BUSI 3650 – WEC – SPRING 2012
Title:
Time:
Location:
Business Law
Saturday, 8:30 am - noon
Mendel Hall 306
Text: “Business Law Text and Cases” (12th Edition) by Clarkson, Miller and Cross
Professor Information:
Professor:
Lori Brown
Phone:
651.338.7411
Email:
lbbrown@stkate.edu
Office Hours: By appointment: before/after class or as scheduled
Course Description: The objective of this course is to familiarize you with some of the
legal issues commonly encountered in business activities. Some of the topics we will
cover are the legal process, contracts, corporate governance, ethics and hot topics facing
the business community. You will learn the basic principles of legal reasoning and how
to analyze and apply legal concepts to practical business problems, which will further
your ability to lead and influence.
Class Format: Successful completion of this class will require careful review of the
assigned readings prior to class, active participation in class discussions, completion of
assignments and strong results on the exams. Specific course requirements are listed
below.
Participation and Attendance: When you are part of the business world, resultsoriented participation and attendance is expected. Participation and attendance are
mandatory for this class. Thorough preparation prior to class is critical. Law is a
difficult study and you may find it necessary to read the assignments more than once.
You are encouraged to study with your classmates. You should expect to participate in
class discussions.
You should attend every class session. If you are ill or other exceptional circumstances
require you miss a class, you should review any materials presented in the class and raise
issues with the instructor via e-mail or by appointment. There are no make-up classes.
Although absenteeism is discouraged, you should not attend class if you have flu
symptoms until you seek medical attention and your physician releases you. Please
contact me if you become ill with flu symptoms. Accommodations will be made for
attendance, participation, and timeliness of assignments if you provide medical
documentation of illness with flu symptoms. If class meetings are suspended or the
campus is closed for a period of time, but classes are allowed to remain in session, we
may adapt the class to an on-line environment.
Grading:
Grades will be based on a 350 point scale.
First Exam
Second Exam
Third Exam
Assignments
Attendance/Participation
U.S. Supreme Court Brief
and Presentation
60
60
60
50
50
70
points
points
points
points
points
points
All exams are a combination of objective and essay questions. All exams are open book,
open notes. You must complete the exams, in-class assignments and participate in class
to receive a passing grade. Consistent with St. Catherine policy, all work must be your
own work, not that of any other person. Grading will be based on completion of the
assignments, quality of understanding and analysis, and quality of writing. You should
retain all returned exams and papers. You may be late on an exam, presentation or paper
only with prior approval, which will only be granted in exceptional circumstances at the
discretion of the instructor and will reduce the points awarded by ten percent per
week. Grades are as follows:
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
326 + points
315 - 325
304 - 314
290 - 303
280 - 289
269 - 279
255- 268
245 - 254
234 - 244
220 - 233
210 - 219
209 and less
93%
90%
87%
83%
80%
77%
73%
70%
67%
63%
60%
Special Needs:
If you have special needs that you think may interfere with your
ability to do well in this class, please let me know as soon as possible. Best effors will be
implemented to make whatever accommodations are available.
2
Course Schedule: The instructor may make minor adjustments to the schedule.
Please read and be prepared to discuss the assigned chapters prior to class.
April 14th
Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning, Chapter 1
Courts, Chapter 2
Court Procedures, Chapter 3
Constitutional Authority to Regulate Business, Chapter 4
Assignment, Due April 21st, 10 points: Prepare a written summary from a current
newspaper article on a business law topic. Come to class prepared to orally summarize
the article for the class.
April 21st
Ethics and Business Decision Making, Chapter 5
Focus on Ethics, pages 111 - 113
Intentional Torts, Chapter 6
Negligence and Strict Liability, Chapter 7
Outside of Class – April 28th
Intellectual Property and Internet Law, Chapter 8
Criminal Law and Cyber Crime, Chapter 9
Insurance, Chapter 51
Wills and Trusts, Chapter 52
First Exam – 60 points
May 5th
Contracts: Nature and Terminology, Chapter 10
Agreement in Traditional and E-Contracts, Chapter 11
Consideration, Chapter 12
Capacity and Legality, Chapter 13
Mistakes, Fraud, and Voluntary Consent, Chapter 14
In-Class Group Assignment, 10 points: Provide a written response to question 10-9 (a,
b, c, and d), page 221.
Assignment, Due June 30th, Research/Identify Supreme Court Case – details will be
provided in class.
Outside of Class – May 12th
The Statute of Frauds, Chapter 15
Breach of Contract and Remedies, Chapter 18
Warranties and Product Liability, Chapter 22
Focus on Ethics: Contract Law and the Application of Ethics, pages 350-353
3
May 19th
Secured Transactions, Chapter 29
Bankruptcy Law, Chapter 30
Employment and Labor Law, Chapter 34
Employment Discrimination, Chapter 35
In- Class Assignment,, 10 points: Read Case 13.2, Comedy Club, Inc. v. Improv West
Associates, on pages 264-265. (1) Identify the requirements the court reviews to
determine whether a non-compete covenant is reasonable and (2) Comment, from a
policy perspective, on whether you agree with the court’s decision to reform the
agreement to make it enforceable rather than to hold the agreement unenforceable.
Outside of Class – May 26th
***Second Exam – Due June 2nd ***
June 2nd
Corporations – Directors, Officers and Shareholders, Chapter 40
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Appendix H (page A-210)
Corporations – Securities Law and Corporate Governance, Chapter 42
In-Class Assignment, 5 points: Following in-class review of “Bigger than Enron”
provide a written response to the following:
With respect to former SEC Chairman, Arthur Levitt (1) What does he identify as
his single biggest mistake? (2) What issue did he back down from after he received
threats from Congress to cut SEC funding?
Outside of Class – June 9th
Consumer Law, Chapter 45
Review Ethics and Business Decision Making, Chapter 5
Assignment Due June 23rd – 15 points: Read handout published by IKEA (to be posted
on Blackboard) and provide a written response to the following:
1. How does IKEA comply with Child Labor Laws?
2. How is it meeting its ethical obligation?
June 23rd
Administrative Law, Chapter 44
Environmental Law, Chapter 46
Focus on Ethics: Government Regulation, page 953
Antitrust Law, Chapter 47
June 30th
Supreme Court Oral Presentation
Supreme Court Written Summary (due following presentation)
July 7th
***Third Exam – Due July 7th***
4