Instructor(s): Jeffrey MacIntosh

Note: The West Education Network (“TWEN) will be used instead of Quercus.Students must self-enrol on TWEN as soon as confirmed in the course in order to obtain course information and to have access to most of the course readings. 

This course is concerned with the law of business corporations. The purpose of the course is to provide the student with an understanding of the basic principles of modern business corporations law in light of the current statutory regimes and evolving case law. The course will cover the following:

  1. A basic description of the corporate enterprise; e.g. what are shares? What are bonds and debentures? What is the legal governance structure of corporations?
  2. Corporate law’s empire; i.e. where does corporate law fit into the matrix of legal controls over various aspects of corporate behavior?
  3. Competing theories on the underlying purposes served by corporate law; 
  4. The function of corporations in society and the role of corporate social responsibility;
  5. The legal duties and responsibilities of corporate directors and officers, including 
    • The fiduciary duty
    • The duty of care
  6. Corporate legal personality and its consequences;
  7. When can directors, officers, and/or shareholders be personally liable for corporate debts?
  8. The role of the directors of a target corporation in a hostile takeover bid;
  9. Shareholder remedies, including the derivative action and the oppression remedy; and
  10. Duties owed by controlling shareholders to the corporation and to other corporate constituents.

A satisfactory exploration of the above topics necessarily involves both a pragmatic or functional look at the modern corporation and a theoretical or jurisprudential examination of the corporation and the parties interested in its operation.

Evaluation
Will be by a final 3-hour open book examination. The examination will consist of a combination of essay, short answer, legal advice, issue-spotter, and policy questions. Students will have access to their hard drives but not the internet.
Academic year
2024 - 2025

At a Glance

First Term
Credits
4
Hours
4

Enrolment

Maximum
78

75 JD
3 LLM/SJD/MSL/SJD U

Schedule

M: 2:10 - 4:00 pm 
W: 2:10 - 4:00 pm