SCHOOL OF LAW

Academic Year 201415 Term 1

LGST101 BUSINESS LAW
COURSE OUTLINE
Instructor:
Mr Lau Wen Jin
E-mail:
wenjinlau@smu.edu.sg
A.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is an introductory course designed to help business students

acquaint themselves with the framework of Singapores legal system,
and also to help them understand the legal environment within which
businesses operate. A substantial part of the course is dedicated to
the study of contract law principles, as the making and performance of
contracts form the rudiment of all businesses. Students will also be
introduced to the law of torts and will, in particular, learn the
essentials of the very pervasive tort of negligence. Other legal areas
and concepts which, at the instructors discretion, will be taught
include privity of contract, agency, business torts, commercial crime,
e-commerce law, law of business organizations, intellectual property
and international legal aspects of business.
Upon completion of the course, students should:
Understand the framework of the Singapore legal system
Understand and be able to apply the methodology of basic legal
reasoning
B.
PRE-REQUISITE/ CO-REQUISITE/ MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
COURSE(S)

None.
C. TEXTS AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
PRESCRIBED TEXT

George Shenoy and Loo Wee Ling (gen. ed.), Principles of Singapore
1

Business Law (2nd Ed, Cengage Learning, 2013)

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Contract Law
o Andrew Phang Boon Leong (gen. ed.), The Law of Contract in
Singapore (Academy Publishing, 2012)
o Jill Poole, Casebook on Contract Law
University Press, 2012)

(11th

Ed, Oxford

o Edwin Peel, Treitel on The Law of Contract (13th Ed, Sweet &
Maxwell, 2011)

Law of Torts
o Gary Chan Kok Yew (with chapters contributed by Lee Pey
Woan), The Law of Torts in Singapore (Academy Publishing,
2011)

LEGAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET

Free access to Singapore statutes and cases is available to SMU
students through the LawNet database. The hyperlink to LawNet can
be found under the Law Databases column on the SMU Librarys
Law Research Navigator at: http://researchguides.smu.edu.sg/Law.
There are many other useful digital databases and resources are
available in the library. For example, English and Commonwealth
cases are accessible from the database known as Lexis (also found at
the same link above). Free access to local statutes may also be found
at http://statutes.agc.gov.sg.
D. ASSESSMENT METHOD
Class Participation
Group Project
Presentation
Written Assignment
Mid-Term Test
Final Examination
E.

15%
25%
(10%)
(15%)
15%
45%

COURSE METHODS

The course will be conducted in seminars of 3 hours of instruction with a

mid-seminar break of 15 minutes (in addition to the 3 hours).
CLASS PARTIPICATION
Each student will be assessed on his/her participation in class. Students
should prepare themselves adequately by reading assigned materials
beforehand in order to benefit fully from the seminars. Active participation
will provide a vibrant and interactive environment that is conducive for
learning.

GROUP PROJECT
Students will be grouped into teams of 4-5 persons for the group project.
The group project will require students to analyse a hypothetical situation
and present the legal issues and arguments, as well as their opinions and
comments. Each group will also be required to submit a written assignment
on a presentation question a day before the presentation.
Plagiarism is strictly forbidden and all materials and ideas gleaned from
other sources should be appropriately attributed.
MID-TERM TEST
A mid-term test will be held midway through the course. The duration of the
test will be between 1 and 1 hours.
FINAL EXAMINATION
The final examination is a 2-hour open book examination. The paper
comprises hypothetical and/or essay questions. Handphones and
communication devices are not permitted during the examination. Laptops
may be used ONLY IF secure browsers are utilized.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
IMPORTANT: Plagiarism is strictly forbidden and may result in a
failed grade. All materials and ideas gleaned from other sources
must therefore be appropriately attributed.
All acts of academic dishonesty (including, but not limited to, plagiarism,
cheating, fabrication, facilitation of acts of academic dishonesty by others,
unauthorized possession of exam questions, or tampering with the academic
work of other students) are serious offences.
3

All work (whether oral or written) submitted for purposes of assessment

must be the students own work. Penalties for violation of the policy range
from zero marks for the component assessment to expulsion, depending on
the nature of the offence.
When in doubt, students should consult the instructor of the course. Details
on the
SMU
Code
of
Academic
Integrity
may
be
accessed
at http://www.smuscd.org/resources.html.

F.

LIST OF TOPICS (and sub-topics)

Wee
k
No.
1.

Topic

Basic readings
before class

Introduction: Law & Business

The Role of Law in Business
The Singapore Legal System
Sources of Law in Singapore
Enforcement and Resolution of
Disputes

Chapter 1 & 3, Principles of

Singapore Business Law, pp 3
24, 41 64

2.

What

Chapter 7, Principles of Singapore

Business Law, pp 181 214

3.

5.

be

done

What makes a Contract? (2)*

Consideration
Intention to Create Legal Relations

Chapter 8, Principles of Singapore

Business Law, pp 217 - 249

What

Chapter 10, Principles of

Singapore Business Law, pp 292
334

4.

makes a Contract? (1)*

Offer
Acceptance
Electronic Transactions Act

to

was agreed in the Contract?*

Pre-contractual statements
Terms (express/implied)
Relative Importance of Terms
Exclusion and Limitation Clauses
Unfair Contract Terms Act

What invalidates/vitiates a Contract?

(1)
Misrepresentation*
Presentation: Group 1
Written report: Group 5
What invalidates/vitiates a Contract?
(2)
Mistake
Incapacity

Chapter 11, Principles of

Singapore Business Law, pp 335
366
Misrepresentation
Chapter 13, Principles of
Singapore Business Law, pp 399
420
Mistake
Chapter 12, Principles of
Singapore Business Law, pp 367
397
Incapacity
Chapter 9, Principles of Singapore
Business Law, pp 254 269

6.

Presentation: Group 2
Written report: Group 6
What invalidates/vitiates a Contract?
(3)
Duress
Undue Influence
Unconscionability

Duress and undue influence

Chapter 9, Principles of Singapore
Business Law, pp 421 444
Restraint of trade

7.

Illegality and Public Policy (focusing

on restraint of trade)*

Chapter, Principles of Singapore

Business Law, pp 462 475

Presentation: Group 3
Written report: Group 7
Mid-term Examinations
How is a Contract discharged? (1)*
Frustration

8.

Recess Week

9.

How

is a Contract discharged? (2)*

Performance
Agreement
Breach

Presentation: Group 4
Written report: Group 8
10. What are the remedies for breach of
Contract?*
Damages (including liquidated
damages clauses)
Injunctions & Specific Performance
Presentation: Group 5
Written report: Group 1
11. Negligence*
The nature of torts
The tort of negligence

Chapter 17, Principles of

Singapore Business Law, pp 511 529
Chapter 16, Principles of
Singapore Business Law, pp 479 509

Chapter 18, Principles of

Singapore Business Law, pp 533
581

Negligence
Chapter 6, Principles of Singapore
Business Law, pp 133 175

Presentation: Group 6
Written report: Group 2
12. Third Parties (in brief)
Privity
Contract (Rights of Third Parties)
Act
Agency
Agency (in brief)
Business Torts (in brief)
Interference with Trade and
Economic Interests
Malicious Falsehood
Defamation
Presentation: Group 7
Written report: Group 3

Privity & CRTPA

Chapter 9, Principles of Singapore
Business Law, pp 269 - 289
Agency
Chapter 20, Principles of
Singapore Business Law, pp 618
641
Chapter 5, Principles of Singapore
Business Law, pp 95 129

13. Final Revision

Presentation: Group 8
Written report: Group 4
14. Reading Week
15. Examination Week

* denotes important topics

***