Admission requirements
This is a mandatory course for students Rechtsgeleerdheid who have chosen the study programme Rechtsgeleerdheid - International Business Law.
This course is not an optional course ("keuzevak"). Other students than those following the IBL-programme cannot participate.
Description
In a globalizing world doing business often results in cross border activities. Companies that are active in an international environment deal with different jurisdictions, a variety of rules and business partners residing in other countries. This means that executives, legal counsels, lawyers and other relevant persons need to understand the legal consequences of such international activities. The International Business Law-track (“IBL-track”) which is part of the bachelor Rechtsgeleerdheid, provides you with profound knowledge and understanding of the key legal areas of international business. Several practical writing and/or presentation assignments are included in the IBL-track which will prepare you for an international legal career.
This OIBL-course is an introductory course to this IBL-track.
Legal personality, various business forms (in particular corporations) as general concepts and the way they do business globally are at the centre of attention throughout the course. Thus, you get acquainted not only with the regulation of the internal affairs of a business, i.e. corporate law, but you will also learn to put such regulation in context and juxtapose it to what businesses do in the transactional world.
Course objectives
This course aspires to initiate you into the course offerings of the IBL-track by providing you with a brief overview of IBL topics. The course is structured around specific key areas of international business law and lasts for a period of six (6) weeks, allowing you to get a glimpse of what lies ahead during the bachelor studies in this track.
A corollary purpose of this course is to allow you to get acquainted with education in English, as this course will (partially) be taught in the English language. For a legal professional, writing and presenting skills are of the utmost importance. Therefore, academic writing and presenting form an important part of this course. A full lecture will be dedicated to academic writing in English.
This course is subject to the ‘juridische vaardighedenlijn’. For more information see: https://www.leidenlawskills.nl/juridische-kernvaardigheden.
Upon completion of the course, you are able to:
describe the basic workings of international business law / corporate law;
have a basic understanding of the role of participants and other stakeholders of a corporation;
understand and explain the challenges of the managing board and its members;
describe and explain the multi-layered regulatory environment in which international businesses function;
apply basic knowledge on international business law by solving simple exercises and relating your knowledge in the different niches;
develop responses in English that clearly accomplish their communicative purposes;
write texts that meet the standards described in the course materials and the lectures on writing;
understand and use the legal terminology used in the international business environment.
Timetable
Check MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Lectures
One two-hour lecture on academic writing in English;
Five (5) two-hour lectures on various aspects of international corporate and business law;
Lecturer(s): one or more members of the Company Law department and/or guest lecturers.
Seminars
Five (5) interactive two-hour seminars;
Instructors: members of the Company Law department
Required preparation by students: Study of mandatory and recommended reading (or other) materials and preparation of seminar assignments. An assignment may also exist in preparing a presentation to be held during the seminar.
Submission procedures
To be announced in the course information guide and/or on Brightspace.
Assessment method
The assessment of this course is based on two elements:
The writing assignment. The grade for this assignment will count for 30% of the final grade; and
The written exam. The grade for this exam will count for 70% of the final grade.
The final grade is given if the student has achieved a score on both elements: (i) the writing assignment, and (ii) the written exam (or the re-sit of the written exam, which may be an oral exam depending on the number of registrations for the re-sit).
Students who receive a failing grade (“onvoldoende”) for the written assignment are not entitled to a re-take of the assignment, but they are still allowed to take the written exam. The grade for the written assignment will be valid for one academic year.
Students who have achieved a final grade below 4.0 (i.e. for their written assignment and written exam combined) are not entitled to a re-sit of the written exam and must follow the OIBL course again. Students who have achieved a final grade equal to or exceeding 4.0 but below 5.5, are entitled to participate in a re-sit of the written exam
Areas to be tested within the exam
The course guide and additional announcements on BrightSpace shall indicate the mandatory learning material (literature and other relevant learning sources) for the course, the subjects and topics taught in the lectures and seminars, and all other information that forms part of the course.
Regulation retake passed exams
In this course it is possible to retake an exam that has been passed (cf. art. 4.1.8 and further of the Course and Examination Regulations). Students who have passed the exam may retake the final written assessment (test) of the course if they meet certain requirements. For more information, go to the website > ‘Law’ tab > ‘Retake a passed exam’.
Reading list
Obligatory course materials
The course guide will include a shortlist of mandatory literature and reading (or other) materials for the course. The full list of mandatory reading materials will be communicated during the course Through Brightspace.
Recommended course materials
Recommended course materials will also be published either in the course information guide and/or on Brightspace.
Registration
Registration for courses and exams takes place via MyStudymap. If you do not have access to MyStudymap (guest students), look here (under the Law-tab) for more information on the registration procedure in your situation.
Contact
Coordinator: a member of the Company Law department, to be announced
Contact through secretary desk (information below)
Institution/division
Institute: Institute for Private Law
Department: Company Law
Room number secretary: B2.43
Opening hours: 9.00 – 17.00
Telephone number secretariat: +31 71 527 7235
Email: OIBL@law.leidenuniv.nl