LAW5461 - Entrepreneurship and the law - 2017

The golden age of entrepreneurship calls for proactive legal/commercial advisors who have an understanding of the innovation lifecycle.

This unit will cultivate your ability to navigate the entrepreneurial journey, using innovative problem solving techniques. Set in the practical context of relationships, we will explore how to break out of traditional legal silos to develop a dynamic, multi-disciplinary approach, whilst remaining mindful of the many related risks and opportunities that impact innovation.

This unit helps you tackle client challenges such as business formation, funds raising, trademarking, and structuring new business in new industries.

Creating disruption within the realms of good governance requires a new type of lawyer - one that 'gets it'. The lawyer of the future will add value and channel entrepreneurial energy.

At the successful completion of this unit students should be able to:

Articulate and advise on risks and opportunities involved in entrepreneurship from the initial concept through development to commercialisation.

Develop a toolkit to identify specific legal/commercial issues that entrepreneurs need to deal with at various stages of venture development

Engage with clients to provide a broad applied knowledge of the various substantive laws relating to entrepreneurial activities and businesses, including commercial law and how it impacts entrepreneurial activities and plans

Embed the business deal in legal documents while abiding by client instructions and a negotiated outcome

As part of transactional law, use the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary to engage with entrepreneurship and add value through solving challenges creatively (both in substance and format)

1. Class participation 10%;
2. Individual Videoed Role Play 40%, comprising: Part 1: 10 minute role play (30%)

   Part 2: Written reflection on recorded interview - 750 words (10%)

3. Preparation of Legal Toolkit for Entrepreneurs (50%) comprising: Part A: Development of a legal toolkit (20%) (group assessment);

   Part B: Presentation to the class (10%) (group assessment)

   Part C: Toolkit application - Incorporation in advice to client - 1500 words - 20% (individual assessment)

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. The unit requires on average eight/nine hours of scheduled activities per week over four weeks. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Beverley Honig

Commercial Law

Intellectual Property

International and Comparative Law

Dispute Resolution

For students enrolled in the Master of Laws (Juris Doctor) or the Juris Doctor, completion of 72 credit points of core units.