LAWCOMM 464 : Company Law
Law
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Identify and articulate the key principles surrounding corporate structure and the relationship between companies, shareholders and directors. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
- Identify the key legal principles that determine how corporate decision making works and how company shareholders and directors effectively make decisions for or in relation to companies, and apply those principles in order to reach reasoned solutions which will ensure the validity of such decision making. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Identify the key legal principles that determine what is required for companies to effectively enter into contracts, and apply those principles in order to reach reasoned solutions which will ensure the validity of corporate transactions. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Articulate and apply key legal principles and concepts relating to directors’ duties and liabilities, and shareholder remedies. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Demonstrate effective written communication skills by coherently, persuasively and respectively expressing ideas for different audiences, and doing so utilising different formats. (Capability 6.1)
- Demonstrate effective analytical ability in assessing factual situations involving a number of company law issues by effectively identifying those issues and applying the law to the facts. (Capability 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)
- Demonstrate appropriate ethical judgment in advancing company law arguments. (Capability 8.1)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam- 3 hours | 70% | Individual Coursework |
| 2 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Essay | ||||||||||
| Final Exam- 3 hours | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This is a standard 15-point course. There will be around 36 hours of lectures in this course. As a general guide, you should expect a workload of three hours outside of the classroom for each hour spent in class. The guideline for the total workload for this course is 150 hours.
The exam for this course will involve one question with two parts. The exam will be set on the basis that it should be capable of being completed within two hours (as a two hour exam is common for many 15 point courses). However, students will be allowed three hours to complete the exam. The Course Director considers that this better enables students to fairly demonstrate their analytical ability (see Learning Objective 6).
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at the lecture component of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings.
However, learning will likely be enhanced by attendance. Moreover, lectures will include learning activities (such as the class going through practise questions together) that may not be picked up on recordings.
The course will not include live online events (except where a Zoom lecture is required to replace an in-person lecture in exceptional circumstances).
Attendance on campus will be required for the final exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
There is no required text for the course. However, students may find particularly helpful the recent edition of Directors' Powers and Duties (3rd ed, 2022) by Peter Watts QC.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
LawComm464 has been noted as quite a content heavy course. An effort will be made to reduce the number of readings required for the course where possible.
Other Information
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course director, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a Student Academic and Support Adviser as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.