UNSW Handbook - Back to Home

Direct Find

Use this search only if you have an exact code for a Program, Stream, or Course, e.g. 3400, ACCTA13502, ACCT1501 or ACCT*.

Course

Economic Analysis of Law - LAWS3335

Faculty: Faculty of Law

School: Faculty of Law

Course Outline: http://www.law.unsw.edu.au/

Campus: Kensington Campus

Career: Undergraduate

Units of Credit: 6

EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)

Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3

Enrolment Requirements:

Pre-requisite: Crime & Criminal Process (LAWS1021/JURD7121) & Criminal Laws (LAWS1022/JURD7122) OR Crim. Law 1 (LAWS1001/JURD7101) & Crim. Law 2 (LAWS1011/JURD7111). Co-requisite: Litigation 1 [LAWS2311/ JURD7211] OR Res. Civil Disp. (LAWS2371/JURD7271)

Excluded: JURD7335

CSS Contribution Charge: 3 (more info)

Tuition Fee: See Tuition Fee Schedule

Further Information: See Class Timetable

View course information for previous years.

Description

This course provides an introduction to economic analysis of law and policy. For instance, the law against insider trading prohibits trading based on material, non-public information. In this course we examine what exactly is meant by "materiality"; we examine methods to determine whether information is public and to what degree it is reflected in the financial markets; and we analyze how this affects the legal liability of a trader in possession of the information.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

None

Main Topics

  • Economic theory of contracts, including bargaining theory.
  • Economic analysis of tort liability.
  • Economic analysis of property law, including intellectual property and economics of information.
  • Law & economics of mergers and acquisitions.
  • Event studies in empirical analysis of corporate law, including financial frauds and market manipulation.

Assessment

Class participation - 10%

Periodic assignments - 20%

Final examination - 70%

Course Texts

  • A. Mitchell Polinsky, An Introduction to Law and Economics, 3rd ed. 2003, Aspen Publication
  • David D. Friedman, Law's Order 2000, Princeton University Press
  • Robert Cooter and Thomas Ulen, Law & Economics 2007 International Edition 5e, Pearson Australia
  • Richard A. Posner, Economic Analysis of Law, 7th ed 2007, Aspen Publication
  • Ward Farnsworth, The Legal Analyst

Resources

Refer to the course outline which will be provided by the lecturer at the beginning of the relevant semester.
Science students

Study Levels

Undergraduate Study Postgraudate Study Postgraduate Research Study Non-Award Study

UNSW Quick Links

Apply Online Fees and Financial Assitance Academic Calendar