Business Law Legal Research Spring 2012 1 cr. Pass/Fail Instructor Info [OMITTED] Overview & Goals This course will introduce students to various resources available for business law‐related research. At the end of the semester, students should have a better understanding of appropriate research methods to use in searching for business law‐related information and should feel confident in searching for a variety of information in various sources. Specifically, students will learn how to locate, use and evaluate the following: primary and secondary sources; practitioner materials; company information and demographics; SEC and tax information and documents; and current awareness tools. Students will also learn of the importance of cost efficiency in performing legal research and the availability of free legal research resources. In addition, this course will touch on foreign and international business law resources. There are 14 total classes, all of which will consist of short lectures and/or instructor‐guided experimentation with various electronic resources. There is no textbook required; any assigned readings will be available electronically or put on Reserve in the Legal Research Center. Please see the class schedule and class calendar for specific assignments and due dates. There is no final exam. Assignments/Readings There are 7 assignments in this course (4 worksheets, 1 company profile and 2 CALI exercises), as well as 5 short readings. For due dates, please see class schedule and class calendar. The worksheets and company profile must be turned in via TWEN prior to the beginning of class on the date specified. The worksheets and company profile assignment will be posted on TWEN immediately following the class in which they are assigned. I will review all written assignments, make comments/give feedback and return them via email, usually within one week after the due date. For the CALI lessons, you must use the links provided on the CALI Lessons page on TWEN; accessing the material through these links allows me to monitor who completed the lessons. If you need assistance accessing your CALI account, please email me. All readings should be complete prior to the class in which they are due. Attendance & Class Participation This course will follow the Law School’s general attendance policy which requires students to attend at least 80% of the scheduled classes. Meaningful engagement during class time will help you retain information discussed in class, assist you in completing your assignments, and overall enhance your learning experience. Kindly take note that active participation in class is a required component of this course. We will be performing sample searches in class using various databases. As such, please bring your laptop, netbook, etc. to every class. Grading This class is graded pass/fail. In order to receive credit for this course, you must hand in all assignments, adhere to the attendance policy as discussed above, AND actively participate in class. Late assignments will not be accepted. Exceptions to this policy may be made in extenuating circumstances and only with prior permission from me. Students with Disabilities [OMITTED] Modification of syllabus I reserve the right to modify this syllabus at any time, with or without notice. CLASS SCHEDULE Introduction and Class Overview • Learning objectives o Demonstrate an understanding of the overall goals and expectations of the course o Develop general search strategies • Resources o N/A • Assignments o CALI, Introduction to Search Logic & Strategies o Formulating Search Queries Worksheet Primary & Secondary Sources of Business Law 1. Secondary Sources of Business Law • Learning objectives o Explain the difference between primary and secondary sources o Indentify various types of secondary sources o Demonstrate a basic understanding as to how to evaluate the authoritativeness and/or persuasiveness of a secondary source o Locate secondary sources related to business law (legal encyclopedias, treatises, journal and news articles) • Resources o Drexel University Libraries’ catalog o WestlawNext o Business Source Premier • Assignments o Begin Secondary Sources Worksheet 2. Forms and Other Practitioner Materials • Learning objectives o Identify various types of practitioner materials o Explain the purposes of using practitioner materials o Recognize the limitations of practitioner materials o Locate PA‐specific practitioner materials related to business law, including forms • Resources o Lexis – PA Transaction Guide o PA Corporations Bureau website • Assignments o Finish Secondary Sources Worksheet 3. Primary Sources of Business Law • Learning objectives o Identify the types of primary sources o Demonstrate an understanding of the authoritative nature of a primary source o Locate cases, federal and state statutes, and regulations related to business law • Resources o Westlaw o FDsys o PA General Assembly website • Assignments o CALI, Researching