Business Law Fundamentals for Accountants

Curriculum Guideline

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Course
BLAW 1005
Discontinued
No
Course Code
BLAW 1005
Descriptive
Business Law Fundamentals for Accountants
Department
Business Law
Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
202030
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15 Weeks
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours

Weekly Distribution:

  • Lecture: 3 Hours
  • Seminar: 1 Hour
  • Total: 4 Hours
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Learning Activities

Lectures, assignments, anaylsis of legal issues, discussion of legal cases, and/or group activities.

Course Description
This course is specifically intended for Accounting students, and is meant to provide a basic level of understanding regarding an array of business law topics. More particularly, the course will expose students to basic concepts regarding the Canadian legal system, as well as the law of contracts, torts, business organizations, agency, intellectual property, real and personal property, environmental protection, consumer protection, creditor's rights, secured transactions and bankruptcy. Accounting students who wish to obtain greater understanding of business law topics are advised to enrol in BLAW 1320 (Introductory Business Law) and BLAW 3720 (Business Law for Accountants). BLAW 1320 and 3720 can be counted towards the Concentration in Business Law. BLAW 1005 does not meet prerequisite requirements for any upper level Business Law course. Students who have already received credit for BUSN 1005 will not get further credit for this course.
Course Content

 

  1. Sources of Canadian and British Columbia law
  2. Law of Torts
    1. general principles including liability insurance and vicarious liability
    2. intentional torts
    3. strict liability torts
    4. the tort of negligence
  3. Law of Contracts
    1. nature of a contract
    2. elements of a contract
    3. terms of a contract
    4. factors affecting the contractual relationship (ex. misrepresentation, illegality, undue influence)
    5. discharge and breach of contract
    6. contractual remedies
  4. Law of Agency
  5. Business Organizations
    1. sole proprietorships
    2. partnerships and limited partnerships
    3. corporations
  6. Consumer Transactions, including Sale of Goods
  7. Real Property Law and Environmental Protection
  8. Personal Property Law
  9. Negotiable Instruments
  10. Secured Transactions and Creditor's Rights
  11. Bankruptcy Law
  12. Intellectual Property Law
    1. trade-marks
    2. copyright
    3. patents, trade secrets and confidential information
Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this course, successful students will be able to:

  • describe the structure of the Canadian legal system;
  • recognize the main aspects of the Canadian judicial system including the sources of law, and the levels and roles of courts in the judicial system;
  • set out the difference between common law, statute law, administrative law, and criminal law;
  • demonstrate a basic understanding of the law of contracts;
  • describe fundamental principles of tort law and identify some of the important common law torts;
  • distinguish between the main forms of business organizations;
  • identify the important legal aspects pertaining to corporate governance;
  • recognize key principles of the law of intellectual property, personal property, and real property (including environmental protection);
  • summarize the rights and priorities that arise in a secured transaction;
  • set out the main features of bankruptcy proceedings;
  • recognize general characteristics of the law of negotiable instruments; and
  • describe basic sources of consumer protection, including sale of goods legislation.
Means of Assessment
Term examinations (2-3) 55-60%*
Final examination 30-35%
Class participation and/or assignments and/or quizzes       5-10%
  100%

 *No one examination may be worth more than 40%

 

Textbook Materials

Yates, Richard, T. Bereznicki-Korol, and T. Clarke, Business Law in Canada. Latest editon (Toronto: Pearson Education Canada), or

Duplessis, Dorothy, S. O'Byrne, P. King, L. Adams, and S. Enman, Canadian Business and the Law. Latest edition (Toronto: Nelson), or 

Other textbook(s) as approved by the Business Law Department, and

Additional cases and/or readings as per the Instructor's discretion.

Equivalencies

BUSN 1005