Advanced Business Law
BSLW500 — Business Law, 3.0 hours
An in-depth view of the impact of public interest and government regulation on business activities. Emphasis is placed on the legal ramifications of corporate governance, citing court cases and judicial decisions that reveal the laws interface with business actions. Thought-provoking examples further demonstrate the law's broad influence on the day-to-day decisions involved in business operations and management.
Program Objectives
- Analyze the various bodies of law governing the legal environment of business
- Show mastery of how tort law, criminal law, and intellectual property law applies in business
- Understand the basic elements of contracts and basic defenses to contract formation
- Demonstrate understanding of the UCC (Art. 2) in sale of goods and leases, and demonstrate understanding of risk of loss assignments
- Understand and describe types of negotiable instruments and how they function in the broader banking system
- Explain fundamental aspects of bankruptcy and secured transactions
- Display knowledge of agency and partnership law and fundamental aspects of labor law
- Analyze fundamental concepts in real and personal property law
Professor
Cathryn Ensign is a well respected attorney who has concentrated her practice on civil litigation, workers’ compensation defense, and employment law for over 30 years. In her practice, she represents employers, both public and private, in workers’ compensation and employment related issues. She frequently appears at both administrative hearings before state agencies representing employers in unemployment and workers’ compensation claims. Cathryn litigates employment issues in Courts, both State and Federal on a variety of issues including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage & hour and wrongful termination of employment. Cathryn also has considerable experience with the defense of safety violations (VSSR) claims and intentional tort actions.
Named one of Cleveland’s Top Rated Lawyers 2019 in Labor & Employment, Litigation and Workers’ Compensation by Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent. Cathryn is honored to have held this rating for over 18 years.
Specialties: Cathryn has counseled employers on personnel and human resources related issues involving Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA & ADAAA) and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) compliance matters.
Cathryn previously taught classes in Criminal Justice; Legal Studies; Advanced Legal Writing & Legal Research; Civil Litigation; Employment Law and Administrative Law.
Cathryn currently is a Partner and Head of Litigation for the Gertsburg Law Firm where she concentrates on Employment Law and Civil Litigation matters.
Attorney Ensign provides volunteer attorney services to Legal Aid Society clients and hospice patients.
Online Support (IT) and Moodle Navigation
Schedule Time to Study
Figure out when the best time is for you to study. Make studying a habit. During your study time, only your lessons are important.
Motivate Yourself
Your career success depends on studying for your course. In order to be successful, you must study. Keeping yourself on a consistent schedule for studying and working on your lessons will make all the difference.
Avoid Distractions & Stay Focused
Close social media tabs on your computer, put your phone on silent, hush your music, and get to a quiet space. Consider the work that you’re doing right now as a plan for your future—you must avoid distractions.
Read Smart
For this, sit in a comfortable space and skim the text. Then, go over the vocabulary of the lesson and only after you are familiar with the terms, begin to read the chapter.
Review
Look at the assignment, and then reflect back on the chapter you have read. It is important to read the text and not just find the assignment’s answers. This will prepare you for the final.
Other Tips
- Make flashcards of important terms and ideas from the lesson. This will help reinforce ideas.
- Stay on schedule. Nothing is more difficult than trying to play catch-up because you got behind.
- Stay rested and get enough sleep, especially before tests.
- Take a break. Cramming for an exam and trying to absorb too much material at a time will only end in frustration.
Books and Resources
Henry R. Cheeseman. Business Law. 11th ed. Pearson, 2021.
Evaluation Method
Exams
There will be a final exam of 50 questions at the end of your course. It will be closed-note, closed-book and you will have a 3-hour time limit.
These exams are proctored. For more information on proctoring, please read the information outlined under the Final Exam section or contact Student Services.
Definition of Terms
Within your course there is a PDF document in each lesson that lists the key terms for that lesson.
Assignments
These assignments are typically 1 to 2-page written assignments unless otherwise stated. The assignments should be brief yet thoughtful and well-written. All sources must be cited.
Forums
The forums are interactive and designed for students to delve deeper into the lesson. Each student is required to post one original comment as well as respond to a fellow classmate’s post.
Additional Resources
Within your course, you may find games, videos, presentations, flash card sets or other supplemental items that may allow you to gain further knowledge from just the textbook alone. These items also make great study aides.
Grading Scale
Grading Scale
A C or better is required to pass this course.
| Letter grade | Numerical grade | Grade points | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90—100 | 4 | Excellent |
| B | 80—89 | 3 | Good |
| C | 70—79 | 2 | Satisfactory |
| D | 60—69 | 1 | Poor |
| F | 0—59 | 0 | Failure |
| I | N/A | Not computed | Incomplete |
| W | N/A | Not computed | Withdrawal |
| TC | N/A | Not computed | Transfer credit |
| N | N/A | Not computed | Non-Completion |
Grading Rubrics
All the grading rubrics for this course can be found in the “Welcome Section” of your class. There is one grading rubric for forums/discussion postings and one for written assignments.
