BUSINESS LAW 301

Legal Foundations of the Canadian Economy

Winter 2014

Instructor:

Jeffrey Bone, Barrister & Solicitor

Contact: Do not hesitate to send me an email or set up an appointment to come and see me in my office with
your questions: jjbone@ualberta.ca. However, please remember to consult the course syllabus and uLearn
first, as it is my experience that some students send emails before reviewing these sources which contains
extensive information on course materials, deferring exams, the courtroom observation and report, grading
and general expectations. I am very happy to receive questions on legal topics outside of the course materials
that have captured your attention for other reasons.
Also note there is another Jeff Bone at the U of A (who is not your instructor) and has been getting
misdirected email from my students for several years. So please be careful and send questions to jjbone not
jabone.
Phone:
780.492.6859
Office:
1-23C
Office Hours: (by appointment)

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course requires students to recognize and analyze legal principles and processes in our local
community and more particularly in the Canadian business environment. The primary topics are: the
legal system courts, civil litigation, and Constitutional issues; applicable tort and contract principles,
property law; business and non-profit entities. Additional topics touched upon may include criminal law,
commercial law and trust law.
COURSE MATERIALS

Required:

Mitchell McInnes et al., Managing the Law: The Legal Aspects of Doing Business, Custom
Edition, University of Alberta for Business law 301 (Pearson Education Canada)
Recommended - Study guide may be found at: www.pearsonmylab.com (requires the
purchase of a new textbook with a code or buy online through publishers website
above). The course ID is listed on the next page. If you experience trouble logging onto
the website, ensure you use the exact web address listed above (do not simply search
online for: Pearson MyBusLawLab).

Lecture slides are posted on uLearn: https://ulearn.ualberta.ca/webapps/login/ However, students

are NOT required to print and follow the PowerPoint slides during class. They have been
prepared as an outline of course materials presented in the lectures. Students must attend the
lectures to understand the material in depth. Therefore, lecture slides should not be relied on as a
substitute for attending lectures or completing the assigned readings. The slides are simply a
guide. Other relevant course materials may be added on uLearn from time to time.

Exams
Three examinations (closed-book) will be written. The midterm examinations will be written during
class time. The final examination will be written at the assigned examination time slot as provided on
beartracks further on in the semester. As the instructor I do not have prior knowledge of when the final
exam will be scheduled. If you require a deferment for the final exam, you will have to contact the
undergraduate office on the 2nd floor of the business school.
The format of these exams will be multiple choice questions. 45 questions on the first mid-term and 45
on second mid-term (50 minutes in length for exam 1 and 2); and 50 multiple choice questions on the
cumulative 1 hour 30 minute final exam.
If you miss a class, the instructor will not be responding to emails asking for information on what
material has been missed. Please check with a fellow classmate for this information.
The exams will be closed-book (you may bring in a foreign language dictionary as long as it is a
paper copy - not electronic. The instructor will ask to look through the dictionary during the
exam).
There will be two non-cumulative tests; and one final cumulative exam. All materials in the
textbook chapters and lectures are materials that may be covered on these examinations. After
the grades are posted you will have two weeks to review the exam.
You may review exams by making an appointment by email with the instructor. Exams reviews
will take place Friday (or potentially Wednesday) afternoons for the two weeks following
grading. Ensure you make your appointment within two weeks as the exams are stored away
after this period.
During the exam please have all electronic devices, study materials, textbooks, etc. off your
desk. As well you must put your name and student ID # (not your account number) and the
special code on the scantron provided. Failure to do so may result in lost points at the discretion
of the instructor. Failure to hand back the exam promptly upon the instructor declaring that time
has elapsed is considered unethical and will result in possible academic sanctions.
There will not be any sample exams/questions provided. Use of older exams as a study aid is prohibited.
If you want sample questions ensure you purchase a new textbook. With the code provided in a new
textbook (or bought online. The cost is approximately $40 without etext and about $95 with e-text) you
may access mybuslawlabs where multiple choice sample questions are found in the pre and post-test
section: www.pearsonmylab.com Note: You will need a course ID in order to register:
Course Name: B Law 301
Course ID: bone14716
With the code provided in a new textbook you may access the textbook website where sample questions
may be found at in MyBusLawLab. The multiple choice questions found there are similar to the ones
you will come across on the exam. It is simply a matter of choice whether you get a new edition of the
textbook or a used copy, and the instructor does not object to using a non-custom or older copy of the
textbook. However, if you have an older edition, you will need to research for yourself the page numbers
that are relevant to the current textbook. The instructor will not be answering emails on this topic. Also,
materials on business organizations and property law (discussed at the end of the course) can be found in
the online material (e-text) for chapters 15, 17, 21, 22 out of the main textbook. In sum, using the online
materials is useful for most students and is recommended.

