Case Studies on Contract Law and Corporations Law

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HI6027GroupAssignmentT12021-FINAL-withnewreferencinginstructions1.pdf

HOLMES INSTITUTE FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Assessment Details and Submission Guidelines

Trimester T1 2021

Unit Code HI6027

Unit Title Business and Corporate Law

Assessment Type Group Assignment

Assessment Title Case Studies on Contract Law and Corporations Law

Purpose of the assessment (with ULO Mapping)

The purpose of the Group Assignment is to provide students with an opportunity to

work in a collaborative environment in solving three case problems by citing the

relevant legal rules and cases and applying these to the facts of the case.

In this Group Assignments, students are required to:

- Critically analyse the main features of the Australian Legal System and the foundations of company law. (ULO 1) - Critically analyse the basic principles of Contract, Tort, and privacy law and apply them in resolving legal issues arising in commercial transactions. (ULO 2) - Research and advocate the appropriateness of the different types of business structures and the legal environment in which they operate and their advantages and disadvantages in various commercial contexts. (ULO 4)

Weight 40% of the total assessments

Total Marks 40%

Word limit Group Written Report of maximum 2,000 words

Due Date Week 10

Submission Guidelines

● All work must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date along with a completed Assignment Cover Page.

● The assignment must be in MS Word format, no spacing, 12-pt Arial font and 2 cm margins on all four sides of your page with appropriate section headings and page numbers.

● Reference sources must be cited in the text of the report, and listed appropriately at the end in a reference list using the AGLC style.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Assignment Specifications

Purpose:

The Group Assignment aims to provide students with an opportunity to work in a collaborative

environment in solving three case problems by citing the relevant legal rules and cases and applying

these to the facts of the case.

Students are to form groups, with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 students per group. The

assignment consists of a 2,000-word written report.

Instructions: Please read and re-read carefully to avoid mistakes.

Group Report

1. This group assignment consists of 3 parts. Part A is a question on Contract Law, and Part B and

Part C are questions involving Corporations Law. All questions must be answered.

2. Question A is worth 20 marks, while Question B and Question C are worth 10 marks each.

3. The total word limit for the group report is 2,000 words (+/- 10% allowed)

● Word limit for Question A – 1,000 words

● Word limit for Question B – 600 words ● Word limit for Question C – 400 words

Word count limits are strictly enforced. A deduction of two (2) marks will be imposed for every 50

words over the word count for either part of the report. Anything over the word count will not be

read by your lecturer.

4. The total word count for the report as well as each part must be clearly written on the cover sheet

of the assignment. A paper will not be marked if the word counts are not written on the cover

sheet.

5. The group report is worth 40% of total marks in this unit.

Important Reminders:

● You must form your groups by self-enrolment in Blackboard. Please refer to the document “Group Assessment Self Enrolment Tutorial” that has been posted in Blackboard (under announcements

and also in the “Assessments” folder). This document will assist you with the process of self-

enrolling in a group to undertake an assessment task in Blackboard Ultra.

● All group report submissions must be de done online and run through SafeAssign. No hard copies are to be submitted. Only one group member needs to submit for the whole group.

● You must attach as the official Holmes Institute cover sheet to your group report and upload on Blackboard.

● The Group report must be submitted via SafeAssign on Blackboard and show a similarity percentage figure. Any group report that does not show a SafeAssign similarity percentage will

not be marked and be required to re-submit.

● Late submissions will be subject to Holmes Institute policy on student assessment submission and late penalties (please refer to subject outline and Student handbook).

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

● All reports are expected to observe proper referencing in accordance with the Australian Guide to Legal Citation (AGLC). A copy of the AGLC has been posted in the Week 2 tutorial folder.

You may also download a copy for free via this link:

https://law.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/3181325/AGLC4-with-Bookmarks-1.pdf

● In general, for written reports, a SafeAssign similarity percentage of 25% or below is acceptable. Regardless of the similarity figure, all group reports must use in-text citation and observe proper

referencing rules.

