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Unit of study_
LAWS3535: International White-Collar Crime
2027 unit information
White-collar crime (WCC) involves crimes committed by people of ‘respectability’ and ‘high status’ in the course of their occupation. Such crimes can far outweigh ‘normal’ crimes, such as assault or theft, creating a distinction between ‘crime in the street’ vs ‘crime in the suite’. White-collar crime is now global, impacting people from all backgrounds and disproportionately affecting those in developing countries. This unit situates WCC offences within globalised markets, exploring how cross-border trade, digital finance, and complex corporate structures enable fraud, money laundering, corruption, tax evasion, insider trading, sanctions breaches, and cyber-enabled economic crime. Students will analyse legal frameworks and regulatory regimes within and across jurisdictions, including international conventions, mutual legal assistance, and the role of supranational bodies such as the UN and FATF. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between private sector actors, professional enablers, and state institutions, and on corporate governance failures and regulatory arbitrage. Through case studies, students will trace pathways into WCC, evidentiary challenges, asset recovery strategies, and prosecution dynamics, while critically assessing policy responses and reform proposals. Ethical considerations and social harms receive sustained attention, including impacts on market integrity, public trust, inequality, and development in affected states. Guest practitioners will complement academic perspectives and illuminate career pathways in law, compliance, financial intelligence, and international organisations.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Law School
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
The learning outcomes for this unit will be available two weeks before the first day of teaching.
Unit availability
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There are no availabilities for this year.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2027
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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There are no availabilities for previous years.
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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