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Unit of study_

CLAW1001: Foundations of Business Law

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The entire fabric of commerce is woven from a complex legal regime, judicial and statutory, which regulates all commercial activity. Every decision in business and every transaction and relationship is made in the context of this legal regime. The aim of Foundations of Business Law is to introduce the students to the legal framework and regulatory systems which underlie all business activity and to expose them to the legal implications of commercial conduct. This unit of study introduces the Australian legal system and key areas of substantive business law including contracts, torts (in particular negligence and privacy), property and securities, white collar crime, intellectual property, competition and consumer law (in particular advertising, product liability and unfair contracts), business structures and operations, misleading and unconscionable conduct and dispute resolution.

Unit details and rules

Unit code CLAW1001
Academic unit Accounting
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
CLAW2214
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Mathew Leighton-Daly, mathew.leightondaly@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Supervised exam
? 
Final Exam
Final Exam
55% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO7
Participation Tutorial assessment
Participation & Engagement in weekly tutorials
10% Ongoing Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO7 LO6 LO5 LO2 LO1
Tutorial quiz In-class quiz
In-class MCQ online quiz. #earlyfeedbacktask
10% Week 03 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO7 LO6
Assignment Written Assignment
Extended response to legal problem question
25% Week 09
Due date: 22 Apr 2024 at 23:59

Closing date: 13 May 2024
1,500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

  • Tutorial assessment: Students are expected to attend all tutorials and will be assessed on their participation and engagement with weekly tutorial activities. See Canvas for further details.
  • In-class quiz: See Canvas for further details.  This is an Early Feedback Task.
  • Written Assignment: The written assignment must be submitted online via Turnitin and will comprise a legal problem question designed to assess understanding of the relevant topics and the ability to critically analyse and apply the law to a given fact scenario. See Canvas for further details.
  • Final Exam:  The final exam will be comprise legal problem questions designed to assess understanding of the topics examined and the ability to critically analyse and apply the law to given fact scenarios under exam conditions. The final exam will be an open book exam.  See Canvas for further details.

Detailed information for each assessment task can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 The Australian Legal System Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 02 Sources of Law: Parliament, the Executive and Legislation Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 03 Sources of Law: Courts and the Common Law Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 04 Business Structures and Relationships Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 05 Contracts and Contract Law Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 06 Contract Law: formation, terms, breach Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 07 Contracts in Business Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 08 Statutory Constraints on Freedom of Contract: unconscionable and misleading conduct, unfair contract terms Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 09 The Australian Consumer Law: misleading advertising, consumer guarantees, product liability Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 10 Obligations Beyond the Contract: torts and the law of negligence Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 11 1. Tortious liability for Economic Loss. 2. Privacy: liability for serious invasions of privacy, the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, data breach. Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 12 Restrictive Trade Practices and the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 13 The Nature and Protection of Intellectual Property Lecture and tutorial (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Attendance and class requirements

Students should join and participate in lectures and tutorials each week. Details will be provided on Canvas.

Lecture recordings will be available on Canvas for student use.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Andrew Terry and Des Giugni, Business and the Law (Thomson Reuters, 7th edition, 2019).

Additional resources, references and materials are available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. identify, analyse and assess business law issues from given fact situations and real-world contexts
  • LO2. resolve legal problems by applying relevant law, evaluating appropriate solutions to legal problems, synthesising information and developing arguments to support your conclusions
  • LO3. Locate and select relevant sources using libraries, the web and other online research facilities
  • LO4. manage, analyse, evaluate and use legal materials and information
  • LO5. communicate to a professional standard using prescribed legal citation and referencing to directly support your analysis and conclusions
  • LO6. interact with people from diverse cultural backgrounds with inclusiveness, open-mindedness and integrity and work within group environments
  • LO7. apply ethical and professional approaches to your conduct both within and beyond the classroom.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

In response to student feedback, legal problem solving will be introduced earlier in the semester and will be the focus of the tutorials.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.