● All assignments are expected to strictly follow Holmes Institute’s Academic Conduct and Integrity Policy and Procedures. A copy of the Policy is available on the Holmes Institute home page.

(About Holmes > Policies) This policy is also explained in your Student Handbook.

● Plagiarism and contract cheating in any form will not be tolerated and will have severe consequences for the groups found committing the same, including receiving zero (0) for the entire

assignment and possible failure in the unit.

● Any group assignment that is found to contain fake or bogus references or references that are

clearly irrelevant to the subject matter of the assignment will receive an automatic zero (0) mark.

● IMPORTANT: Identification of individual work. To ensure that all students participate equitably in the group assignment and that students are responsible for the academic integrity of

all components of the assignment, each group must complete the following table which identifies

which student/students are responsible for the various sections of the assignment:

Assignment section Student/Students

This table needs to be completed and submitted with the assignment as it is a compulsory

component required before any grading is undertaken.

Adapted Harvard Referencing

Holmes has now implemented a revised Harvard approach to referencing:

1. Reference sources in assignments are limited to sources that provide full-text access to the source's content for lecturers and markers.

2. The Reference list should be located on a separate page at the end of the essay and titled: References.

3. It should include the details of all the in-text citations, arranged A-Z alphabetically by author surname. In addition, it MUST include a hyperlink to the full text of the cited reference source.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

For example:

P Hawking, B McCarthy, A Stein (2004), Second Wave ERP Education, Journal of Information Systems Education, Fall, http://jise.org/Volume15/n3/JISEv15n3p327.pdf

4. All assignments will require additional in-text reference details, which will consist of the surname of the author/authors or name of the authoring body, year of publication, page number of content, the paragraph where the content can be found.

For example:

"The company decided to implement an enterprise-wide data warehouse business intelligence strategies (Hawking et al., 2004, p3(4))."

Non - Adherence to Referencing Guidelines Where students do not follow the above guidelines: 1. Students who submit assignments that do not comply with the guidelines may be required to

resubmit their assignments or incur penalties for inadequate referencing.

2. Late penalties will apply per day after a student or group has been notified of resubmission requirements.

Students whose citations are identified as fictitious will be reported for academic misconduct.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Assignment Questions

Part A: Contracts Law Question (20 marks)

● Read the Contracts Law question below.

● In 1,000 words (+/- 10% is allowed), answer your chosen question using the IRAC method.

● Your answer must be supported by relevant Australian law and cases decided by Australian courts (preferably the High Court) and/or scholarly articles. A minimum of 6 genuine and relevant

references are required for this part of the report.

● The full citations for all sources cited in your answer must be listed in a Reference list at the end of your report.

● In addition, any online sources cited in your answer and listed in your Reference List must include a valid hyperlink that allows access to the full text of the source.

Engaged couple Marina and Mark were the winners of a reality TV show involving racing other couples

around Australia. They decided to use some of the winnings on their wedding. They checked out a

number of venues and finally decided on the Grand Ballroom at the Hotel Grand Inquisitor. Marina

and Mark signed a ‘wedding package’ contract with the hotel, which provided for the following:

● Hire of ballroom - $15,000

● Catering (excluding cake) - $9,000

● Wedding cake (two-tier) - $500 ● Honeymoon suite (one night) - $400 ● Total - $24,900

The wedding reception was a happy event. However, when it came to the time to reveal and cut the

cake, Marina and Mark were shocked to learn that earlier in the day a hotel waitress had clumsily

dropped the specially baked wedding cake, and because there was no time to prepare another, the

two-tier cake provided by the hotel was in fact two sponge cakes purchased from the local cake shop.

Despite their disappointment and at the urging of the guests, Marina and Mark went ahead with the

cake cutting and the cake was eaten.

When the reception finally ended, Marina and Mark retired to the honeymoon suite. However, they

soon discovered that the hotel was carrying out around-the-clock renovations to the nearby

presidential suite to cater for an overseas dignitary who had decided to stay at the hotel. These

renovations made the honeymoon suite vibrate, made incessant noise all night and led to dust

entering the air-conditioning. Marina and Mark gave up on the room at 1:00 a.m. and went and

checked into another hotel. On the way out of the hotel, Mark told the night manager that the night

had been a disaster and that the hotel ‘would not be getting a cent more out of us’. They also said

they would be talking to their lawyer in the morning.