Uniform and Model Laws o Begin Primary Sources & Uniform Laws Worksheet 4. Uniform Acts & Model Rules • Learning objectives o Describe what uniform acts and model rules are o Locate uniform rules and state interpretations of them o Perform a search for UCC documents o Evaluate the authoritativeness of uniform acts and model rules • Resources o Uniform Law Commission website o PA Corporations Bureau website • Assignments o Finish Primary Sources & Uniform Laws Worksheet Company & Industry Information 1. Company & Industry Profiles • Learning objectives o Identify key databases that provide company and industry information o Demonstrate an understanding as to the usefulness of company and industry profile information o Perform efficient and effective searches for company and industry information o Evaluate the authoritativeness of sources consulted • Resources o Business & Company Resource Center o LN Academic o IBIS World • Assignments o Reading, Soderquist on Corporate Law & Practice, Chapter 14 Introduction to Securities Law (available on Westlaw and Lexis) o Work on Company Profile assignment 2. Company Financials and Other Required Filings • Learning objectives o Identify the various sources of SEC authority o Identify key databases that provide access to SEC statutes, regulations, decisions, filings, etc. o Perform efficient and effective searches for SEC information (i.e. statutory & regulatory authority, SEC releases, and company filings) o Evaluate the authoritativeness of the sources consulted • Resources o EDGAR database • Assignments o Reading, Nielsen Company. (2010). Business uses of census data and Nielsen Company capabilities. Retrieved from http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/reports/nielsen‐
census‐2010‐overview.pdf o Work on Company Profile assignment 3. Marketing & Demographics • Learning objectives o Identify key databases that provide marketing and demographic information o Demonstrate an understanding as to the usefulness of marketing and demographic information o Perform efficient and effective searches for marketing and demographic information o Evaluate the authoritativeness of sources consulted • Resources o U.S. Census Bureau, American Fact Finder o SimplyMap o Mintel • Assignments o Finish Company Profile assignment Other Commercial Databases 1. CCH Inteliconnect • Learning objectives o Identify main features of CCH Intelliconnect o Perform efficient and effective searches for various business‐related information in CCH Intelliconnect o Evaluate the authoritativeness of search results • Resources o CCH Intelliconnect • Assignments o Reading, Hofstra. (n.d.). Federal tax research. Retrieved from http://law.hofstra.edu/pdf/Library/library_guide_fedtax.pdf 2. RIA Checkpoint & Tax Basics • Learning objectives o Identify the various sources of federal tax law o Perform efficient and effectives searches for various business‐related information in RIA Checkpoint o Evaluate the authoritativeness of search results • Resources o RIA Checkpoint • Assignments o None Current Awareness Tools • Learning objectives o Identify key databases that provide current awareness services o Demonstrate an understanding as to the usefulness of current awareness tools o Sign up for a current awareness service • Resources o BNA o Westlaw and Lexis auto searches o Justia.com •
Assignments o Reading, Tiku, Nita. (2007). How to get started: From dealing with red tape to protecting patents getting paid… Inc. 29(4), 107 (due 3/28/12) o Reading, Weiss, D. A. (n.d.). Opening in a foreign country: Be careful. Global HR Retrieved from http://www.globalhrnews.com/story.asp?sid=158 Foreign & International Business Law • Learning objectives o Identify and locate resources that provide information on international business law o Locate basic business law information of a foreign country • Resources o Lexis o Westlaw o Foreign Law Guide o Drexel University Libraries’ catalog • Assignments o None Cost Efficiency • Learning objectives o Recognize the cost and time restrictions that exist in a “real world” setting when performing research o Identify several free options available for business legal research o Describe the potential weaknesses or limitations in using free options • Resources o Google o Government websites (e.g. PA Corporation Bureau, other local gov’t sites) o Public Library resources (Philadelphia Free Library business resources: http://libwww.freelibrary.org/business/) o Professional association websites (Philly Bar Assoc., Business Law Section; SBA) • Assignments o Free Legal Resources Worksheet Review and Wrap‐Up • Learning objectives o Summarize the main concepts we reviewed throughout the semester, including development of search strategies, authority of sources, evaluation of sources, and cost efficiency o Compare and contrast the different resources we reviewed and identify which sources are appropriate for which types of research • Resources o N/A • Assignments o None