Course

Commercial Law

Faculty
Commerce & Business Administration
Department
Business
Course Code
BUSN 4420
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
15 Weeks X 4 Hours per Week = 60 Hours
Max Class Size
25
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
This demanding, accelerated course (equivalent to BUSN 1320 and BUSN 2420) provides an introduction to the Canadian legal system, tort law, professional liability, contract law, sale of goods law, negotiable instruments, creditor rights, security interests, bankruptcy, business organizations, publicly traded securities and labour law. Students learn to avoid potential legal problems, recognize those situations calling for legal expertise and to communicate more effectively with legal counsel. Work load is heavy and the pace rapid in this course.
Course Content
  1. Introduction to the Canadian legal system
  2. Tort law and professional liability
  3. Formation of contracts 1
  4. Formation of contracts 2
  5. Impeachment of contracts
  6. Interpreting contracts and privity
  7. Discharge, breach and remedies
  8. Employment and labour law
  9. Sale of goods and agency
  10. Insurance, guarantee and bailment
  11. Business organizations:  sole proprietorship and partnership
  12. Business organizations:  the corporation and publicly traded securities
  13. Negotiable instruments
  14. Bankruptcy and creditors’ rights
Learning Activities
  • Lecture
  • Seminar
  • Class participation
  • Case analysis
  • Case studies
  • Case assignments
Means of Assessment
Assignments and/or quizzes       10%
Midterm examination 1  15%
Midterm examination 2  20%
Midterm examination 3  25%
Final examination  30%
  100%
Learning Outcomes

The student will be able to:

 

  1. articulate accurate knowledge of the legal climate of Canada and one’s  personal rights, including that part of the common law applicable to most business situations.  The course is not designed to make the student a “lawyer”, but to give one sufficient background and sophistication to identify those circumstances in which one will require the professional assistance of a lawyer;
  2. explain the operation of the Canadian Legal System, the civil litigation process, and various aspects of substantive law which relate to, and have applications in business and commerce;
  3. successfully apply the correct law to legal problems and questions arising from the following legal areas: Tort Law, Professional Liability, Contract Law, Forms of Business Organization, the Sale of Goods, Negotiable Instruments, Employment Law, Agency, Creditors’ Rights, Bankruptcy, Labour Relations, Publicly Traded Securities and Intellectual Property;
  4. explain how contracts may be enforced and the remedies available if a contract is breached, and be familiar and knowledgeable of some of the more important provincial and federal statutes that apply to the business environment;
  5. define frequently used legal terms and terminology and  perform basic legal reasoning upon commonly experienced problems in the business world;
  6. identify and articulate general legal issues in business.
Textbook Materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

 

At the instructor’s discretion, any one of the following texts:

McInnes, M., Kerr, I., Van Duzer, J.A., Charmody, C.  Managing the Law, latest edition.  Prentice Hall  Canada.

Smyth, J.E., Soberman, D.A., Easson, A.J.  The Law and Business Administration in Canada, latest edition.  Prentice Hall Canada.

Willes, J.A., Willes, J.H.  Contemporary Canadian Business Law; Principles and Cases, latest edition.  McGraw Hill Ryerson.

Willes, J.A., Willes, J.H. Essentials of Canadian Business Law, latest edition. McGraw Hill Ryerson.

 

Recommended but not required:

Dukelow, D.  Pocket Dictionary of Canadian Law, latest edition.  Carswell.

Study Guides produced by publisher for selected textbooks, if available.

Selected cases and handouts. 

Requisites

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for BUSN 4420
There are no applicable transfer credits for this course.

Course Offerings

Winter 2025