Corporations, Technology, and Law

LAWS70611 Corporations, Technology, and Law 30 Semester 1 Postgraduate Taught Level 7 Joseph Lee Nazzini Unit coordinator Law 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 15.0 Corporations, Technology and the Law is of significant theoretical and practical interest. It is valuable  not only to specialist corporate attorneys but also, given the profound relevance of business  organisations to the economy and daily life, to all individuals interested in law, business, and legal  practice.This module delves into the operation and regulation of business entities, including corporations and  Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs). The initial focus is the regulatory framework of  companies in England and Wales, where we establish the bedrock principles and examine key internal  dynamics. We pay particular attention to the responsibilities of directors and the remedies available to  shareholders, while considering the potential implications of corporate technology, or "corptech", as a  tool to enhance corporate governance and corporate finance.From this foundational understanding, the module progresses to cover enforcement and  finance-related issues, such as Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), and Security  Token Offerings (STOs). In this context, we adopt a transnational law perspective, thereby providing a  more comprehensive understanding of these complex and global issues.Week 1: Nature, types and functions of modern companies Week 2: Corporate Legal Personality  Week 3: Lifting the veil of incorporation  Week 4: Corporate Constitution  Week 5: Company Administration  Week 6: Director’s duties Week 7: Director’s duties Week 8: Formative Assessment  Week 9: Shares and Shareholders Week 10: Shareholders, relationship with directors, and decisions-making Week 11:Corporate Governance  Week 12: Shareholder claims  Week 13: Corporate Finance  Week 14: Assessment Week 15: Assessment   Corporations, Law and technology is of both theoretical and practical interest, of value both to specialist corporate lawyers and, given the importance of business organisations to the economy and everyday life, to anyone interested in law, business and legal practice. This module considers the operation and regulation of business organisations such as corporations as well as DAO, focusing initially on the regulation of companies in England and Wales by establishing the fundamental principles and examining the key internal relationships,looking in particular at directors duties and shareholder remedies while considering the implications of using corptech (corporate technology) for improving corporate governance. From this base the module then moves on to consider matters of enforcement and finance such as IPO, ICO and STO, taking a transnational law approach.Week 1: Nature, types and functions of modern companies Week 2: Corporate Legal Personality  Week 3: Lifting the veil of incorporation  Week 4: Corporate Constitution  Week 5: Company Administration  Week 6: Director’s duties Week 7: Director’s duties Week 8: Formative Assessment  Week 9: Shares and Shareholders Week 10: Shareholders, relationship with directors, and decisions-making Week 11:Corporate Governance  Week 12: Shareholder claims  Week 13: Corporate Finance  Week 14: Assessment Week 15: Assessment  The objective of this module is to acquaint students with critical topics and themes in business organisation law, with an emphasis on technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, and Securities Token Offerings (STOs). The course aims to establish a robust foundation in the legal regulation of business organisations for our students.Upon completion of this module, students should have a comprehensive understanding of the legal composition of business organizations and the pivotal role that technology plays within these entities. They should also acquire a solid grasp of the core legal and regulatory issues affecting these organisations.A further goal of this module is to equip students with the ability to identify relevant issues and challenges within business organisations, particularly those related to the application of technology. The course aims to foster the students' ability to evaluate and assess these topics from both theoretical and practical perspectives. This dual-focused approach prepares students to steer and contribute to the ever-evolving intersection of law, business organisations, and technology. Understand and critically evaluate the role of companies and company law and the implications of technology such as AI, STO, ICO and DAO on companies and company law. Demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the principal features of company law, blockchain technology and AI law Identify, explain, assess and analyse comprehensively issues arising in the areas of company law, AI and blockchain technology considered in the module and identify and apply relevant legal rules and theories to those issues Demonstrate ability to manage relevant learning resources/ information/ learning strategies confidently and effectively and to develop independently own reasoned arguments and opinions. Communicate and engage in debates effectively and accurately, orally and in writing, in a manner appropriate to the subjects and context Students learning for the taught element of this course unit is 100% online. There will be a combination of online materials provided that students must engage with, including podcasts, videos, lectures and interviews. Students will be able to complete diverse online tasks to monitor and evidence their achievement of the learning objectives. Students will also learn through engaging in directed and independent wider reading. Whilst the majority of this unit will be accessible in an asynchronous manner increasing the agility and flexibility of learning, there will be opportunities to interact with Unit leads and peers during synchronous teaching sessions. We will use online tools to facilitate peer-peer interaction  and small group activities. Students' learning for the taught element of this course unit is 100% online. The course will make full use of eLearning and innovative online technology. The development of the course will be supported by eLearning technologists. There will be a combination of online materials provided that students must engage with, including podcasts, videos, lectures, and interviews. To this end, the Blackboard site will be populated with a range of learning materials, such as (but not limited to): embedded videos/lectures, interactive activities (eg. case excerpts and writing prompts), reading lists, links to e-media resources and podcasts (interviews with academics in the area).Students will be able to complete diverse online tasks to monitor and evidence their achievement of the learning objectives. There will be asynchronous activities for students to complete in their own time and fortnightly synchronous sessions. Whilst the majority of this unit will be accessible in an asynchronous manner increasing the agility and flexibility of learning, there will be opportunities to interact with Unit leads and peers during synchronous sessions. These seminars will discuss independent work set in advance, and encourage peer-to-peer presentation, discussion, and feedback. There will be an emphasis on independent research and argument-building, with students building up a body of notes from their reading as the course unfolds to rely on when completing assessments. Students will also learn through engaging in directed and independent wider reading.There will be office hours with teaching staff where students can drop in(online) and ask questions, a discussion board where students can discuss content with staff and each other, and students will be encouraged to form study groups that regularly meet to encourage a social aspect to the course and to discuss legal issues. In this respect, online tools will be used to facilitate peer-peer interaction and small group activities. 0 Other 10% 2 Written assignment (inc essay) 60% 7 Oral assessment/presentation 30% <ul> <li>Davies & Worthington, Gower’s Modern Company Law 11th ed., 2021</li> <li>Mayson, French & Ryan on Company Law, 37th ed., 2021</li> <li>Hannigan Company Law, 6th ed., 2021</li> <li>Joseph Lee, Crypto-finance, Law and Regulation, 2022, Routelege</li> <li>Joseph Lee, Pete Underwood, AI in the Boardroom: Let the Law be in the Driving Seat https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3874588</li> <li>Andrew Godwin, Technology and Corporate Law, 2021, Edward Elgar</li></ul> 0 0 0