70417 Corporate Law

8cp

Requisite(s): 70317c Real Property
Undergraduate and Postgraduate
Subject coordinator: S Riley

Corporations are an all-pervading presence in contemporary society. An understanding of corporate law is essential for students intending to enter a commercial legal practice or aspiring to a senior appointment within a company. Awareness of the different rights and responsibilities of corporate stakeholders, such as directors, employees, creditors and shareholders, is also important for any prospective lawyer, since so many legal issues involve one or more corporations as parties to the action or transaction.

This subject is an introduction to the field of corporate law and corporations, and their role in commerce and society. It looks at that mode of business activity conducted in the form of a vehicle known as a company or a corporation and asks 'What/why/how/who is it?'. It looks at the various actors involved, shareholders, directors, creditors, regulators and the public, and the web of relationships between these parties. It also looks at the legal system and laws, corporate laws, and how they provide dispute resolution mechanisms. In addition, the increasing role of laws as regulatory and prescriptive is explored with a tilt towards understanding and utilising theoretical models of the body corporate and public policies.

This subject is taught from a student-centred perspective, with an emphasis on case and policy analysis, which may involve lectures, seminars and online exercises. It is Australian-laws focused and cases chosen for readings and discussion reflect this bias.

Typical availability

Autumn semester, City campus
Spring semester, City campus

Fee information

2007 contribution for post-2004 Commonwealth-supported students: $1,388.83
2007 amount for undergraduate domestic fee-paying students: $3,296.00
Subject EFTSL: 0.167
Note: The above fees are applicable in 2007 for Commonwealth-supported students who commenced after 2004 and domestic fee-paying undergraduate students only. Pre-2005 Commonwealth-supported students should consult the Student contribution charges for Commonwealth supported students webpage.
Not all students are eligible for Commonwealth supported places, and not all subjects are available to Commonwealth supported students. Domestic fee-paying students and international students should refer to the Fees webpage.

Access conditions

Note: The requisite information presented in this subject description covers only academic requisites. Full details of all enforced rules, covering both academic and admission requisites, are available at Access conditions and My Student Admin.