COURSE TEXTBOOK: Business Law and the Legal Environment for a New Century (Alternate Edition) by Jeffrey F. Beatty & Susan S Samuelson (West Legal Studies in Business), ISBN: 0-324-01658-1.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This class is intended to prepare professionals and managers for legal problems and potential liabilities they may encounter in their work. It will focus on the legal environment within which they must perform, including forms of business organization and the manager's duties to the employees, stock holders, and the public. Also addressed are unlawful discrimination, legal issues related to employee recruitment and development, testing, and workplace privacy. While the course has application to virtually all professionals and managers, the fields of engineering and architecture will be especially emphasized. There will be several short assignments during the course of the semester, one mid-term and a final exam. In addition, a 20-minute oral presentations will be required. Distance learning students may fulfill this requirement by submitting a video-tape of their presentation. Grading will be as follows: Short assignments - 10%; Oral presentation - 20%; Mid-term & Final - 35% each. This class may challenge students' assumptions or current understanding concerning the law and/or legal principles. It is the instructor's belief that the more interactive the course, the more learning will occur. Therefore, the course is taught in a somewhat Socratic fashioon, which means that advance reading of class assignments and vigorous class participation are very important. For outreach students, this communication may be through e-mail or otherwise.

OUTLINE OF CLASS DISCUSSION TOPICS (This syllabus is but a "road map." The length and schedule of class discussion may be adjusted depending on student interest and participation. However, all material from the texts will be tested, whether or not it is covered in class discussions.)

Session 1 Chapters 1, 3 & 4 - Introduction and overview; sources of law, the constitutional basis for law

Session 2 Chapters 2, 5, 6 & 39 - Dispute resolution, torts, negligence, professional standard of care

Session 3 Chapters 7-9 - Crimes, international trade regulation, business ethics and social responsibility

Session 4 Chapters 10-14 - Contracts: Formation

Session 5 Chapters 15-18 - Contracts: Formalities, third parties, performance, discharge and remedies

Session 6 Chapters 19-22 - Commercial transactions

Session 7 Chapters 23, 24, 26 & 27 - Negotiable instruments, secured transactions and bankruptcy

Session 8 Chapters 28-29 - Agency

Post mid-term for live students

Session 9 Mid-term Exam - post mid-term for tape students

Session 10 Chapters 32-35, 50 - Forms of business and insurance - mid-term due from live students

Session 11 Chapters 36-38 - Special liability issues in corporate management - mid-term due from tape students

Session 12 Chapters 30-31 - Employment & labor law

Session 13 Chapters 40-43 - Government regulation

Session 14 Chapters 46-48 - Property - post mid-term for live students and due from live students not later than 15 days later

Session 15 Chapters 44-45 - Cyberlaw & intellectual property - post mid-term for tape students and due from tape students not later than 15 days later

Session 16 Final exam.

Exams for this course are web-based and are multiple choice. Exams will be made available on the class web site. As long as students take their own exams, there is almost no way to cheat because the exams are open book and students are encouraged to communicate about and discuss the questions among themselves. While this may sound easy, prior students have commented that they learned more from the tests and that, in many ways, it is harder than more traditional methods.

Grading for this course will be as follows:

Short Assignments            10% (for participation)

Oral Presentation              20%

Mid-term                            35%

Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability. Please notify the instructor during the first week of class of any accommodation(s) needed for the course. Late notification may mean that requested accommodations might not be available. All accommodations must be approved through ADA & Disabilities Resource Center, 208-282-3599, or by e-mail at devrtodd@isu.edu.