Unit information: Company Law in 2016/17

Unit name	Company Law
Unit code	LAWDM0008
Credit points	30
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Dr. Georgina Tsagas
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	University of Bristol Law School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit provides a grounding in the principles of English company law, studying those principles in a practical and theoretical context. Seminar topics include: the concept of corporate personality, corporate capacity and the authority of officers; problems in public companies; problems in private companies; shareholders' rights and minority protection; directors' duties and their enforcement; corporate social responsibility; groups; creditor protection; takeovers.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to explain:

1. the legal, institutional and regulatory environment relevant to companies and their activities
2. the legal relationships between companies and shareholders, between directors and shareholders and between companies and stakeholders
3. the key current issues and debates in the theory and practice of company law

Students should be able to state the law accurately, to apply legal principles to problem case scenarios, and to think critically about ways in which the law could be reformed.

Teaching Information

This unit is taught by way of 20 lectures (approx.), 10 two-hour seminars and 2 assessment preparation and feedback sessions. Lectures are delivered jointly to students on the related undergraduate unit.

Assessment Information

Summative: a 2000 word essay (33%) will assess the candidate's ability to research a topic within the scope of this unit. The remaining Intended Learning Outcomes will be assessed in a 3 hour written examination (67%). Both assessments will assess all of the Intended Learning Outcomes for this unit in the context of topics selected by the examiners.

Formative: students should do one formative assessment (this will usually be 1 x 1500 word essay).

Reading and References

• B Hannigan, Company Law (3rd edn., OUP, 2012)
• P L Davies, Gower and Davies’ Principles of Modern Company Law (9th edn., Sweet and Maxwell, London, 2012)
• Boyle and Birds Company Law (Jordans, 8th ed, 2011)