FAIRFIELD
UNIVERSITY
School of Business
BU 11 C
LEGAL ENVIRONMENT
OF BUSINESS
Spring 2001
Professor: Debra M. Strauss
Office: BUS 2111
Phone: 319-1553
Email: dstrauss@campus.fairfield.edu; debstrlaw@aol.com
COURSE OBJECTIVE: This course will provide an overview of legal history and legal process, judicial systems, common law, statutes and regulations, with a survey of constitutional law, business organizations and securities regulation, contracts, torts, negligence and product liability, labor law, employment discrimination, antitrust, criminal law and ethics. Students will learn problem-solving skills for trouble shooting legal issues in the context of the business world, and will gain familiarity with the tools of legal research.
MATERIALS: The Legal and Regulatory Environment of Business, Corley, Reed, Shedd and Morehead, 11th ed. (Text)
Handouts to be distributed in class.
REQUIREMENTS:
Exam One 20% of grade
Exam Two 25% of grade
Final Exam 35% of grade
Class participation/Group work 10% of grade
Research Assignment 5% of grade
Quiz Evaluation 5% of grade
Class participation: You are expected to contribute significantly to discussions of cases and concepts presented in class, and are welcome to bring into class relevant materials of current concern. This includes occasional group work, where you will be assigned questions to answer in groups in class for your full and active participation.
Quiz policy: The instructor may administer unannounced quizzes in class or to take home. Unless adequate cause is shown, there will not be an opportunity to make up quizzes that are missed; points will be deducted for lateness.
Attendance: Class attendance is mandatory. Since learning through class participation and quiz taking requires your attendance, repeated absences will negatively affect your grade.
Course website: www.faculty.fairfield.edu/dstrauss
ASSIGNMENTS:
Jan. 17 Introduction to Law.
Jan. 22 Sources of Law and Legal Reasoning.
Text, pp. 1-26. How to Brief a Case, pp. xiv-xv.
Jan. 24 The Courts and Litigation.
Text, pp. 27-59. Brief cases on pp.41, 53.
Jan. 29 The Courts and Litigation.
Text, pp. 27-59. Brief cases on pp.41, 53.
Jan. 31 The Relationship between the Courts and Congress.
Handouts, The
Power of Judicial Review;
Oversight of Particular Rulings: The Oklahoma Bombing Litigation.
Feb. 5 The Constitution and Business – Regulation of Freedoms.
Text, pp. 117-134. Brief cases on pp. 124, 131.
Feb. 7 The Constitution and Business – Due Process.
Text, pp. 134-138. Brief case on pp. 135.
Feb. 12 The Constitution and Business – Equal Protection.
Text, pp. 138-145. Brief case on pp. 139.
Feb. 14 Ethics and Business Self-Regulation.
Text, pp. 91-115.
Feb. 26 Alternate Dispute Resolution.
Text, pp. 63-89. Brief cases on pp. 68, 71.
Feb. 28 ADR Exercises. Handouts.
March 5 The Regulatory Process – Administrative Agencies.
Text, pp. 147-172. Brief cases on pp. 160, 165.
March 7 Business Organizations.
Text, pp. 173-192. Brief case on p. 182.
March 19 Securities Regulation.
Text, pp. 192-202. Brief case on p. 197.
March 21 Contract Law and Private Enterprise.
Text, pp. 203-232. Brief cases on pp. 219, 221.
March 26 Organization and Contract Exercises. Handouts.
April 2 Torts in the Business Environment.
Text, pp. 233-262. Brief cases on pp. 235, 246.
April 4 Negligence and Products Liability.
Tort Exercises. Handouts.
April 9 Employment Discrimination – Statutory Protections.
Text, pp. 347-360. Brief case on p. 357.
April 11 Employment Discrimination – Employment Practices.
Text, pp. 360-376.
April 18 The Criminal Law and Business – Constitutional Issues.
Text, pp. 263-277. Brief case on p. 274.
April 23 The Criminal Law and Business – Specific Crimes.
Text, pp. 277-288. Brief case on p. 281.
April 25 Tools
of Legal Research – Library Training Session.
Handouts.
Research Assignment.
April 30 Antitrust Laws – Regulating Competition.
Text, pp. 289-315. Handouts – Microsoft Case.
May 1 Discussion/Review.
May 3 FINAL
EXAM (1:30 p.m.)