LGST 369 Commercial Law is a three-credit course at Athabasca University. This course is designed to inform business people and those dealing with businesses of the core legal principles, laws, and institutions which govern trade and commerce in Canada. It will help business people to anticipate and, if possible, avoid legal problems, and to know when to seek legal advice. Consumers and customers will learn about their legal rights. This course supports efforts to make the commercial laws of Canada understandable and responsive to the needs of ordinary citizens. Commercial Law will assist everyone to understand and make use of the law in pursuing their legitimate interests.
Outline
Unit 1: The Canadian Legal System, Litigation, and Risk Management
Unit 2: Tort Law – Introduction and Intentional Torts
Unit 3: Tort Law – Torts Affecting Business and Negligence
Unit 4: Contract Law – Formation, Consideration and Privity
Unit 5: Contract Law – Contractual Terms and Defects
Unit 6: Contract Law – Discharge, Breach, and Remedies
Unit 7: Special Contracts – Sale of Goods and Negotiable Instruments
Unit 8: Real Property, Sales, and Mortgages
Unit 9: Personal and Intellectual Property
Unit 10: Business Organizations – Agency and Partnerships
Unit 11: Business Organizations – Corporations
Unit 12: Secured Transactions and Creditors’ Rights
Unit 13: Employment Law
Learning outcomes
After completing LGST 369 you should be able to:
Explain the structure of the Canadian legal system and describe common legal processes.
Explain the basic principles of Canadian tort, contract and property law, and describe the common forms of business organization in Canada.
Analyze factual situations and identify legal problems which might arise from them to avoid problems if possible.
Analyze legal problems and apply problem solving techniques to identify possible responses and choose from among them.
Identify and evaluate potential legal risks and liabilities from a business perspective.
Use this knowledge and these skills to assert and protect rights and interests, seeking and instructing professional help when necessary.
Evaluation
To receive credit for LGST 369, you must complete five assignments and an examination, achieving an overall course grade of D (50 percent)or better and a passing mark of 50 percent or better on the final examination.
Activity
Weight
Complete by
Assignment 1
10%
After Unit 3
Assignment 2
10%
After Unit 6
Assignment 3
10%
After Unit 9
Assignment 4
10%
After Unit 13
Assignment 5
10%
After All Units
Final Exam
50%
Total
100%
The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
McInnes, M., Kerr, Ian R., VanDuzer, J. Anthony, and Lavoie, M., (2023). Managing the Law: The Legal Aspects of Doing Business (6th Ed.). Toronto: Pearson (eText)
All other learning resources will be available online.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the LGST 369 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent)on the examination. A letter grade will be given based upon the examination mark awarded.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.