Students
ACCG2051 – Business and Corporations Law
2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Michael Quilter
Contact via email
4ER309
Teaching Assistant
Cissy Zhan
Contact via ACCG2051@mq.edu.au
Moderator
Zaman Khorseduzzaman
Contact via email
Tutor
Verity Greenwood
Contact via email
Tutor
John Selby
Contact via email
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
50cp at 1000 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces students to the Australian legal system, including contract law, and focuses on corporate law and regulation. The relationship between the law and the role of accounting and business professionals is an underlying theme and students are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills as they analyse and evaluate legal issues in a commercial context. The unit will provide students with perspectives on a range of commercially important legal issues such as forming a business, management responsibilities, investor/shareholder protection, and insolvency. Topics include contract law, agency, partnerships, characteristics of companies, director's duties, rights of shareholders, voluntary administration, and liquidation. At the conclusion of the unit students will be aware of legal regulation applicable to different types of business organisations, particularly companies, and be able to identify and evaluate a range of corporate legal issues. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Identify the features of the Australian legal system including the law of contract and distinguish business organisations based on their legal characteristics.
- ULO2: Explain how companies are formed, differentiate between types of companies, and analyse and evaluate the role and obligations of directors.
- ULO3: Examine how shareholders rights are protected and how the Corporations Act regulates acquisition and disposal of shares.
- ULO4: Analyse insolvency mechanisms and issues, and critically assess corporate insolvency in the current regulatory environment.
General Assessment Information
Together with the information provided in this Unit Guide there will be additional, and if required updated, information and detail in relation to assessment, and the unit generally, available on iLearn.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tutorial Participation | 20% | No | Throughout Session |
| Media Assignment | 20% | No | Week 8 |
| Final Examination | 60% | No | University Exam Period |
Tutorial Participation
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Throughout Session
Weighting: 20%
Tutorial (online) includes responses to written tutorial questions, answering questions, asking questions and engaging with other students and tutor and following tutorial discussion.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify the features of the Australian legal system including the law of contract and distinguish business organisations based on their legal characteristics.
- Explain how companies are formed, differentiate between types of companies, and analyse and evaluate the role and obligations of directors.
- Examine how shareholders rights are protected and how the Corporations Act regulates acquisition and disposal of shares.
- Analyse insolvency mechanisms and issues, and critically assess corporate insolvency in the current regulatory environment.
Media Assignment
Assessment Type 1: Qualitative analysis task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 20%
This assessment involves a 1000 word written analysis of a current Australian newspaper/media article that relates to an aspect (topic, area, issue) of the material covered in the unit from Lecture 4 forward.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify the features of the Australian legal system including the law of contract and distinguish business organisations based on their legal characteristics.
- Explain how companies are formed, differentiate between types of companies, and analyse and evaluate the role and obligations of directors.
Final Examination
Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: University Exam Period
Weighting: 60%
A two-hour online examination will be held during the University Examination Period.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify the features of the Australian legal system including the law of contract and distinguish business organisations based on their legal characteristics.
- Explain how companies are formed, differentiate between types of companies, and analyse and evaluate the role and obligations of directors.
- Examine how shareholders rights are protected and how the Corporations Act regulates acquisition and disposal of shares.
- Analyse insolvency mechanisms and issues, and critically assess corporate insolvency in the current regulatory environment.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
DELIVERY and RESOURCES
Classes will progress through the various Lecture Areas referred to in this Unit Guide. There may be some reorganisation, overlapping, and/or integration of areas to accommodate assessment, holiday scheduling, unit structure, delivery or class management.
The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
Required Text: Quilter, Company Law Perspectives, 4th ed. 2020, Thomson Reuters (Lawbook Co.) – [referred to as CLP 4th ed]
CLP 4th ed will be available in the Macquarie University library. It can be can be purchased from the publishers Thomson Reuters via their website https://legal.thomsonreuters.com.au/student/university/macquarie/
The following is not required but may be useful: Lipton, Herzberg and Welsh, Understanding Company Law, Thomson Reuters (Lawbook Co.).
After considering the Australian legal framework, tort law and contract law, the unit will focus on corporate issues and the relevance and effect of the Corporations Act. Note that certain relevant sections of the Corporations Act are set out in CLP 4th ed. Statutes may be viewed in full at www.austlii.edu.au
Useful websites
Students should be ready to allocate at least 150 hours during session (in total) to ACCG2051. This includes all classes, assessment, personal study and other learning activities.
