructor’s law practice, it may be necessary to cancel class on short notice. If a class is canceled, the instructor will make every effort to give students advance notice. There may be time, however, when the instructor is detained in court or a legal proceeding. In these circumstances, notice of class cancellation is not possible. Accordingly, students are instructed to remain in class until 6:15. If the instructor has not arrived by 6:15, students may assume that the class has been canceled due to an unexpected legal proceeding.
The Syllabus: This syllabus is intended to be an outline. It is not to be construed as a contract, and it may be amended during the semester as the professor deems appropriate and at the professor’s sole and absolute discretion.