Module Information

Module Identifier

LC27220

Module Title

Company Law

Academic Year

2024/2025

Co-ordinator

Dr Angharad James

Semester

Semester 2

Pre-Requisite

CT10120, CT20120, LC10120 or LC20120

Exclusive (Any Acad Year)

LC37220

Reading List

View on Aspire

Course Delivery

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment length / details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Essay 2000 Words	50%
Semester Exam	2 Hours Exam	50%
Supplementary Assessment	Essay 2000 Words	50%
Supplementary Exam	2 Hours Exam	50%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the various business vehicles that can be used for trading.

Show an awareness of the concepts of corporate personality / limited liability and lifting the corporate veil.

Demonstrate the importance of Articles of Association.

Show knowledge of the duties of company directors as codified under Companies Act 2006.

Demonstrate an understanding of minority rights, the role of auditors in a company, the various means of company financing.

Explain why extending the crime of manslaughter to companies or integrating the legal concept of corporate social responsibility within company law has proved problematic.

Brief description

Company Law will provide an overview of the various vehicles businesses may adopt to carry on their activities and their relative advantages and disadvantages. It will examine the development and effects of Companies Act 2006. The module will also consider the various tensions between competing interests which arise from the distinct internal organization of the company as well as from the external recognition of companies and their limited liability status, with particular focus on public companies.

By examining concepts such as corporate social responsibility and corporate manslaughter, the module touches upon recent and growing pressures on regulators to acknowledge the drastic impact companies have on all spheres of our lives

The areas of law examined in this module will be of assistance to students intending to pursue careers in law, accountancy, business management, financial services and related occupations.

Content

1. Business Vehicle: sole traders, partnerships, limited liability partnerships and companies.

2. Legal Status of Companies: the concept of separate legal personality.

3. Company Formation and Classification: The dissolution of a Company, pre-incorporation contracts.

4. The Company Constitution: the memorandum of association and articles of association.

5. The Contractual Capacity of the Company: Agency, ultra vires and directors' authority.

6. The Organs of the Company: the general meetings of shareholders and the board of directors and the division of power between the shareholders and directors.

7. Directors' Duties.

8. Auditors' role and function within the company.

9. Share Capital and Loan Capital.

10. The Protection of Minority Shareholders.

11. Corporate Manslaughter.

12. Corporate Social Responsibility.

Module Skills

Skills Type	Skills details
Communication	Seminar discussions/activities develop individual and group presentation and oral argument + assessments.
Improving own Learning and Performance	Seminar participation and exam preparation develop different aspects of academic research, from understanding and referencing sources through the dissemination of ideas to others orally, and developing written communication skills.
Information Technology	Library and research skills are fundamental to preparation for seminars and assessed work.
Personal Development and Career planning	Generic and transferrable skills including, research, analysis and communication.
Problem solving	Seminar discussion/preparation and debate.
Research skills	Research and preparation for seminars and assessments.
Subject Specific Skills	Reading and understanding legal materials particular to Company Law.
Team work	Group activities and discussion.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5