Point Breakdown
| Criteria | Number | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Assignments | 3 | 60 |
| Forums | 8 | 80 |
| Final exam | 1 | 50 |
| Total | 12 | 190 |
Assignment and Discussion Forum Post Rubrics
Writing Assignment Grading Rubric
|
Points |
Excellent |
Good |
Poor |
Very Poor |
No Response |
|
Original Posting ____/10 |
Writing assignment was well thought out, coherent, and thoughtfully organized with all parts of the questions addressed along with appropriate grammar and spelling |
Writing was clear and relatively well organized and responded to many/most of the key points with a few mistakes in regard to grammar and spelling |
Writing was somewhat confusing and not well organized and had little or no focus on the subject matter with significant grammar and spelling errors |
Writing is confusing and hard to follow with no organization while missing the point of the assignment entirely |
No Assignment |
|
Total Points ____/10 |
Additional Comments: |
Discussion Question Grading Rubric
|
Points |
Excellent Pass |
Good Pass |
Poor Fail |
No Response Fail |
|
Original Posting PASS/FAIL |
Original post reflected good focus to the discussion with well thought out ideas and appropriate grammar and spelling |
Original post responded to the topic in a general fashion but failed to organize them well and had a few mistakes in regard to grammar and spelling |
Responded with little or no focus to the discussion and contained short, irrelevant and/or confusing commentary with significant grammar and spelling errors |
No posting |
|
Reply to fellow student PASS/FAIL |
Response to fellow student reflected good focus to the post with well thought out ideas and appropriate grammar and spelling |
Response to fellow student in a general fashion but failed to organize them well and had a few mistakes in regard to grammar and spelling |
Little or no focus to the post and contained short, irrelevant and/or confusing commentary with significant grammar and spelling errors |
No posting |
|
Total Points PASS/FAIL |
Additional Comments: |
Academic Integrity/ Plagiarism
Cheating (dishonestly taking the knowledge of another person whether on a test or an assignment and presenting it as your work) and plagiarism (to take and pass off as one's own the ideas or writing of another) are a serious issue. While it is legitimate to talk to others about your assignments and incorporate suggestions, do not let others "write" your assignments in the name of peer review or "borrow" sections or whole assignments written by others. We do get ideas from life experiences and what we read but be careful that you interpret these ideas and make them your own.
I am aware that many types of assignments are available on the internet and will check these sources when there is legitimate suspicion.
Penalty is a zero on the assignment. In cases where there is a major or continuous breach of trust, further discipline, such as an "F" in the course, may be necessary.
The major consequence of any form of cheating is damage to your character and the result of trust and respect.
Disability Accommodations
Students who have a disability and wish to request an academic accommodation should contact Jim Gepperth, the Disabilities Services Coordinator and Academic Dean. The student can request an accommodation at any time although it is encouraged to do so early in the enrollment process. The student should complete an accommodation request form which begins a conversation between the school and the student regarding the nature of their disability and an accommodation that would help the student succeed in their program. The school may request documentation regarding the disability to address the accommodation request effectively. The school will communicate to the student the type of accommodation arranged. This process typically follows a team approach, bringing together persons from the academic department (including the instructor) and personnel from other departments as necessary. Additional information on disability accommodations may be found in the Lakewood University Catalog.
Disability Services Email: disabilityservices@lakewood.edu
Supplemental Texts
You can use the following resources to assist you with proper source citation.
American Psychological Association Style Guide- https://www.mylakewoodu.com/pluginfile.php/118179/mod_resource/content/1/APA%20Style%20Guide%207th%20edition.pdf
The Purdue OWL website is also a helpful resource for students. Here is a link to the OWL website: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
Library
Mary O'Dell is the Librarian on staff at Lakewood University
She is available by appointment. You can make an appointment with her by emailing her at modell@lakewood.edu or call at 1-800-517-0857 X 730
You may also schedule a meeting at this link: https://my.setmore.com/calendar#monthly/r3a761583354923270/01032020
She can assist you with navigating LIRN, research, citations etc.
Support
Each student at Lakewood University is assigned a Success Coach. Your Success Coach exists to assist you with academic and supportive services as you navigate your program. They will reach out to you, often, to check-in. Please use the resources they offer.
Student Services is available to assist with technical questions regarding Lakewood University and all services available to you.
1-800-517-0857 option 2
info@lakewood.edu
studentservices@lakewood.edu
Career Services
Students are offered Career Services at any point as they journey their academics at Lakewood University.
1-800-517-0857 option 2
careerservices@lakewood.edu
Details
At www.mylakewoodcollege.edu
Guidelines
Assignment submitted must contain:
- Your Name
- Proper grammar and spelling
- All the required parts of the assignment
It is very important to make sure that the assignments you submit are a reflection of you. Make sure you write in complete sentences, use proper paragraph format, and for goodness sake, run the document through spell check! You want to submit a great assignment! If there are too many errors, your assignment may be rejected and sent back, so make sure it’s great the first time!
Objectives
- Analyze the various bodies of law governing the legal environment of business
- Show mastery of how tort law, criminal law, and intellectual property law applies in business
- Understand the basic elements of contracts and basic defenses to contract formation
- Demonstrate understanding of the UCC (Art. 2) in sale of goods and leases, and demonstrate understanding of risk of loss assignments
- Understand and describe types of negotiable instruments and how they function in the broader banking system
- Explain fundamental aspects of bankruptcy and secured transactions
- Display knowledge of agency and partnership law and fundamental aspects of labor law
- Analyze fundamental concepts in real and personal property law
Student Services
Contact Student service for questions unrelated to the curriculum.
800-517-0857 Opt 2.
studentservices@lakewoodcollege.edu
Syllabus Description
Lakewood College recommends that you try to stick as closely to the provided scheduled syllabus as possible. Although the course is self-paced, there is an attendance requirement, so by sticking to the provided syllabus, you are then making yourself accountable for your turning your work in timely and not getting overwhelmed.
Lessons
Lakewood College Welcome Video, Review Study Guide
Review Syllabus, Review Grading Rubrics
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 1-4
Forum 1
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 5-8
Forum 2
Assignment 1
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 9-11, 14, 16, & 17
Forum 3
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 18-21
Forum 4
Assignment 2
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 22-25
Forum 5
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 29-33
Forum 6
Assignment 3
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 35-37, 39, & 42
Forum 7
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.
Read the following Chapters in your textbook: Chapters 47-49
Forum 8
Lesson Evaluation
Due at the completion of this lesson.