Unit information: Company Law in 2014/15

Unit name	Company Law
Unit code	LAWD20037
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Emeritus Professor. McVea
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Contract or Foundations of Business Law
Co-requisites	None
School/department	University of Bristol Law School
Faculty	Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This unit will cover: function of companies and company law; comparison of companies, partnerships and sole traders; legal personality and limited liability; classification into public and private companies; memorandum and articles of association; shareholders' agreements; agency problems; management of companies; directors' duties; transactions involving directors; issue of shares; payment for shares; dividends; reduction of capital; acquisition by company of its own shares; rights of shareholders; transfer of shares; just and equitable winding up and unfair prejudice orders.

Intended Learning Outcomes

• To provide a grounding in the substantive rules of Company law;
• To challenge the prevailing orthodoxy in relation to these rules and the assumptions which underpin them;
• To assess options for Company law reform; and
• To encourage the development of independent critical skills.

Teaching Information

20 lectures and 8 tutorials

Assessment Information

Formative assessment: students should do one, and may do two pieces of formative work Summative assessment: one three-hour closed book examination in May/June.

Reading and References

• Textbooks
  • B Hannigan, Company Law (2nd edn., OUP, 2009)
  • P L Davies, Gower and Davies’ Principles of Modern Company Law (8th edn., Sweet and Maxwell, London, 2008)
  • Boyle &Birds’ Company Law (8th edn., 2011, Jordans)
• Casebooks and Text and Materials Books
  • Sealy and Worthington, Cases and Materials in Company Law (9th edn., OUP, 2010)
  • D Kershaw, Company Law in Context: Text and Materials (OUP, 2009)