This subject aims to advance on your foundational knowledge towards a specialised and integrated understanding about Business Law Practice. You will examine different types of business structures and agreements, consider specific issues that arise in business law practice, and conclude with a consideration of emerging issues.

TOPICS

• Business structures and agreements for business structures
• Operational issues and taxation
• Insolvency and bankruptcy
• Financing business structures
• Intellectual property
• Emerging issues in business law practice

The ability to understand the key concepts of competition and consumer law is one of the key skill sets required of a commercial lawyer, whether this is from the perspective of the consumer seeking redress or that of the business facing a consumer claim. This practice-based LLM subject will consider and apply key concepts for determining courses of action in competition and consumer law matters.

TOPICS

• Misleading and deceptive conduct
• Passing off
• Unconscionable conduct
• Unfair contract terms
• Unfair sales techniques
• Consumer guarantees for goods and services and product safety
• Remedies

This subject focuses on the acquisition of a business by way of acquisition of either: the assets of the business, or the shares of the business. A business acquisition covers a broad spectrum of transactions. The transaction could be as simple as the acquisition of one single business asset, such as its single parcel of freehold real estate or one piece of its plant and equipment, or it could encompass every identifiable asset of the business to allow the business to be operated as a going concern once the shares or units of the legal entity are bought. This subject considers transactions of all sizes and analyses both complex acquisitions and smaller acquisitions.

TOPICS

• Determining the investment vehicle
• Preliminary agreements
• Due diligence
• Transaction documents
• Negotiating the deal
• Matters to consider
• Drafting the transaction documents
• Legal opinions and completion

Employment law is one of those legal subjects that is useful even if you do not eventually end up practising in the area. All of us are likely going to be employed, employ others or manage others in the course of our professional lives. Increasingly, the personal exposure for those involved in the employment relationship means employers are looking for ways to prevent legal breaches and minimise liability, including looking at how their employees interact with others. This subject takes a high-level view of the critical concepts in employment law and examines common scenarios.

TOPICS

• Employment vs other relationships
• Employment contracts
• Duties of employers and employees
• Liability for employee actions
• Employment entitlements
• Management of employees
• Termination of employment
• Employment litigation

This subject will consider the key concepts in risk management, and apply these concepts to analyse and manage common risks that the client may face. Specifically the subject will: identify and explore the key concepts that structure and frame risk management explain practical approaches to applying the key concepts, and enable students to apply specific techniques and practices so they can implement appropriate risk management strategies in their work.

TOPICS

• Introduction to business risk management
• Compliance
• Contracts
• Work health and safety
• Information technology risk exposure
• Asset protection
• Intellectual property rights
• Insurance as a tool

The ability to draft effective, readable, unambiguous contracts is an essential skill for every commercial lawyer. This practice-based subject advances on the key knowledge and skill required when negotiating and drafting commercial contracts.

TOPICS

• Contract principles
• Interpretation of contractual terms
• Drafting elements
• Specific contractual situations
• Drafting and negotiating damages an indemnity clauses
• Drafting preliminary agreements
• Termination
• Contract negotiation skills

In commercial transactions, the ability to critically assess the range of structuring alternatives and advise on the most appropriate option for the client is essential. In this subject, each element of a commercial transaction is deconstructed and discussed. It is the exceptional transactional lawyer that is able to advise the client on each of these structural elements.

TOPICS

• The role of the transactional lawyer
• Ways in which the transactional lawyer can add value to the transaction
• The critical aspects, advantages and disadvantages of the different types of entities that can be used in a financial transaction
• Structuring options available
• Issues that can arise in selecting an appropriate entity and structure describe alternative financing structures
• Elements of typical transactions, and advise clients on the legal effect and the commercial rationale for each element
• Legal issues in commercial transactions where a legal opinion may be required
• How to plan, document and deliver transactions in an effective, efficient and ethical manner
• Management of the transaction process, including signing and closing

The Capstone Project is taken as your final subject, as a culmination of the knowledge and skills attained throughout your major. It will allow you to demonstrate your skills in a specialist practice area using real-life scenarios and case studies.

Throughout the intake, you will receive individualised feedback from your lecturer and will also have access to a rich array of skills modules that include guides, samples, and practice exercises for honing your legal skills.

The highlight of the Capstone Project is the final task, where you will prepare a Final Portfolio that demonstrates your legal writing, research, and oral skills.

THE SUBJECT HAS FOUR COMPONENTS

1.  Four short answer questions
2. Two legal writing samples
3. Oral communication (e.g. client interview) assessment held through online conferencing
4. Reflective analysis of oral communication