Business Law

Critical Thinking and Decision Making in Business

Why It Matters
The Legal Perspective of Business Decision-Making
Reading: Thinking Like a Lawyer
Reading: What is Law?
Reading: Law and Business
Identifying Sources of Law
Reading: Schools of Legal Thought
Reading: U.S. Positive Law
Sources of Law
Reading: Sources of Law
Reading and Understanding Laws
Reading: How to Read a Statute
Reading: How to Read a Bill
Reading: A Guide to Reading a Legislative Measure
Decisions Regarding Lawsuits
Reading: When to Bring a Lawsuit
Reading: Alternative Means of Resolving Disputes
Ethical Decision-Making
Reading: What Is Ethics?
Reading: Major Ethical Perspectives
Reading: An Ethical Decision Model
Reading: Corporations and Corporate Governance
Putting It Together

Basics in American Law

Why It Matters
Identifying Sources
Reading: Sources of Law
Reading: Sources of Law and Their Priority
Reading: Administrative Agencies
Common Law
Reading: What is Common Law?
Reading: Judicial Decisions—Common Law
Civil vs. Criminal Law
Reading: Civil vs. Criminal Cases
The Constitution
Reading: Basics of the Constitution
Reading: Washington State Constitution
Courts
Reading: The Courts and the Legal Process
Reading: The Problem of Jurisdiction
Litigation Prior to Trial
Reading: Motions and Discovery
Reading: Pretrial
Reading: Going to Court
Reading: District Court and Superior Court
Litigation at Trial
Reading: The Trial
Remedies
Reading: Legal Remedies: Damages
Reading: Equitable Remedies
Reading: Title VIII: Provisional and Final Remedies
Reading: Overview of Equitable Relief
Reading: Judgment, Appeal, and Execution
Litigation Alternatives
Reading: Alternative Dispute Resolution
Reading: Negotiation
Reading: Mediation
Reading: Arbitration
Reading: Other Methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution
Reading: Public Policy, Legislation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Putting It Together

Basics of Business Law

Why It Matters
Business Clauses
Reading: The Commerce Clause
Business Regulation & Constitutional Rights
Reading: Basic Aspects of the Constitution
Reading: Dormant Commerce Clause
Reading: Preemption: The Supremacy Clause
Reading: Business and the Bill of Rights
Reading: Wickard v. Filburn
Reading: Hunt v. Washington Apple Advertising Commission
Contract Basics
Reading: Contract Formation
Reading: Remedies
Reading: Remedies in General
Reading: Limitations on Contract Remedies
Advanced Contracts
Reading: General Perspectives on Contracts
Reading: Sales Law Compared with Common-Law Contracts
Reading: Introduction to Sales and Lease Law
Employer-Employee Laws
Reading: Federal Employment Discrimination Laws
Reading: Employment at Will
Reading: Enforcement of Title VII
Reading: How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination
Reading: Washington State Law Against Discrimination
Business Crime
Reading: The Nature of Criminal Law
Reading: Types of Crimes
Reading: The Nature of a Criminal Act
Reading: Responsibility
Reading: Procedure
Reading: Constitutional Rights of the Accused
Reading: Minimizing Corporate Criminal Liability
Business Organization
Reading: Business Organizations
Reading: Partnerships
Reading: Corporations
Reading: Limited Liability Entities
Property
Reading: The Property System
Reading: Personal Property
Reading: Real Property
Reading: Intellectual Property
Reading: Constitutional Roots
Reading: Patents
Reading: Trade Secrets
Reading: Trademarks
Reading: Copyright
Torts
Reading: Introduction to Tort Law
Reading: Torts
Reading: Intentional Torts
Reading: Negligence
Reading: Strict Liability
Reading: Products-Liability Law
Reading: Negligence Claims
Reading: Strict Liability in Tort
Putting It Together

