Business Law

Preface ix

About the author xii

How to use this text xiii

Abbreviations xvi

Cases xx

Statutes xxvi

Part 1 Foundations 1

Chapter 1 Business and the law 2

Introduction 3

1.1 Law and the business person 4

1.2 The nature of law 5

1.3 Justice, ethics and politics 15

Summary 23

Quiz 23

Exercises 24

Key terms 25

Acknowledgements 26

Chapter 2 The Australian legal system 27

Introduction 28

2.1 The Australian legal system 29

2.2 The Australian Constitution 42

2.3 The executive government 49

Summary 58

Quiz 58

Exercises 59

Key terms 60

Acknowledgements 62

Chapter 3 Politicians and judges 63

Introduction 64

3.1 The legislature 65

3.2 Parliament in operation 69

3.3 The judiciary 75

3.4 The doctrine of precedent 96

3.5 Alternative dispute resolution 100

Summary 103

Quiz 103

Exercises 104

Key terms 105

Acknowledgements 109

Chapter 4 How to find, understand and use the law 110

Introduction 111

4.1 Finding the law 112

4.2 Reading the law 116

4.3 Thinking like a lawyer 137

4.4 Writing like a lawyer 142

Summary 149

Quiz 149

Exercises 150

Key terms 152

Acknowledgements 153

Part 2 Legal consequences 155

Chapter 5 Deliberately causing harm 156

Introduction 157

5.1 Causing harm 157

5.2 Deliberately causing harm to person or property 161

5.3 Deliberately causing financial harm 174

5.4 The consequences of causing harm 179

Summary 184

Quiz 184

Exercises 185

Key terms 186

Acknowledgements 188

Chapter 6 Carelessly causing harm 189

Introduction 190

6.1 Carelessly causing harm to person or property 190

6.2 Carelessly causing financial harm 211

Summary 216

Quiz 216

Exercises 217

Key terms 219

Acknowledgements 219

Chapter 7 Contract law: formation of the contract 220

Introduction 221

7.1 Contracts 222

7.2 Requirement 1: agreement 222

7.3 Requirement 2: intention 232

7.4 Requirement 3: consideration 235

7.5 Formalities 243

7.6 Capacity to contract 244

7.7 Legality 247

Summary 250

Quiz 250

Exercises 251

Key terms 252

Acknowledgements 253

Chapter 8 Contract law: terms of the contract 254

Introduction 255

8.1 Express terms 256

8.2 Terms implied by the court 260

8.3 Statutory terms 262

8.4 Disclaimers 272

8.5 Unenforceable terms 274

8.6 Non-contractual representations and promises 276

Summary 282

Quiz 282

Exercises 283

Key terms 284

Acknowledgements 285

Chapter 9 Contract law: enforcement of the contract 286

Introduction 287

9.1 Entitlement to enforce 287

9.2 Unenforceable contracts: lack of consent 290

9.3 Remedies 299

9.4 The end of the contract 307

Summary 311

Quiz 311

Exercises 312

Key terms 313

Acknowledgements 315

Chapter 10 Contract law: working with agents 316

Introduction 317

10.1 Getting someone else to do it 317

10.2 Scope of authority 320

10.3 The agent’s duties 326

10.4 The agent’s entitlements 331

10.5 Liability of agent and principal 333

10.6 Concluding the agency 335

Summary 337

Quiz 337

Exercises 339

Key terms 340

Acknowledgements 342

Chapter 11 Dealing with consumers 343

Introduction 344

11.1 Protecting consumers 344

11.2 Dealing with consumers 347

11.3 Consequences of contravention 372

11.4 Consumer privacy 377

Summary 384

Quiz 384

Exercises 385

Key terms 386

Acknowledgements 387

Chapter 12 Dealing with competitors 388

Introduction 389

12.1 Protecting competition 389

12.2 Dealing with competitors 390

12.3 Prohibited conduct 395

12.4 Consequences of breach 409

Summary 413

Quiz 413

Exercises 414

Key terms 415

Acknowledgements 416

Chapter 13 Protecting IP 417

Introduction 418

13.1 Intellectual property law 419

13.2 Copyright 421

13.3 Trade marks 436

13.4 Patents 446

13.5 Designs 453

13.6 Breach of confidence 456

Summary 459

Quiz 459

Exercises 460

Key terms 461

Acknowledgements 462

Part 3 Managing a business 463

Chapter 14 Managing a business: start-up 464

Introduction 465

14.1 Preparation 465

14.2 Licences and registration 470

14.3 Renting or buying the premises 472

14.4 Opening for business 486

Summary 490

Quiz 490

Exercises 491

Key terms 492

Acknowledgements 495

Chapter 15 Managing a business: business ownership 496

Introduction 497

15.1 The sole trader 497

15.2 The partnership 498

15.3 The trust 516

15.4 The franchise 520

Summary 527

Quiz 527

Exercises 528

Key terms 529

Acknowledgements 531

Chapter 16 Managing a business: companies and corporate governance 532

Introduction 533

16.1 The company 533

16.2 Corporate finance 539

16.3 Corporate governance 543

Summary 560

Quiz 560

Exercises 562

Key terms 563

Acknowledgements 565

Chapter 17 Managing a business: making payments and recovering debts 566

Introduction 567

17.1 Making payments 567

17.2 Recovering debts 576

Summary 592

Quiz 592

Exercises 593

Key terms 594

Acknowledgements 596

Chapter 18 Managing a business: insurance and taxes 597

Introduction 598

18.1 Taking out insurance 598

18.2 Paying tax 607

Summary 615

Quiz 615

Exercises 616

Key terms 616

Acknowledgements 617

Chapter 19 Managing a business: employing workers 618

Introduction 619

19.1 Employee or independent contractor? 621

19.2 Employer obligations 624

19.3 Workplace conditions 629

19.4 Termination of employment 637

Summary 640

Quiz 640

Exercises 641

Key terms 641

Acknowledgements 642

Chapter 20 Managing a business: closing down 643

Introduction 644

20.1 Financial difficulty 644

20.2 Personal insolvency 646

20.3 Corporate insolvency 657

20.4 Closing the business 664

Summary 671

Quiz 671

Exercises 672

Key terms 673

Acknowledgements 675

Index 676

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