LEONARD N. STERN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Department of Accounting, Taxation and Business Law
LAW, BUSINESS & SOCIETY (C40.0006) SPRING 2008
 SECTION 06 TTR 9:30am - 10:45pm T-LC9
 SECTION 07 TTR 2:00pm – 3:15pm T-UC61
 SECTION 08 TTR 3:30pm – 4:45pm T-LC10
PROFESSOR KOWAL
 Office: KMC 10-87
 Office Hours: TTR 11:00am – 2:00pm & by appointment
 Phone: 212-998-0053
 Fax: 212-995-4230
 E-Mail: rkowal@stern.nyu.edu
 Secretary: Iantha Coleman icoleman@stern.nyu.edu or 998-0048
 TAs
Vinay Ganti vinayganti@gmail.com
Janisha Sabnani janisha@gmail.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to communicate an appreciation of the legal system and
how laws are formulated, modified and enforced, and by whom. This course will show
students how to think more deeply about the legal system and appreciate the way in
which it has evolved and continues to evolve in relationship to business and society. Our
overriding objective is to provide students with the opportunity to read clearly think
critically and write analytically regarding the law, business and society interface.
COURSE MATERIALS
1. TEXTBOOK
Managers & The Legal Environment, by Bagley & Savage, Thomson/West, Fifth
Edition. Several copies of the textbook will be placed on reserve at Bobst Library.
2. Lexis-Nexis
A legal database that is accessible at no cost through the Bobst Library at NYU. Go to the
NYU Home page, click on Bobst Library, click on “articles via databases”, under popular
databases “click on “Lexis-Nexis”, log on using your NYU Net ID.
CLASSROOM GUIDELINES
1. LBS (Law, Business & Society) PARTNERS/BUDDIES
After a few classes I will ask you to pick an LBS partner/buddy with whom you will do
your homework and position paper assignment. You should contact your LBS buddy for
handouts and assignments should you miss a class.
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2. ATTENDANCE
Class attendance is mandatory and part of a student’s grade. Absences may be excused
only in the case of documented serious illness, family emergency, religious observance,
or civic obligation. If you will miss class for religious observance or civic obligation,
please inform me as soon as possible by email. Recruiting activities are not acceptable
reasons for class absence.
Attendance will be taken. If you must miss a class for any other reason, email me before
class by stating the reason for your absence. It is your responsibility to find out from your
LBS partner what materials were covered, what additional assignments were given, and
get the class handouts. Excessive absences will lower your final grade in the course.
2. CLASS PREPARATION & HOMEWORK
Students are expected to come to class prepared having read text and assigned readings
prior to class. Homework and other assignments are expected to be completed and
handed in on time. Since I frequently call on students whose hands are not raised, you
should let me know before class if you are not adequately prepared for that class.
3. SEATING CHART
Since class participation is important I will try to learn your names as quickly as possible.
Select a seat that you can be comfortable with for seating chart purposes. If
mispronounce your name please correct me.
4. CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION
Classroom participation is very important in this course. I am aware that some of you
may be shy about speaking in the classroom. I respect this but strongly encourage you to
participate.
5. EXAMINATIONS
The midterm and final examinations will be non-cumulative and open notes. A make-up
exam is allowed only if I am notified prior to the scheduled examination and the
appropriate medical or personal documentation is provided. Students who may need
special accommodations should see me during office hours.
6. ETHICAL GUIDELINES: STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
All students are expected to follow the Stern Code of Conduct
(http://www.stern.nyu.edu/uc/codeofconduct)
A student’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
 A duty to acknowledge the work and efforts of others when submitting work as
one’s own. Ideas, data, direct quotations, paraphrasing, creative expression, or
any other incorporation of the work of others must be clearly referenced.
 A duty to exercise the utmost integrity when preparing for and completing
examinations, including an obligation to report any observed violations.
At the professor’s discretion, student work may be submitted to http://www.turnitin.com
in order to detect instances of suspected plagiarism.
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TEACHING
ASSISTANTS
VINAY GANTI
OFFICE HOURS
LOCATION
Prof. Kowal’s Office
KMC 10-87 KMEC
Prof. Kowal’s Office
KMC10-87 KMEC
JANISHA SABNANI
Vinay & Janisha are current
students in the JD/MBA
program at NYU
GRADING
ASSIGNMENT
Midterm
PERCENTAGE
OF GRADE
20%
FORMAT
DUE DATE
Multiple choice &
Short answer
5 pages
Multiple choice
Varied
March 6
April 22 & 24
Position Paper
Final Exam
Homework
Attendance
Participation
Debate Presentation
& Debate Report
20%
20%
20%
20%
Debate Presentation &
Rebate Report
Extra Credit
You will have an
opportunity to do
an extra credit
assignment in
order to raise your
overall grade for
the course.
Visit to a local
Courthouse
3
April 3
TBD
COURSE SCHEDULE
The schedule set forth below is subject to change as the need arises. All changes will be
announced in class. If you miss a lecture it is your responsibility to find out about any
announced changes and to ask your LBS buddy to pick up a copy of the handouts.
COURTS WITH
All chapters are in the
INTEGRITY
textbook
Jan. 22
Courts, Sources of Law and
Chapter 3
Litigation
Jan. 24
Constitutional Bases for
Chapter 2
Business Regulation
INDIVIDUAL
RIGHTS
Jan. 29
Contracts
Chapter 7 & 8
Omit pp. 241-244, 267-273,
277-279
Jan. 31
Contracts
Chapter 7 & 8
Feb. 5
Contracts
Chapter 7 & 8
Feb. 7
Contracts
Chapter 7 & 8
Feb. 12
Contracts
Chapter 7 & 8
Feb. 14
The Employment Agreement
Chapter 12
Omit pp. 423, 430-431,
449-452
Feb. 19
Chapter 13
Feb. 21
Civil Rights & Employment
Discrimination
Torts
Feb. 26
Torts
Chapter 9
Feb. 28
Product Liability
Chapter 10
March 4
Midterm Review Session
March 6
MIDTERM EXAM
Chapter 9
PROPERTY RIGHTS
March 11
Intellectual Property
Chapter 11
March 13
Real Property & Land Use
Chapter 18
4
SPRING BREAK
BUSINESS RIGHTS
FIDUCIARY DUTY
March 25
March 17 – March 22
March 27
Forms of Business:
Partnership, Limited
Partnership, Corporations,
Limited Liability Companies
Forms of Business (continued)
April 1
April 3
Agency
Position Paper Topics Due
Midnight on Blackboard
Chapter 5
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Directors, Officers and
Controlling Shareholders
Position Paper Due
Midnight on Blackboard
Chapter 20
omit pp.758-776
Chapter 23
April 22
Securities Fraud and Insider
Trading
Criminal Law
Criminal Law
Debtor-Creditor Relations &
Bankruptcy
DEBATES
April 24
DEBATES
April 29
May 1
May 6
Debtor-Creditor Relations &
Bankruptcy
Final Exam Review Session
READING DAY
May 7 – May 14
FINAL EXAMS
FINANCIAL
TRANSACTIONS
April 8
April 10
April 15
April 17
5
Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Chapter 24
Debate Report Due in
Class
Debate Report Due In
Class
Chapter 24