Current Edition- California Business Practice

The Peacemaker Quarterly- April 2014

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Business Law I Fall 2016 Syllabus

-->


University of San Diego
School of Business
ETLW 311 – Business Law I- All Sections (Custin)
Fall 2016

Richard E. Custin, J.D., M.Ed., LL.M.
Email:  rcustin@sandiego.edu
Office: Coronado 216
Office Hours- Office Hours- 7-7:45 AM & 10:15-11 AM MWF & as arranged.
Phone: 619 260-4854
Class Blog: http://custinusd.blogspot.com/

Course Description

“Covers the fundamentals of United States law and legal system, relationship of law to ethics, torts, risk management, insurance, and hiring and managing an attorney. Special emphasis is given to preventing legal problems and resolving conflicts in business for business practitioners. Systems and methods of dispute resolution are considered including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and the U.S. judicial system including small claims court.”






Course Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

A. To understand, appreciate and apply ethical principles as they relate to business and
B. To understand the basic functions and jurisdictional requirements of state and federal courts
C. To understand various legal systems including common law and civil law
D. To distinguish between civil, criminal & statutory law, substantive and procedural law
E. To develop and refine critical thinking skills including legal reading, writing and application of law to fact
F. To understand and apply the law of torts, contracts, the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), sales, agency, employment and business transactions
G. To effectively use alternative dispute resolution and peacemaking skills
H. To understand issues involving risk management and insurance
I. To develop effective negotiation strategies
J. To develop a plan for personal and business litigation avoidance





Key Topics to be Covered this Semester:

The Origin and Application of the Common Law

Criminal and Civil Law

Small Claims Procedure

Selecting an Attorney

Court Jurisdiction: Personal Jurisdiction, Subject Matter Jurisdiction and Venue

The Anatomy of a Civil Lawsuit, Pleading, Discovery, Trial & Appeal

Constitutional Law as Applied to Business, The Commerce Clause, 1st Amendment, Equal Protection

Torts: Intentional Torts, Negligence, Strict Liability & Business Torts

Contracts: The Uniform Commercial Code- Article 2 and 2A & the Common Law

Ethical Issues in Law

Alternative Dispute Resolution: Mediation, Arbitration and Peacemaking


Course Materials:
Dynamic Business Law, Kubasek, 3rd Edition, McGraw Hill, (2014)
ISBN:  978-0-07-802378-1
Custom, electronic or previous editions are not adequate.
Important:  This text must be obtained prior to the first day of class.  You may not share a text in class.

Attendance:
Absences from class meetings may adversely affect your course grade.  Please do not attend another section of Business Law I absent an extraordinary reason and upon advance notice to the instructor.

Course Information:
The lectures, discussions, assignments, personal interaction and all educational activity are information and not legal advice.  If you need legal, tax or other professional advice, consult a licensed attorney or other professional.  The instructor is not providing representation to any student.  No attorney client privilege is expressly intended or implied.
You must be prepared to discuss the assigned material and.  In the event you are unprepared for any class question or case discussion your overall cumulative grade points may be reduced five points for each instance you are unprepared. We need your active participation!  Please do not use phones, computers or other electronic devices during class.  You must have a text available in each class meeting.  Not having a textbook in class is considered an absence. 

I may contact you via e-mail or on the class blog with information concerning class cancellations, assignments, due dates and supplemental reading. An e-mail message created and sent to you creates a presumption that the e-mail was received and read by you. Therefore, check your e-mail and the blog regularly!
I will not respond to email messages that are unprofessional, lack an appropriate salutation or have multiple grammar errors. It is not acceptable in business correspondence to communicate like you are messaging your “best bud”. Let's get it right to save embarrassing and costly mistakes in the future.  If you do not receive a response from me to your email, please check your message for professionalism and correct grammar.  
No make-up examinations will be given absent extraordinary reasons. (ie: major earthquakes-8.0+, tornados, floods- like the “Ark”, impending end of world, and disasters of monstrous proportion) No assignments will be accepted after the announced due date.
Please do not request a specific grade or advise the instructor that you need a grade to maintain a scholarship or for some other reason.  Requesting a grade or attempting to influence the instructor concerning grading constitutes professional misconduct.   I do not change grades unless I have made a calculation error.  I do not discuss grades via email.
The use of cellphones, computers or other electronic devices in class is prohibited.
I retain copies of tests, exams & assignments for sixty days following the end of the semester.
I generally do not entertain questions within 24 hours of any test including the final examination.

