LAW 7515 - Business Planning

The goal of this course, through reviewing actual documents and agreements (and through class discussion), is to have students become familiar with certain legal and business relationships/issues raised in documents, business agreements and other contracts – from a practical (real life) perspective. Generally, class discussions track the formation, growth, and eventual sale of a California business. We begin by analyzing and comparing different business entity structures. We then examine the relationship and conflicting motivations of owners, officers, and employees of a business. We move to the growth of a business with a review of the various interactions a business has with its consultants, employees, venture investors, banks, and vendors. This includes the application of corporate finance, securities, and intellectual property law principles, among others. We end the course with an examination of the eventual merger/acquisition of a business. Practical problems and solutions are the focus of this course. It is intended to provide an important component of preparing students who will be advising and/or interacting with California businesses. This course is an approved elective for the Business Law Emphasis. May satisfy either the Experiential Course or Practice-Oriented Writing requirement with faculty approval; one course cannot satisfy both requirements at the same time. Letter grade. 3 credits