BLAW 2911: Commercial Law
Students examine the legal environment in which businesses operate and how common law, provincial and federal government statutes influence decision making. Topics include the legal system and the law relating to torts, contracts, forms of business organization, agency, sale of goods, consumer protection, real estate, intellectual property, and employment.
Learning outcomes
- Describe the basic origins of Canadian common law, equity, and statute law.
- Diagram the system of British Columbia courts and Canadian courts.
- Explain the differences between intentional and unintentional torts and the legal remedies available to successful plaintiffs.
- Describe the elements that make a contract valid and enforceable, the ways in which a contract may be discharged, and the remedies available for breach of contract.
- Discuss with examples the forms of business organizations and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- Apply rules from sale of goods legislation to determine when title to goods passes to a buyer.
- Identify seller activities designed to drive up prices of goods or services, cause price discrimination or unduly lessen competition.
- Explain how mortgages, conditional sale agreements and other security instruments protect creditor investments and creditors' rights upon default.
- Describe estates and lesser interests in land under land titles legislation and the Torrens system.
- Specify types of remedies available to a plaintiff under environmental common law cases and why legislation is required to address pollution causing more fundamental environmental damage.
- Explain patents, trademarks, copyright and industrial design and general registration procedures.
- Describe the effect of contract law on the employer-employee relationship.
Course topics
- Module 1: The Legal Environment of Business
- Module 2: An Introduction to Contracts
- Module 3: Business Torts
- Module 4: Structuring Business Activity
- Module 5: Property
- Module 6: Employment and Professional Relationships
- Module 7: Sale of Goods, Consumer Protection, and Competition Law
- Module 8: Financing the Business
- Module 9: Transference of Risk
Required text and materials
Students require the following e-textbook, which can be purchased directly from the TRU bookstore site at: https://thebookstore.tru.ca/site_digital.asp
- DuPlessis, D., O’Byrne, S., King, P., Adams, A., & Enman, S. (2020). Canadian Business and the Law, (7th ed.). Nelson Education.
Type: E-Textbook. ISBN: 978-0-17-679508-5 / 978177412291-4
Assessments
Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.
To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the mandatory final exam.
| Assignment 1: Contracts and Dispute Resolution – Spot the Issue(s) | 5% |
| Assignment 2: Torts – Spot the Issue(s) | 10% |
| Mid-term Exam (Open Book with 24-Hour Release) | 15% |
| Assignment 3: Employment and Labour – Spot the Issue(s) | 10% |
| Assignment 4: Sale of Goods and Consumer Protection – Spot the Issue(s) | 10% |
| Assignment 5: Relective Discussion Summary | 10% |
| Mandatory Final Exam | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
Open Learning Faculty Member Information
An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.
