Syllabus

JU0031 Basic Course in Commercial Law, 15.0 Credits

Subjects

Education cycle

Modules

Advanced study in the main field

Grading scale

Language

Prior knowledge

Objectives

A student who successfully completes the course will have:

• ability to solve simpler legal problems concerning the above named areas of the law

• ability to read and understand laws, judgements and other legal texts

• ability to interpret and clarify more complex problems relating to company law.

Content

During the course students will study specially selected areas of the law that are relevant to various forms of commercial activity, and that are important to have knowledge of when dealing with legal problems related to such activities. The course starts with an introduction where commercial law is presented and defined and where commercial law is described from a theoretical point of view. In addition the course is divided into 10 topics, i.e.,

• general and introductory law, including the role of the legal system in society, how to search for and interpret legal texts, judgements and other legal sources, principle Swedish legal terms and traditional legal procedure.

• various fundamental principles relating to contracts and other legal documents. These include the requirements to be a party to a contract, components of a binding contract, how agreements are made with the help of a representative and when a contract is invalid.

• purchases law, both general regulations regarding purchases law, and the special purchases related laws that contain obligatory stipulations regarding the relationship between the proprietor and the consumer.

• various regulations within property law, especially those relating to the form of purchase agreements and the extent of the seller’s responsibility for the condition of the property. Further, the student will study regulations relating to fixtures and fittings, different types of use-rights and parts of environmental law that are strongly related to property law.

• the general regulations relating to damages outside contractual agreements, including the principles of negligence, strict responsibility, damage to property, causality, contributory negligence and the particular regulations governing the employer’s responsibility for damages caused by employees and product responsibility.

• company law in a broad context, among other things questions relating to agreements between corporations and the particular regulations that determine the legal treatment of incorporated companies and other forms of companies and associations.

• the most important regulations relating to debt and promissory notes (bonds, debentures, etc.), security, limitation, and the regulations applying to the mortgage of property, company mortgages and other forms of agreements relating to credit security and how the realisation of such security occurs.

• certain regulations relating to immaterial rights, including laws regarding copyright, brands and patents, regulation of the marketing of goods and services to consumers, certain important parts of competition (trade practices) law, i.e., regulations pertaining to the preservation of sound competition between different companies on the same market.

• fundamental rulings in the area of employment (labour) law, for example the study of collective employment law, regulations of the Act on Employee Participation in Decision-making and problems relating to individual contracts of employment.

• review certain regulations pertaining to family law, especially financial questions that have to do with the division of joint property of husband and wife upon their separation and division of an estate.

Grading form

Formats and requirements for examination

Examination consists of three parts:

1. Written exam after approximately 5 weeks.

2. Groupwise and individual examination in association with the presentation of projects.

3. Final written exam.

Passed exams, passed projects and participation in compulsory course moments.

• If the student fails a test, the examiner may give the student a supplementary assignment, provided this is possible and there is reason to do so.

• If the student has been granted special educational support because of a disability, the examiner has the right to offer the student an adapted test, or provide an alternative assessment.

• If changes are made to this course syllabus, or if the course is closed, SLU shall decide on transitional rules for examination of students admitted under this syllabus but who have not yet passed the course.

• For the examination of a degree project (independent project), the examiner may also allow the student to add supplemental information after the deadline. For more information on this, please refer to the regulations for education at Bachelor’s and Master’s level.

• If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.

• The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.

• If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.

• For the examination of a degree project (independent project), the examiner may also allow the student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

Other information

• The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.

• If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

Additional information

Responsible department

Department of Economics