Unit Schedule
UNIT SCHEDULE
Note that Lectures start in Week 1 and Tutorials start in Week 2
The Unit is divided into 5 integrated areas. All of these areas are important to an understanding of the commercial and corporate issues that have a relationship to the role and responsibilities of accounting and business professionals.
Legal system and core legal and commercial concepts
Relevance for accounting and business professionals: Exposure to basic rights and commercial responsibilities to inform both personal transactions and professional advice to clients; employment relations; duty of care in delivery of services; objectivity in assessment of performance; basic business organisation and structure.
Week 1 (Lecture 1)
Legal framework
Law of tort
Company Law Perspectives, 4th ed. 2020 [this is the required text and is referred to herein as "CLP 4th ed"]: Ch.1 and 3
Week 2 (Lecture 2)
Contract law
CLP 4th ed: Ch. 2
Tutorial 1
Week 3 (Lecture 3)
Contract law
Consumer protection
Agency
CLP 4th ed: Ch. 2, 4 and 34
Tutorial 2
Business Organisations and the Corporate Framework
Relevance for accounting and business professionals: Informed as to the choice of profit-making structure; importance of exposure and extent of business failure and personal liability; understanding key business advice and strategy; entrepreneurial interrelationships; knowledge of role and functions of with corporate regulator.
Week 4 (Lecture 4)
Comparison of business organisations
Partnership
Registration of companies – the role of ASIC
Types of companies
Consequences of registration
CLP 4th ed: Chs.5, 6, 7, 8 and 24
Tutorial 3
Week 5 (Lecture 5)
The nature of Trusts and the role of corporate trustees
The company constitution and the relationship between the company and outsiders – the role of directors as agents and company liability in contract, tort and crime
Financing - Share capital and fundraising; loan capital
Dividends
CLP 4th ed: Ch. 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17
Tutorial 4
Corporate management and governance responsibilities
Relevance for accounting and business professionals: Developing the ability to advise corporate clients, including individual directors and other managers; relevant foundation knowledge for personal future entrepreneurship; importance of financial and ethical obligations and downsides of failure; recognising the relationship between company directors and accounting professionals; becoming alert to problems of financial oversight.
Week 6 (Lecture 6)
Directors and corporate management
Directors fiduciary duties
CLP 4th ed: Ch.18 and 19
Tutorial 5
Week 7 (Lecture 7)
Directors statutory duties and corporate governance
Financial and reporting obligations
Audit
CLP 4th ed: Ch. 20, 21, 22, 23
Tutorial 6
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University Break
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Shareholders and the corporate market
Relevance for accounting and business professionals: Ability to advise clients on the nature of the corporate marketplace; foundation information for providing professional investment advice to clients; awareness of key issues in company meetings; grounding for professional advisory role and introduction to current market issues in the acquisition and disposal of shares; introduction to shareholder equity issues including protection of rights.
Week 8 (Lecture 8)
Members rights
Company meetings
CLP 4th ed: Ch. 25 and 26
Tutorial 7
Week 9 (Lecture 9)
Takeovers
Financial services and markets – regulation and prohibited conduct
CLP 4th ed: Ch. 27 and 28
Tutorial 8
Insolvency
Relevance for accounting and business professionals: Exposure to key accounting and business issues in insolvency practice and the place of insolvency practitioners in the accounting and legal professions; understanding important signs and warnings of insolvency for both personal and business advisory use; being alert to insolvency options; understand legal alternatives and advise companies and their directors on effective insolvency planning and remedial action.
Week 10 (Lecture 10)
The concept of insolvency and the importance of insolvency regulation
Restructuring
CLP 4th ed: Ch. 29, 30, 31 and 32
Tutorial 9
Week 11 (Lecture 11)
Liquidation
The role and responsibilities of liquidators
CLP 4th ed: Ch.31
Tutorial 10
Week 12 (Lecture 12)
Summary and Revision
Tutorial 11
Week 13 (No Lecture)
Tutorial 12
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Changes from Previous Offering
In Session 2 2020 delivery of this unit will be structured to include both on-campus and online classes.