Business Law

Preface ix

About the Author xiii

How to use this text xiv

Abbreviations xvii

Cases xxi

Statutes xxviii

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 6

1.3 Justice, ethics and politics 18

Summary 27

Quiz 27

Exercises 28

Key terms 29

Acknowledgements 30

Chapter 2 The Australian legal system 31

Introduction 32

2.1 The Australian legal system 33

2.2 The Australian Constitution 47

2.3 The executive government 54

Summary 63

Quiz 63

Exercises 64

Key terms 65

Acknowledgements 67

Chapter 3 Politicians and judges 69

Introduction 70

3.1 The legislature 71

3.2 Parliament in operation 74

3.3 The judiciary 80

3.4 The doctrine of precedent 101

3.5 Alternative dispute resolution 106

Summary 109

Quiz 109

Exercises 110

Key terms 111

Acknowledgements 114

Chapter 4 How to find, understand and use the law 115

Introduction 116

4.1 Finding the law 117

4.2 Reading the law 122

4.3 Thinking like a lawyer 144

4.4 Writing like a lawyer 150

Summary 156

Quiz 156

Exercises 157

Key terms 159

Acknowledgements 160

Part 2 Legal consequences 161

Chapter 5 Deliberately causing harm 162

Introduction 163

5.1 Causing harm 163

5.2 Deliberately causing harm to person or property 167

5.3 Deliberately causing financial harm 182

5.4 The consequences of causing harm 187

Summary 192

Quiz 192

Exercises 193

Key terms 194

Acknowledgements 196

Chapter 6 Carelessly causing harm 197

Introduction 198

6.1 Carelessly causing harm to person or property 198

6.2 Carelessly causing financial harm 221

Summary 227

Quiz 227

Exercises 228

Key terms 230

Acknowledgements 230

Chapter 7 Contract law: formation of the contract 231

Introduction 232

7.1 Contracts 233

7.2 Requirement 1: agreement 233

7.3 Requirement 2: intention 244

7.4 Requirement 3: consideration 247

7.5 Formalities 255

7.6 Capacity to contract 257

7.7 Legality 259

Summary 263

Quiz 263

Exercises 264

Key terms 265

Acknowledgements 266

Chapter 8 Contract law: terms of the contract 267

Introduction 268

8.1 Express terms 269

8.2 Terms implied by the court 274

8.3 Statutory terms 276

8.4 Disclaimers 286

8.5 Unenforceable terms 288

8.6 Non-contractual representations and promises 291

Summary 296

Quiz 296

Exercises 297

Key terms 298

Acknowledgements 300

Chapter 9 Contract law: enforcement of the contract 301

Introduction 302

9.1 Entitlement to enforce 302

9.2 Unenforceable contracts: lack of consent 304

9.3 Remedies 315

9.4 The end of the contract 323

Summary 327

Quiz 327

Exercises 328

Key terms 329

Acknowledgements 330

Chapter 10 Contract law: working with agents 331

Introduction 332

10.1 Getting someone else to do it 332

10.2 Scope of authority 336

10.3 The agent’s duties 341

10.4 The agent’s entitlements 347

10.5 Liability of agent and principal 349

10.6 Concluding the agency 352

Summary 354

Quiz 354

Exercises 356

Key terms 357

Acknowledgements 359

Chapter 11 Dealing with consumers 361

Introduction 362

11.1 Protecting consumers 362

11.2 Dealing with consumers 366

11.3 Consequences of contravention 393

11.4 Consumer privacy 400

Summary 412

Quiz 412

Exercises 413

Key terms 414

Acknowledgements 416

Chapter 12 Dealing with competitors 417

Introduction 418

12.1 Protecting competition 418

12.2 Dealing with competitors 419

12.3 Prohibited conduct 424

12.4 Consequences of breach 439

Summary 443

Quiz 443

Exercises 444

Key terms 445

Acknowledgements 446

Chapter 13 Protecting IP 447

Introduction 448

13.1 Intellectual property law 449

13.2 Copyright 451

13.3 Trade marks 471

13.4 Patents 480

13.5 Designs 487

13.6 Breach of confidence 490

Summary 493

Quiz 493

Exercises 494

Key terms 495

Acknowledgements 497

Part 3 Managing a business 499

Chapter 14 Managing a business: start-up 500

Introduction 501

14.1 Preparation 501

14.2 Licences and registration 506

14.3 Renting or buying the premises 508

14.4 Opening for business 522

Summary 526

Quiz 526

Exercises 527

Key terms 527

Acknowledgements 531

Chapter 15 Managing a business: business ownership 533

Introduction 534

15.1 The sole trader 534

15.2 The partnership 535

15.3 The trust 553

15.4 The franchise 559

Summary 566

Quiz 566

Exercises 567

Key terms 568

Acknowledgements 570

Chapter 16 Managing a business: companies and corporate governance 571

Introduction 572

16.1 The company 572

16.2 Corporate finance 578

16.3 Corporate governance 583

Summary 602

Quiz 602

Exercises 604

Key terms 605

Acknowledgements 607

Chapter 17 Managing a business: making payments and recovering debts 609

Introduction 610

17.1 Making payments 610

17.2 Recovering debts 620

Summary 638

Quiz 638

Exercises 639

Key terms 640

Acknowledgements 642

Chapter 18 Managing a business: insurance and taxes 643

Introduction 644

18.1 Taking out insurance 644

18.2 Paying tax 654

Summary 663

Quiz 663

Exercises 664

Key terms 664

Acknowledgements 665

Chapter 19 Managing a business: employing workers 667

Introduction 668

19.1 Employee or independent contractor? 670

19.2 Employer obligations 673

19.3 Workplace conditions 679

19.4 Termination of employment 687

Summary 691

Quiz 691

Exercises 692

Key terms 692

Acknowledgements 693

Chapter 20 Managing a business: closing down 695

Introduction 696

20.1 Financial difficulty 696

20.2 Personal insolvency 698

20.3 Corporate insolvency 709

20.4 Closing the business 716

Summary 723

Quiz 723

Exercises 724

Key terms 725

Acknowledgements 727

Index 729