The final examination time is set by the USD Registrar and is available on my.sandiego.edu.

Professionalism requires that you act at all times with skill, good judgment and respect for others.

Unless approved in writing by the instructor, any audio or video recording of the lecture or class discussion is strictly prohibited.

Unless expressly provided by the instructor, you may not submit assignments by email or as attachment.   Please retain copies of all written assignments you submit.

Please do not enter the classroom late.  If you arrive late, please wait outside the classroom until the next available break.   Please do not knock on the door under any circumstances.  If you need to leave the room during the class period, please do not return or interrupt the class lecture or activity.


Grading:

Scale:  A 100-92, A-91-90, B+89, B 88-82, B-80-81, C+ 79, C 78-72, C-71-70, D 69-60, less than 60=F
Important: Earning a grade of A in the course also requires that you were prepared for each class meeting, maintained professionalism at all times, completed all class assignments and actively participated in class.
Four quizzes = 40% (10% each)
Multiple choice / Essay
Written Assignments / Case Briefs = 10%
Class Participation / Professionalism = 10%
Final Examination - Comprehensive = 40%
(Please check the MySanDiego for dates and times for final examinations.  You may not take the final examination with another section of Business Law)






Statement on Academic Integrity:

“All members of the University community share the responsibility for maintaining an environment of academic integrity since academic dishonesty is a threat to the University. Acts of academic dishonesty include: a) unauthorized assistance on an examination; b) falsification or invention of data; c) unauthorized collaboration on an academic exercise; d) plagiarism; e) misappropriation of resource materials; f) any unauthorized access of an instructor's files or computer account; or g) any other serious violation of academic integrity as established by the instructor.”



School of Business Mission Statement:

We develop socially responsible business leaders with a global mindset through academically rigorous, relevant, and values-based education and research.




















Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change)
Class
Topics
Assignments/Deliverables
Week 1


An Introduction to Dynamic Business Law

Common Law v. Civil law

The Doctrine of Stare Decisis
Chapter 1
Week 2


Business Ethics and The U.S. Legal System

Court Jurisdiction

Alternative Dispute Resolution- Mediation and Arbitration

The Anatomy of a Lawsuit

Small Claims Court

Selection of an Attorney
Chapter 2
Chapter 3









Quiz # 1
Week 3


Constitutional Principles

Commerce Clause Art. I Section 8

Bill of Rights
Chapter 5





Quiz # 2

Week 4
Tort Law: Intentional Torts
Chapter 8
Week 5
Negligence: Duty, Breach, Causation and Damages


Strict Liability
Chapter 9
Week 6
Product Liability

Defective or Unreasonably Dangerous Products

Defenses: Warnings, Misuse and Assumption of Risk
Chapter 10
Quiz # 3
Week 7
Introduction to Contracts

Valid, Void, Voidable & Unenforceable Agreements

Uniform Commercial Code Articles 2 and 2A

Chapter 13
Week 8
Agreement
Chapter 14
Week 9
Consideration
Chapter 15
Week 10
Capacity and Legality
Chapter 16
Week 11
Legal Assent
Contracts in Writing

Statute of Frauds

Parol Evidence Rule
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Week 12
Third-Party Rights to Contracts

Third- Party Beneficiary Contracts

Assignment of Rights

Delegation of Duties

Discharge and Remedies
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Quiz # 4
Week 13
Introduction to Sales and Lease Contracts

Contracts for the Sale of International Goods (CISG)

Central Themes Under the UCC including Good Faith and Contract Formation

A Foundation for future study in Business Law II
Chapter 21
Week 14
Insurance Law

Chapter 51
Comprehensive Final Examination

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.