37296 - Commercial law

Learning outcomes

At the end of the Teaching Activities related to the course Commercial Law, students will count with a comprehensive understanding of the main institutions accountable for the corporations and the firms, focusing on their basic characteristics and tasks, from the moment certain commercial regulations are conceived until these same regulations and norms expire. Furthermore, students will be able to acquire and grasp the basic notions about all the different types of firms, consortiums and lobbies, in order to assess and verify how these organizations, which are widespread in the Italian Economic scenario, could be profitably used for the practice of the economic activity (principles, structures and organizations). The International approach to the course Commercial Law sets the platform for a continuous comparative evaluation between Italian commercial law and Italian Industrial legislation versus the international directives on this very field (with a special focus on EU regulation on the subject), also considering international agreements, basic concepts of commercial law and industrial law, taking into careful consideration the antitrust legislation, unfair competition and unfair practices like dumping, misleading communication, the regulation of particularities and all creative activities, regulation of know-how and of technologies as well.

Course contents

1. Introduction to commercial law
2. History of commercial law
3. Evolution of company law
4. Corporate features
5. Forces shaping corporate law
6. Agency problems and legal strategies
7. Protection of shareholders as a class
8. Stakeholder protection
9. Transactions with creditors
10. Related-party transactions
11. Fundamental changes
12. Control transactions
13. EU competition law policy and economics
14. Article 101(1)
15. Article 101(3)
16. Article 102
17. Mergers
18. Introduction to intellectual property law
19. Patent law
20. Copyright law
21. Trademark law

Readings/Bibliography

Kraakman, Armour et Al., The Anatomy of Corporate Law, Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, Chapters from 1 to 8.

 

Whish, Bailey, Competition Law, Oxford University Press, 9th edition, selected chapters.

 

Pila, Torremans, European Intellectual Property Law, Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, selected chapters.

Teaching methods

Each lecture will focus on a specific topic. Active student participation is encouraged.

Assessment methods

Written examinations in the form of partial exams and full exams consisting of multiple choice questions.

Teaching tools

Slides and other materials will be shown in class and made available for download from IOL or Microsoft Teams

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Pomelli

See the website of Riccardo Ghetti