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Start-Up Law (LAWS90108)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | July |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject will provide students with the legal skills to advise start-up companies on the legal issues those companies are likely to face in their early years of operation. The subject will cover the substantive law relevant to the particular circumstances of a start-up, including intellectual property, privacy, structuring options, start-up funding including crowd funding and Initial Coin Offerings, regulatory restrictions applying to LegalTech start-ups, the Australian Consumer Law, employment law and the tax incentives available for start-up companies in Australia. It will also cover some of the ethical issues involved in advising start-ups, such as the issues associated with advisers taking equity in their clients.
The subject will provide students with the opportunity to develop the specialist practical skills used in advising start-up companies.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who complete this subject will have developed specialised skills in advising and assisting start-up companies on the law relevant to their creation and growth.
On completion of the subject students should have developed the following skills:
- The ability to identify the legal issues relevant to formation of a start-up;
- The ability to understand and apply the different approaches to structuring a start-up and the advantages and disadvantages of the various structuring options;
- The ability to review and critique the principal agreements to be executed by start-ups, including Non Disclosure Agreements, Terms Sheets, Shareholders Agreements, employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, technology licences and funding agreements; and
- The ability to engage in and advise on approaches to drafting these documents, the appropriate use of precedents and approaches to reviewing and responding to draft documents prepared by other lawyers.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Successful completion of all the below subjects:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
April (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
June (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50025 | Torts |
November (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50026 | Obligations |
May (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50029 | Contracts | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50030 | Property |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
April (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
LAWS50035 | Corporations Law | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
And one of:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50027 | Dispute Resolution | Not available in 2024 |
12.5 |
LAWS90140 | Disputes and Ethics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Class participation | Throughout the teaching period | 10% |
Class test
| During the teaching period | 20% |
Written assignment
| 4 Weeks after the end of teaching | 70% |
Additional details
The due dates of the above assessment will be available to students via the Assessment Schedule on the LMS Community.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- July
Principal coordinator Michael Pattison Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 36 hours Total time commitment 144 hours Pre teaching start date 22 June 2020 Pre teaching requirements During the pre-teaching period, students are expected to access and review the Reading Guide that will be available from the LMS subject page and the subject materials provided by the subject coordinator, which will be available from Melbourne Law School. Refer to the Reading Guide for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 20 July 2020 to 24 July 2020 Last self-enrol date 26 June 2020 Census date 20 July 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 31 July 2020 Assessment period ends 21 August 2020
Additional delivery details
This subject has an enrolment quota of 30 students.
Enrolments occur on a first come, first served basis up to quota, except for the timely re-enrolment period. Timely enrolments enter a selection process, and unsuccessful enrolments are withdrawn.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law School website for further information about the management of subject quotas.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Specialist materials will be made available from Melbourne Law School.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Juris Doctor - Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022