Year
2021Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
LEGL101 Introduction to Business Law: Legal Frameworks for Businesses
Teaching organisation
3 hours per week for twelve weeks or equivalent.Unit rationale, description and aim
This unit covers the law regulating corporations within Australia. Students will learn the relevant rules duties and law that governs corporations and directors. The aim of the unit is to teach students relevant problem-solving skills, to analyse relevant legal problems in context and to develop persuasive and coherent arguments. This technique is of general application to working with law and so will benefit students in their later professional lives, and help put company law into proper perspective.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
LO1 - explain the legal issues that impact business organisations and sustainable value for business and society at large, considering an inclusive and sustainable global economy (GA3, GA5)
LO2 - discuss the interaction between common law and statute law (GA4, GA5)
LO3 - explain the current status of corporations’ law within Australia (GA5)
LO4 - analyse legal problems in a business context and commercial setting (GA5, GA8)
Graduate attributes
GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making
GA4 - think critically and reflectively
GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession
GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information
Content
Topics will include:
- Legal capacity, legal personality, professional responsibility, general duty of care
- Characteristics of a Company
- Partnerships, joint ventures, trading trusts.
- Co-operatives and other legal entities.
- The Company Constitution
- Company’s Relations with Outsiders
- Share Capital, Membership and Dividends
- Directors and Corporate Governance
- Directors’ Duties: Good Faith
- Directors’ Duties: Duty of Care, Skill & Diligence
- Directors’ Duties & Conflicts of Interest
- Members’ Meetings and Members’ remedies
- Liquidation
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Mode of delivery: Lectures, tutorials and workshops on campus or mixed mode
Pattern of attendance and duration: 12 week-semester or equivalent.
Learning and teaching strategies: Lectures will be used to introduce and explore concepts and issues. Tutorials and computer-laboratory classes will enhance understanding and develop skills. They will involve guided discussion, demonstration problems and case studies.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to: essays, reports, examinations, student presentations or case studies.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: Case Study Moot Presentation / Written submission & Tutorial Participation
This assessment task consists of a 15-20 minute oral presentation and a 750 word written submission. This task requires students to undertaking both a written and verbal presentation which analyses a given legal problem. Students are expected to undertake legal research and to develop a coherent and well-reasoned legal argument that is both persuasive and articulate. Students are also expected to actively participate in tutorials, attempting problems and answering questions.
Submission type: Individual & Group Assessment Method: Case Study Moot Presentation / Written submission Artefact: Presentation notes / written notes | 20% | LO2, LO4 | GA4, GA5, GA8 |
Assessment Task 2: Individual Research Report
This assessment task consists of a 1000-1250 word written report. This task requires students to demonstrate the ability to research an area of business law and to provide written advice that is supported by relevant legal principles.
Submission type: Individual Assessment Method: Research Report Artefact: Written report | 30% | LO1 | GA3, GA5 |
Assessment Task 3: Exam
This assessment task consists of a 2-hour final exam. This task requires students to demonstrate their knowledge of topics covered within the unit.
Submission type: Individual Assessment Method: Exam Artefact: Exam paper with responses | 50% | LO3, LO4 | GA5, GA8 |
Representative texts and references
Harris J, Hargovan A, Adams M, Australian Corporate Law, 6th Edition, Lexis Nexis Australia, 2018.
Harris J., Corporations Law – Butterworths Questions and Answers series, 4th ed., Lexis Nexis Butterworths, 2013.
Hanrahan, Ramsay & Stapledon, Commercial Applications of Company Law, 19th Edition, OUP, 2018.
Lipton, Herzberg, Welch, Understanding Company Law, 19th Edition, 2018 Thompson Reuters, NSW.
Commonwealth legislation
Federal Acts and Regulations
Austlii
Federal, State and Territory court decisions, Acts and Regulations
FindLaw
Coverage of cases and articles on legal subject areas
High Court
High Court decisions
ASIC
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
ASX
Australian Securities Exchange