Deferred Policy
Students are expected to write the examinations at the assigned times. No make-up exams will be given
for missed midterms. If a student does not have a valid reason for missing the midterm, then the student
will receive a score of zero on the midterm.
If a student misses a mid-term examination due to illness or other valid reason approved by the
instructor they require a signed statutory declaration. The weight of that mid-term will be added to the
final exam (or the grade for that exam/assignment will appear as exempted on uLearn at the instructors
discretion) subject to the following conditions: If the deferral is requested due to illness, the student is to
contact the instructor AFTER (not before) they have missed the exam by email to request a meeting. No
discussion will take place until after the opportunity to write the exam has lapsed. At that time the
student must contact the instructor within a reasonable amount of time. If the deferral is not related to
illness, the student may contact the instructor at any time by email or phone to request a meeting.
The student can meet in person with the instructor to receive a Statutory Declaration or they may access
the form on uLearn under the Syllabus tab. The draft declaration must contain all of the evidence the
student wishes to rely on in requesting a deferred examination. (Note: Students should be aware that a
statutory declaration is a written statement made under oath and making a false statement within a sworn
statutory declaration may result in a charge under the Code of Student Behaviour). The instructor will
administer an oath and then evaluate the declaration on its merits in order to determine whether a
deferral will be granted.
If you must miss the final exam you can make arrangements to write a deferred final according to
University Policy by contacting the undergraduate office on the second floor of the business building
(Note: the instructor does not have authority to grant deferrals on the final exam).
MARK ALLOCATION (subject to change from time to time in the instructors sole discretion)
1. Mid- Term Assessment #1 Monday, February 10
2. Mid-Term Assessment #2-Wednesday, March 19
3. Final Examination-TBA (as stated on bear tracks)

30% (Chapter 1-5; lecture materials)

30% (Chapter 6-10; lecture materials)
35% (Chapter 1-10; 12, and all lecture
materials).
4. Courtroom Observation and Report (5%) or Comment piece on a Legal Blog (5%)
Due on Friday, February 14th, 2014 at 12pm (noon). Assignments are submitted by uploading the
document to uLearn for review by the instructor. After the due date, the instructor will not be accepting late
assignments without a penalty as explained below.
The student chooses ONE assignment to complete between the Courtroom Observation and Report (5%)
or the Comment piece on a Legal Blog (5%) as detailed below. ONLY DO ONE.
Courtroom Observation and Report: (also see the memorandum on etiquette in court posted on uLearn Provided you hand in a solid report, that upon review meets the established criteria, you will receive the full 5%.
Note: this is a simple assignment. Please do not overthink it).

Courtrooms are public and open places in Canada. Students are required to attend a session of Justice
Chambers at the Edmonton Court Centre. This involves attending at the court house any working day
from Monday to Friday starting at around 10 am to approximately 11:30 am or even later depending on
the amount of cases that morning (you are allowed to walk in late, anytime after 10 am). Chambers is a
period when the court hears several motions of a short duration (usually under 10-20 minutes). These
may be contested applications with opposing parties appearing on both sides or just one parties
application. Essentially, it is a period of the day litigants seek legal orders on a variety of issues that
require the attention of a Judge. This will provide you an opportunity to see the nature of work that

exists before the court. The court house staff can help students find the courtroom where Justice
Chamber is occurring. For the optimal learning experience it is recommended you complete this
assignment early in the semester.
If you are unable to attend in the morning due to class conflicts, you may attend at 2pm when other,
more extended matters are being heard (remember typically nothing is heard over the lunch period,
however matters begin as early as 9:00 am at the courthouse and run generally to 3:30 pm). If you do not
hear anything of substance during Justice Chambers (as in enough information to write a report), please
feel free to wander into another courtroom and hear another perhaps more lengthy matter. If you attend
at the beginning of Justice Chambers, sometimes an individual may be detained and undergoing a bail
hearing to be released from jail. You may write on these matters in criminal or family law, or you may
go to a Court of Appeal hearing (higher level court), provincial court or surrogate court is also
acceptable. Essentially you are able to write your report on any courtroom matter you come across and
wish to write on, BUT it must be a matter you attended since the beginning of the semester and not a
matter that you have witnessed in the past. You may choose to write on any matter that is discussed
before the court or a combination of cases heard by you that day. Note you are only expected to go
ONCE to court for this assignment.
Requirements
The assignment MUST be contained on an 8.5x11 (regular size) paper and it must be typed.
There is no word limit (maximum or minimum) but the font must be 10-12 size. It can be double-spaced
or single-spaced (the instructor does not have a preference on spacing). You MUST have your name,
student ID, course section or time (11am or B2, etc.) listed on the document.
You do not need to include a title page. You MUST list the date(s) you attended court for the assignment
on the document.
Suggestions (not required)
No particular format is preferred. You can discuss your thoughts on the subject matter of the
proceedings, the experience of court, the issues discussed in court, how the parties, judges or lawyers
appear to you, etc. You may engage in a detailed explanation on specific issues discussed in court or you
may write an overview of what you saw describing the legal proceedings using terms you learned in
class or the textbook.
Note: I get lots of questions on this assignment, but I encourage you to not overthink it. The main point
is to go the courthouse and write a mini-report on the experience. That is really all I am asking of the
student.
Comments in the report as demonstrated below are perfectly acceptable and you will not be deducted
points for using them:
-While it was difficult to hear, I believe the Judge said.
-I assume the court made this ruling because
-I feel the mom in the case was being very rude because
-I was surprised by how angry/kind the judge was with that person
-I think the lawyer did a good/bad job because
-I had a good/bad experience because
-The Judge did not rule on this decision while I was in the courtroom that day. However, if I was the
Judge I would decide
Sometimes it is difficult to hear all the facts in a given motion that is acceptable, you can refer to people
simply as the Applicant the Plaintiff or Defendant, the Judge the Lawyer or in a family case
the Mother and Father and Child.

These applications occur quickly and it is often hard to hear the lawyers and Judge, so sit up close (not
too close where the lawyers sit beyond the gate you will understand when you are in there) and bring a
pen and pad of paper to write down notes. It is a good idea to attend court early in the semester so it will
be a more effective learning tool. Please note that electronic items are not allowed to be used in the
courtroom (e.g. computers, cell phones, etc.). The court house is located at: 1A Sir Winston Churchill
Square, Edmonton, AB T5J 0R2, which is accessible by the train at the Churchill stop downtown. In fact
you do not even have to go outside to get in the court house from campus. (Note: You will have to pass
through a security check that is akin to airport security before proceeding into the building). For more
information here is an official website on Alberta courts: http://www.albertacourts.ab.ca/
Note that I do not need you to identify every issue that occurred during the motion you are writing
about. It is sufficient to focus on one part of a case that you understand, and explain what you have
heard in a short one page report. If you cite a law/article/book it does not matter what citation format is
used as long as you identify the citation clearly. Provided you hand in a solid report, that upon
review meets the established criteria, you will receive the full 5%. However, if the report does not
conform to the expectations of writing and professionalism at the undergraduate level, you may receive
an inferior grade and the report may be investigated to ensure the accuracy of its content. Every
weekday that the assignment is late will result in a loss of 1%. It is due February 14, 2014 at 12pm
(noon) by uploading to uLearn. The instructor will not accept hardcopies.
Comment piece on a Legal Blog (focused on Canadian law) 5%
Following current legal trends is an important component of this course. You will be awarded up to 5%
for a response/comment on ONE blog chosen by you (at your discretion) from the sources listed below. I
will also require a print out of the blog included with the assignment (unless it is from the Legal
Matters Blog [option 1 below] that is authored by the instructor. In that case just indicate the title of the
blog entry you are using).
Sources of Legal Blogs to consider using:
1- Consider the following blog hosted by the University of Calgary Law School:
http://ablawg.ca/
2- Consider the following blog hosted by York University, Osgoode Hall Law School:
http://www.thecourt.ca/
3- Legal Matters Written by the instructor in conjunction with our textbook company:
http://php2.pearsoncanada.ca/highered/inthenews/legal_matters/
Requirements
The assignment MUST be contained on an 8.5x11 (regular size) paper and it must be typed. There is no
word limit (maximum or minimum) but the font must be 10-12 size. It can be double-spaced or singlespaced (the instructor does not have a preference on spacing). You MUST have your name, student ID,
course section or time (11am or B2, etc.) listed on the document.
Every weekday that the assignment is late will result in a loss of 1%. Provided you hand in a solid
report, that upon review meets the established criteria, you will receive the full 5%.

You MUST have your name and student ID listed on the document.
Please do not include a title page.
How to hand in: Due on February 14, 2014 at 12pm (noon) by uploading to uLearn. The instructor
will not accept hardcopies.
Questions you may have:
1- What is the format supposed to be?
Thats for you to decide. You can speak from your own point of view to support or criticize the
blog. Or you can write a formal response to the blog from a legal perspective pretending you are
a judge, lawyer, concerned citizen named Joe or Jane Canada, etc. I do not have a preference.
No particular format is preferred. You can discuss your thoughts on the subject matter of the
blog, your opinion, or the general issues discussed in the blog. You may engage in a detailed
explanation on specific issues discussed in blog, answer questions posed in the blog, or you may
write a critique on parts you disagree with.
2- Do you care which blog source or story we use?
No, but it has to be specifically on a Canadian legal issue. It does NOT have to be a legal issue
covered in the course materials. Remember to scan or include a link to the blog you use with the
assignment if it is not from the Legal Matters blog as indicated above. Also feel free to make
comments on the blog itself as a reader expressing your views. You will likely receive a response
from the author. This type of initiative is very much encouraged.
Note: I encourage you to not overthink this. The main point is to read a legal blog and write a very
general report on it. That is really all I am asking of the student. No other research is required. You can
use your opinions, observations and/or course based knowledge. I am looking to have a simple
discussion on the main points of the blog as opposed to deep legal analysis. No particular format is
required for citations.
Grade Distribution
The final grade distribution will reflect what is set out in the University of Alberta Marking and Grading
Guidelines
GRADING STRUCTURE - FINAL GRADE IS A PERCENTAGE, AND THE DECIMAL POINTS ARE NOT
ROUNDED UP OR DOWN TO A FULL PERCENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONVERTING TO LETTER GRADES AT
THE END OF THE SEMESTER (E. 79.99% IS NOT ROUNDED TO 80%). NO EXCEPTIONS.

F 0 - <50%
D 50 - <55
D+ 55 - <60

C- 60 - <63
C 63 - <67
C+ 67 - <70

B- 70 - <73
B 73 - <77
B+ 77 - <80

A- 80 - <86
A 86 - <93
A+ 93

COURSE SCHEDULE
Mitchell McInnes, Ian Kerr, J. Anthony VanDuzer & Chi Carmody, Managing the Law: The
Legal Aspects of Doing Business Custom Edition
Introduction to law and the legal system: Chapter 1 and 2
a) Legal thinking
b) History of the Common Law System
c) Common Law compared with other systems
d) Sources of law
e) Classification of law and courts

f) Litigation and Negotiation compared and contrasted

g) The Constitution of Canada and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms
h) Issues in human rights (communitarianism vs. liberalism)
i) Law from the point of view of philosophy and social science
The law of Torts: Chapter 3, 4, 5
a) Intentional torts
b) Issues and trends in tort law
Midterm Examination #1 (50 minutes, 45 multiple choice questions, 30% of course mark )
The law of Torts: Chapter 6
a) Non-intentional torts
b) Issues and trends in tort law
The law of Contracts: Chapter 7, 8, 9, 10
a) Forming Contractual Relationships
b) Enforcing Contracts
c) Breach of Contract and Remedies
d) Understanding and evaluating certain common contracts
e) Issues and trends in contract law
Midterm Examination #2 (50 minutes, 45 multiple choice questions, 30% of course mark material
covered since midterm #1)
The law of Contracts: Chapter 12
Remedies
Business Organizations (lecture materials/power point slides) Also for additional help see the
textbook website materials on chapters 21 and 22- although not required.
Property Rights (lecture materials/power point slides) Also for additional help see the textbook
website materials on chapters 15 and 17- although not required.
Final Examination (90 minutes, 50 multiple choice questions, 35% of course mark
CUMMULATIVE- All material covered) 5-7 questions on Property law and 5-7 questions on
Business organizations from lecture material.
CIVILITY/ETHICAL CONDUCT
Civility and ethical conduct is expected of everyone. This means maintaining respectful attitudes and
being mindful of the instructor and other students. Some examples of conduct that can be construed as
uncivil include:
-talking privately with another student during the lecture;
-continuing discussions with a classmates once the lecture has commenced;
-keeping cell phones on/using electronic devices during class;
-leaving class in the middle of a lecture (which is disruptive to classmates and the instructor);
-expressing comments in class that may be considered offensive or rude;
-arriving late to class (walking in front of the instructor during the lecture while taking a seat);
-not being respectful in email communications, etc.
Please avoid the above behaviors. While it may seem innocent to speak quietly with a neighbor during
class; you should know that the instructor (and I assume your classmates) finds this very disruptive and
distracting. It is, in fact, far more obvious to the instructor then you may imagine; and you are requested
to refrain from this conduct while in class. There will be a discussion early in the semester about civility

and expectations. Then I will proceed assuming we all agree on acceptable conduct. If the above noted
behaviors are spotted during the semester, I will be asking the individual(s) to refrain so we can move
forward with the lecture.
Additionally, at the end of the semester students have been known in my class to request I consider
adjusting their marks based on criteria entirely non-academic (poor performance due to personal
circumstances, requirements for scholarships or acceptance into graduate schools, etc.) While I have
sympathy for students in difficult situations, I must remind you now that I cannot make exceptions for
students on a case by case basis. The grading is not considered subjective and therefore adjusting
individual marks would be arbitrary and unethical. If personal circumstances arise which drastically
undermine your performance please consult with an advisor in the undergraduate office.
Further, I put this notice in the syllabus to ensure students understand and have confidence that other
students will not, and should not be treated preferentially in my course. Quite simply, if you wish to
succeed, make a decision now to do your best in this course and follow through with hard work.
PLAGIARISM
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty.
Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the
policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with
the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.governance.ualberta.ca) and avoid any
behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts
and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension
or expulsion from the University.
Policy about course outlines can be found in 23.4(2) of the University Calendar.
University Calendar link: https://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/calendar/Regulations-andInformation/Academic-Regulation/23.4.html