JDOC3015

General Course Information

1.1 Course details

Course code: JDOC3015
Course name: Company Law
Programme offered under: JD Programme
Semester: First
Prerequisites / Co-requisites: No
Credit point value: 6 credits

1.2 Course description

Partnerships: general and limited partnerships; duties and liabilities of partners

Corporate entity and limited liability (limited by shares and limited by guarantee) and constitution of a company (articles of association)

Corporate organs and division of powers: powers of the board of directors and the members in general meeting; decision-making process at board meetings and general meetings

Corporate attribution and corporate contracting

Directors’ duties: fiduciary duties and duty of care, skill and diligence

Members’ remedies: majority rule and minority shareholders protection

Share capital: the nature and types of capital, the allotment, transfer and transmission of shares

Capital maintenance rule: distributions, reduction of capital, redemption of shares, purchase by a company of own shares and financial assistance by a company for purchase of own shares

Corporate insolvency and liquidation: winding-up, ranking of claims, and setting aside of transactions such as unfair preferences, undervalue transactions and invalid floating charges

Note: In dealing with the above topics, there will be a particular emphasis on Hong Kong case law and the Companies Ordinance (Cap.622) and the Companies (Winding-up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap.32).

1.3 Course teachers

Name E-mail address Office Consultation
Course convenor Stefan Lo stefanlo@hku.hk CCT 301A By email

Learning Outcomes

2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course

CLO 1 Students should acquire basic knowledge about Hong Kong company law, including all the topics set out in the Course Description above.

CLO 2 Students should acquire legal skills to solve legal problems in company law by analysing cases, applying skills in statutory interpretation, and marshalling arguments clearly, logically, coherently and effectively, both orally and in writing.

CLO 3 Students should develop and enhance their research and analytical skills, together with skills in critical analysis, in analysing and evaluating company law principles and doctrines in light of both doctrinal coherence and the policy objectives of the law, as well as the implications of company law in facilitating a company’s commercial or other goals and in balancing the competing interests of shareholders, creditors, managers, employees, customers and society in general.

CLO 4 Students should acquire requisite knowledge for further study in corporate and corporate finance law and practice and the Corporate and Commercial Transaction course to be taught in the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programme.

2.2 JD Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

Please refer to the following link: https://course.law.hku.hk/jd-plo/

2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course

PLO A PLO B PLO C PLO D PLO E PLO F
CLO 1
CLO 2
CLO 3
CLO 4

Assessment(s)

3.1 Assessment Summary

Assessment task Due date Weighting Feedback method* Course learning outcomes
Classwork N/A 10% 2, 3, 5 1-4
Research assignment 14 Nov 2024 40% 1, 2, 3 1-4
In-hall exam 11 Dec 2024 50% 1, 3 1-4
*Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher)
1 A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle
2 Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle
3 Individual review meeting upon appointment
4 Group review meeting
5 In-class verbal feedback

3.2 Assessment Detail

To be advised by course convenor.

3.3 Grading Criteria

Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf

Learning Activities

4.1 Learning Activity Plan

Seminar: 3 hours / week for 11 teaching weeks
Private study time: 9.5 hours / week for 11 teaching weeks

Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.

4.2 Details of Learning Activities

To be advised by course convenor.

Learning Resources

5.1 Resources

Reading materials: The reading guide and selected reading materials will be posted on Moodle
Core reading list: TBA
Recommended reading list: TBA

5.2 Links

Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/