37302 - Private Law

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide students with the fundamentals notions of the Italian civil law and its sources, with special regard to the meaning and function of the legal system and its norms, natural and legal persons, goods, property ad possession, obligations and contracts, also in the marketing sector.

Course contents

The course covers the following topics: 1) fundamental concepts and principles of private law; 2) sources of private law, statutory interpretation, and the application of the law; 3) natural and legal persons, and fundamental rights; 4) property, ownership, and possession; 5) obligations and contracts; 6) tort law; 7) debtor liability and the protection of creditors; 8) the assignment and other forms of transfer or modification of claims and contracts; 9) limitation periods and forfeiture; 10) Artificial Intelligence and the law.

For students attending the course only, part of the syllabus may be replaced by selected specialist topics (e.g. personal data protection in marketing activities; digital signatures and other forms of electronic signature; electronic contracts; electronic commerce; legal aspects of digital platforms; data intermediation services), in accordance with the arrangements communicated by the lecturer during the course.

Readings/Bibliography

1) F. Galgano, Diritto privato, Wolters Kluwer–Cedam, Milan, latest edition, limited to Chapters 1–19 and Chapter 53

2) A selection of materials on the legal regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), available on the University's "Virtuale" online learning platform

3) Students attending the course may follow an alternative study programme, replacing part of the prescribed syllabus. Details will be provided during lectures and subsequently published on the "Virtuale" online learning platform throughout the teaching period.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods include lectures, the analysis and discussion of significant judicial decisions, practical exercises and simulations, and flipped classroom activities. Where appropriate, Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used for practical legal exercises. The course may also include conferences, seminars and/or workshops on selected topics. Students may also be invited to give presentations on topics agreed with the lecturer.

Assessment methods

Assessment is by means of an oral examination consisting of three or four questions covering the course syllabus. The overall mark is awarded on the Italian 30-point grading scale.

Where additional activities are provided for students attending the course, as agreed with the course convenor, students will also be assessed on those activities. Performance in these activities will contribute to the final mark.

The following indicative criteria apply to the allocation of marks on the Italian 30-point grading scale:

Fail (0–17)
Insufficient and inadequate knowledge of the topics covered by the syllabus; significant gaps in knowledge; generally inaccurate use of language.

Satisfactory (18–20)
Satisfactory knowledge of the topics covered by the syllabus and generally accurate use of language.

Fair (21–23)
Fair knowledge of the topics covered by the syllabus; a fair ability to examine and analyse specific aspects of the syllabus in greater depth; generally accurate use of language.

Good (24–26)
Good knowledge of the topics covered by the syllabus; good ability to examine and analyse the various parts of the syllabus in depth; good analytical and critical skills; generally accurate and technically appropriate use of language.

Very Good (27–28)
More than good knowledge of all topics covered by the syllabus; good ability to examine and analyse the various parts of the syllabus in depth; good ability to make connections between different topics; good analytical and critical skills; generally accurate and technically appropriate use of language, demonstrating a good command of the relevant legal terminology.

Excellent (29–30)
Excellent knowledge of all topics covered by the syllabus; excellent ability to examine and analyse the various parts of the syllabus in depth; excellent ability to make connections between different topics; excellent analytical and critical skills; consistently accurate and technically appropriate use of language, demonstrating a very good command of the relevant legal terminology.

Excellent with Honours (30 cum laude)
Outstanding knowledge of all topics covered by the syllabus; outstanding ability to examine and analyse the various parts of the syllabus in depth; outstanding ability to make connections between different topics; outstanding analytical and critical skills; consistently accurate and technically appropriate use of language, demonstrating an outstanding command of the relevant legal terminology.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be used for assessment.

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Students with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs), temporary or permanent disabilities: Students are encouraged to contact the University's Disability and Specific Learning Difficulties Service at the earliest opportunity (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en). The Service will propose any appropriate reasonable adjustments for the students concerned. Any such adjustments must, however, be submitted to the lecturer for approval at least 15 days in advance. In deciding whether to approve the proposed adjustments, the lecturer will take into account their appropriateness in light of the intended learning outcomes of the course. Where the University's Disability and Specific Learning Difficulties Service recommends the use of mind maps as a reasonable adjustment, students are advised that such mind maps must be prepared using keywords only.

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Any coursework completed by students attending the course during the lectures that has been formally assessed, together with any approved substitution of part of the syllabus, shall remain valid until the January examination session immediately following the end of the teaching period.

Teaching tools

A computer and projector, presentation slides, multimedia resources, internet-based materials, and, where appropriate, interactive learning tools to support the consolidation of course content under the guidance of the lecturer.

Supplementary teaching materials, including case law, model contractual documents, and academic legal literature.

Legal databases for researching case law, legislation, and legal scholarship in order to solve case studies.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for the analysis of legal cases, including the formulation of effective prompts for interacting with AI systems in legal contexts and the critical assessment of AI-generated outputs through the application of the principle of human oversight. This involves verifying the solution produced by the AI system and comparing it with the results obtained through traditional legal research using legal databases containing legislation, case law, and legal scholarship. The aim is to foster a critical and informed approach to the use of AI systems in the legal field.

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Bravo