| Unit name | Company Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWD20037 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Russell |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Contract or Foundations of Business Law |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit will cover: function of companies and company law; comparison of companies, partnerships and sole traders; legal personality and limited liability; classification into public and private companies; memorandum and articles of association; agency problems; management of companies; directors' duties; transactions involving directors; issue of shares; payment for shares; dividends; rights of shareholders; derivative claims; just and equitable winding up and unfair prejudice orders.
By the end of this unit a successful student will be able to:
• Consider the historical origins of company law and appreciate the relevance of those origins to understanding modern company law. • Discuss the key concepts of company law.
• Analyse the nature of problems which arise when company law is applied to smaller private or closely held companies.
• Critically consider some of the controversies surrounding company law.
• Apply independent critical skills in answering essay and problem questions.
23 lectures and 7 tutorials
2 formative assessments: 1 x 1,500 word coursework. Formative assessments do not count towards final mark and can be optional.
1 summative assessment: 1 x 3 hour exam in the Summer Exam Period. Summative assessments do count towards final mark.
The assessments will assess all of the intended learning outcomes for this unit.
o B Hannigan, Company Law (4th edn., OUP, 2015)
o P L Davies, Gower and Davies’ Principles of Modern Company Law (10th edn., Sweet and Maxwell, London, 2016)
o Dignam and Lowry, Company Law (9th edn., OUP 2016)
o Sealy and Worthington, Cases and Materials in Company Law (11th edn., OUP 2016)
The best of the more detailed and comprehensive texts are:
