FAIRFIELD
UNIVERSITY
School of Business
BU 11 E
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. 18 Introduction to Law, Sources of Law and Legal Reasoning.
Text, pp. 1-26. How to Brief a Case, pp. xiv-xv.
Jan. 25 The Courts and Litigation.
Text, pp. 27-59. Brief cases on pp.41, 53.
Feb. 1 The Relationship between the Courts and Congress.
Handouts, The
Power of Judicial Review;
Oversight of Particular Rulings: The Oklahoma Bombing Litigation.
Election 2000 Issues and Exercises.
Feb.8 The Constitution and Business – Regulation of Freedoms, Due Process.
Text, pp. 117-138. Brief cases on pp. 124, 131, 135.
Feb. 15 The Constitution and Business – Equal Protection.
Text, pp. 138-145. Brief case on pp. 139.
Ethics and Business Self-Regulation.
Text, pp. 91-115.
Tools of Legal
Research – Library Training Session.
Handouts. Research Assignment. (second half of class – 2:30 p.m. in library)
March 1 Alternate Dispute Resolution.
Text, pp. 63-89. Brief cases on pp. 68, 71.
ADR Exercises. Handouts.
March 8 The Regulatory Process – Administrative Agencies.
Text, pp. 147-172. Brief cases on pp. 160, 165.
Business Organizations.
Text, pp. 173-192. Brief case on p. 182.
March 22 Securities Regulation.
Text, pp. 192-202. Brief case on p. 197.
Contract Law and Private Enterprise.
Text, pp. 203-232. Brief cases on pp. 219, 221.
March 29 Organization and Contract Exercises. (first half of class)
April 5 Torts in the Business Environment.
Text, pp. 233-262. Brief cases on pp. 235, 246.
Tort Exercises. Handouts.
April 19 Employment Discrimination.
Text, pp. 347-376. Brief case on p. 357.
April 26 The Criminal Law and Business.
Text, pp. 263-288. Brief cases on p. 274, 281.
Discussion/Review.
May 11 FINAL
EXAM (9 a.m.)