Public Business Law Course

Lesson 1 • Structure of the Legal System

Maps court hierarchies, regulatory bodies, and legislative processes relevant to businesses. Provides the institutional context needed for all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 2 • Legal Persons and Business Entities

Defines natural and legal persons and explains how different business structures acquire legal standing. Prepares students to analyze entity-specific legal obligations.

Lesson 3 • The Role of Law in Commerce

Examines why legal rules exist in markets and how they shape business behavior. Anchors the chapter by framing law as a practical business tool.

Lesson 1 • Elements of a Valid Contract

Identifies the required components—offer, acceptance, consideration, and capacity—that make an agreement legally binding. Sets the analytical framework for all contract analysis.

Lesson 2 • Breach and Remedies

Covers anticipatory and actual breach, termination rights, and available remedies including damages and specific performance. Connects contract theory to dispute resolution outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Contract Terms and Interpretation

Distinguishes express, implied, and incorporated terms and explains how courts interpret ambiguous language. Equips students to draft precise and enforceable clauses.

Lesson 4 • Standard Form and Digital Contracts

Addresses boilerplate agreements, click-wrap terms, and electronic signatures in modern commerce. Extends classical contract principles to contemporary business practice.

Lesson 1 • Corporate Governance Frameworks

Covers board composition, director duties, and shareholder rights that regulate corporate decision-making. Links governance rules to accountability and risk management.

Lesson 2 • Sole Proprietorships and Partnerships

Compares unlimited liability exposure and management flexibility in unincorporated structures. Establishes the baseline against which corporate structures are evaluated.

Lesson 3 • Choosing and Restructuring Business Forms

Guides strategic decisions on entity selection, conversion, and restructuring based on legal and tax considerations. Applies governance knowledge to real business planning scenarios.

Lesson 4 • Agency Law in Business

Defines the principal-agent relationship and the authority types that bind businesses to third-party acts. Essential for understanding employee, officer, and partner authority.

Lesson 1 • Secured Transactions and Collateral

Explains how creditors obtain and perfect security interests in personal property to protect against debtor default. Prepares students to structure and document secured lending.

Lesson 2 • Commercial Payment Systems

Examines negotiable instruments, letters of credit, and electronic funds transfers used in business payments. Connects payment mechanisms to contract performance obligations.

Lesson 3 • International Trade Documentation

Reviews trade terms, shipping documents, and customs compliance requirements for cross-border sales. Extends domestic sales law to global commercial transactions.

Lesson 1 • Workplace Rights and Anti-Discrimination

Examines protected characteristics, harassment standards, and reasonable accommodation duties. Equips managers to build legally compliant and inclusive workplaces.

Lesson 2 • Wage, Hour, and Leave Regulations

Covers minimum wage, overtime classification, and statutory leave entitlements affecting payroll decisions. Directly reduces wage-and-hour compliance risk for employers.

Lesson 3 • Collective Bargaining and Labor Relations

Explains union organizing rights, collective bargaining obligations, and unfair labor practice rules. Prepares students to navigate unionized and non-unionized labor environments.

Lesson 4 • Employment Relationship Classification

Distinguishes employees from independent contractors and examines the legal consequences of misclassification. Foundational for understanding which legal protections and obligations apply.

Lesson 1 • Building a Compliance Program

Outlines the components of an effective compliance program including policies, training, and monitoring. Translates regulatory knowledge into operational risk management systems.

Lesson 2 • Rulemaking and Public Comment Process

Walks through notice-and-comment rulemaking and how businesses can influence proposed regulations. Empowers students to participate strategically in the regulatory process.

Lesson 3 • Judicial Review of Agency Action

Analyzes the standards courts apply when reviewing agency decisions and the remedies available to businesses. Completes the regulatory cycle from rulemaking through legal challenge.

Lesson 4 • Administrative Agency Authority

Explains how agencies derive rulemaking and enforcement power from enabling legislation. Establishes the constitutional and statutory basis for regulatory compliance obligations.

Lesson 1 • Patent Protection for Business Innovation

Explains patentable subject matter, application strategy, and enforcement rights for product and process innovations. Enables businesses to protect R&D investments through patent portfolios.

Lesson 2 • Trade Secret Law and Protection

Defines trade secrets, reasonable protection measures, and remedies for misappropriation. Provides practical tools for safeguarding confidential business information.

Lesson 3 • Copyright in Commercial Contexts

Examines copyright ownership, work-for-hire rules, and licensing in content-driven business environments. Addresses IP ownership disputes common in creative and technology industries.

Lesson 4 • Trademark and Brand Protection

Covers trademark selection, registration, and enforcement to protect brand identity in the marketplace. Directly supports marketing and brand management decisions.

Lesson 1 • Litigation Management and Risk Mitigation

Covers pre-litigation risk assessment, discovery obligations, and strategies for managing litigation costs. Completes the dispute resolution spectrum with litigation as a last resort.

Lesson 2 • Vicarious and Organizational Liability

Explains respondeat superior, independent contractor liability limits, and organizational fault theories. Connects agency law to enterprise-wide risk exposure.

Lesson 3 • Tort Liability in Business Operations

Covers negligence, strict liability, and intentional torts that expose businesses to civil claims. Grounds liability analysis in the operational contexts where risks arise.

Lesson 4 • Negotiation and Settlement Strategy

Develops principled negotiation skills and settlement evaluation frameworks for business disputes. Positions negotiation as the primary and most cost-effective dispute resolution tool.