Special Topics in Business Law

Why It Matters
International and National Laws
Reading: The Nature of International Law
Reading: Trade Regulations, Contracts, and Prohibited Activities in International Business
Reading: Introduction to International Law
Reading: Sources and Practice of International Law
Reading: Important Doctrines of Nation-State Judicial Decisions
Reading: Regulating Trade
Bankruptcy
Reading: Introduction to Secured Transactions
Reading: Priorities
Reading: Creditor Rights
Reading: Nonconsensual Lien
Reading: Introduction to Bankruptcy
Reading: Case Administration
Reading: Chapter 7 Liquidation
Reading: Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcies
Reading: Alternatives to Bankruptcy
Reading: Bankruptcy Cases
Agency Relationships
Reading: Introduction to Agency and the Types of Agents
Reading: Duties between Agent and Principal
Reading: Principal's Contract Liability
Reading: Principal's Tort and Criminal Liability
Reading: Agent's Personal Liability for Torts and Contracts
Landlord/Tenant Relationships
Reading: Types and Creation of Leasehold Estates
Reading: Rights and Duties of Landlords and Tenants
Reading: Transfer of Landlord's or Tenant's Interest
Reading: Landlord's Tort Liability
Environmental Regulation
Reading: Environmental Law
Land Use Regulations
Reading: Regulation of Land Use
Lending Laws and Requirements
Reading: Secured vs. Unsecured Funding
Putting It Together

Basic Legal Concepts

Why It Matters
Contract Disputes
Reading: General Obligations under UCC Article 2
Reading: Sales and Leases Cases
Case Progression
Reading: The Pretrial and Trial Phase
Reading: Burger King v. Rudzewicz
Workplace Discrimination
Reading: Title VII and Hostile Work Environment
Intellectual Property
Reading: Exercises: Intellectual Property
Putting It Together

Legal Issues in Business

Why It Matters
Business Contract Terms
Reading: Basic Taxonomy of Contracts
Reading: Case: Roger's Backhoe Service, Inc. v. Nichols
Torts Scenarios
Reading: Case: Lester v. Albers Super Markets, Inc.
Reading: Case: Whitlock v. University of Denver
Reading: Case: Palsgraf v. Long Island R.R.
Putting It Together

Decisions in Business Ethics

Why It Matters
Ethical Approaches
Reading: What is Business Ethics?
Reading: The Place of Business Ethics
Reading: Is Business Ethics Necessary?
Reading: Facebook and the Unavoidability of Business Ethics
Reading: Overview of The Business Ethics Workshop
Reading: Case Studies: Introduction to Business Ethics
Reading: The Means Justify the Ends versus the Ends Justify the Means
Reading: Perennial Duties
Reading: Immanuel Kant: The Duties of the Categorical Imperative
Reading: Rights
Ethical Scenarios
Reading: Example: Skin and Money
Reading: Example: The American Apparel Story
Reading: Example: Casinos and Crime
Reading: Example: The W.R. Grace Story
Putting It Together

Key Supreme Court Decisions That Affect Business

The Supreme Court Sets Policy that Affects Business
Marbury v. Madison: Who makes the definitive interpretation of the Constitution?
Gibbons v. Ogden: What is commerce and who controls it?
Lochner v. New York: Can the law dictate contract terms?
Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee: Do corporations have free speech?
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby: Can corporations exercise freedom of religion?

Structures and Key Features of the U.S. Legal System

Video Overview: The American Legal System
Understanding the US Legal System

Major Types and Elements of Contracts

What is a Contract?
Parts of a Contract
Common Law and Uniform Commercial Code Contracts
Written and Oral Contracts
Breach of Contract

Intentional Torts, Negligence and Strict Liability

Tort Law Defined
Examples of Intentional Torts in Business
Negligence in Business
Strict Liability in Business

Principles of Criminal Law That Pertain to Business

Criminal versus Civil Law
Criminal Law in a Business Context
Categories and Examples of Business Crime
Fraud in Practice: Federal Jury Convicts Skilling and Lay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Types of Business Organizations

Legal Forms of Business Ownership: Factors to Consider
Sole Proprietorship
Partnerships
Corporations
Other Forms of Business Ownership