LAW 794 - Corporate Counsel - Legal Issues and Practice Difficulties

Spring (1-3) Sharon Owlett Prerequisite(s): LAW 303 OR LAW 320

The purpose of the course is to provide an introduction to the critical and strategic analysis required to run a successful in-house practice. Students will review problem scenarios in five different areas of corporate operations: management structure, contracts, employment, business integration, and audit. Through analysis and discussion of relevant documents and facts, students will gain an understanding of the multiple and often conflicting considerations that general counsel must weigh and balance in order to provide effective representation. By the end of the course, students should be able to identify stakeholders in corporate interactions and their various interests; be alert to pitfalls impacting counsel’s ability to operate; have a basic understanding of fact-finding within the corporate environment; and gain appreciation of counsel’s role in advising executives, board members and employees as well as in dealing with external parties such as auditors and outside counsel. Students will be evaluated on a legal and business analysis of a contract problem involving multiple tiers. The grade will be pass/fail based on a final paper. Completion of Corporations or Business Associations is a prerequisite.