Advise Marina and Mark:

(a) Whether they were entitled to cancel the contract as they purported to do (8 marks);

(b) What damages (if any) they are entitled to recover from the hotel (6 marks);

(c) Whether they are able to recover the $5,000 advance that they paid the hotel. (6 marks)

Consider the position under common law contract principles only. DO NOT answer this question

based on Statute Law (such as the Australian Consumer Law.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Part B: Corporations Law question (10 marks)

● Read the questions below on Corporations Law, specifically Agency.

● In 600 words (+/- 10% is allowed), answer the chosen given question.

● A minimum of 3 genuine and relevant Australian legal references are required for this part of the report. Examples of relevant references for this question include the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth);

Australian cases; and Australian law textbooks.

● The full citations for all sources cited in your answer must be listed in a Reference list at the end of your report.

● In addition, any online sources cited in your answer and listed in your Reference List must include a valid hyperlink that allows access to the full text of the source.

RJ Booker, a real estate firm based in Milsons Point, Sydney, emailed Mimi. Mimi had a friend working

at RJ booker and she told her that she wanted to sell her unit. The unit was located at the 19th floor

of a modern apartment building located in Milson’s Point, almost beside the entrance to Luna Park.

Gustavo, the franchisee and principal of RJ Booker in Milson’s Point, asked Mimi if the firm can be

her exclusive agents in the sale of her unit. Gustavo explained that if they located a qualified buyer,

RJ Booker would be entitled to the standard Real Estate industry commission rates for agents.

Currently, this was about 3 percent of the purchase price. Mimi agreed and signed the agency

contract.

Within five days, Gustavo called Mimi and told her that he had found a buyer for her unit, Alisa. Alisa

had told Gustavo that she was ready to buy Mimi’s unit “as per contract” and “depending on the result

of a property inspection”. The very next day, Mimi received an email offer from a third party and she

immediately accepted it without informing RJ Booker. When Gustavo found out, he insisted that Mimi

should pay them a commission based on the selling price of the unit, stating that they did their job

and found a good buyer for the unit. Mimi told Gustavo to get lost and that she will not pay their

commission.

Advice Gustavo on whether Mimi was legally right in not wanting to pay RJ Booker a commission on

the sale of her unit.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Part C: Corporations Law question (10 marks)

● Read the questions below on Corporations Law, specifically on Companies and Incorporated Associations.

● In 400 words (+/- 10% is allowed), answer the chosen given question.

● A minimum of 3 genuine and relevant Australian legal references are required for this part of the report. Examples of relevant references for this question include the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth);

the Australian and Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) website (www.asic.gov.au),

the website of the Australian Business Register’s (ABR) website (www.abr.gov.au).

● The full citations for all sources cited in your answer must be listed in a Reference list at the end

of your report.

● In addition, any online sources cited in your answer and listed in your Reference List must include a valid hyperlink that allows access to the full text of the source.

Gary Olsen, known affectionately as “Gazza” or Gazzarooney” by his mates, is the Group Head for

Corporate Finance in a boutique investment bank called “DA Bank Limited”. There is a term in Gazza’s

employment contract, which he signed on 15 February 2020, providing as follows:

Prohibition on client contact. In the event that your employment with DA Bank Limited

ceases for whatever reason and howsoever caused, you explicitly agree and undertake

not to contact clients of DA Bank through whatever means. This includes contact by

phone, email, mail or any other common means of communication. This prohibition will

last for 3 years upon the cessation of your employment with the bank.

Gazza resigns from DA Bank on 1 March 2021. He is later recruited by his good mate Colin Taggart,

who is the Chief Executive Officer of a merchant bank called “Tag Bank Limited”. Upon joining, Colin

immediately appoints Gazza to the same position that he held with DA Bank. Gazza then starts calling

some clients of DA Bank that he had dealt with when he worked there.

DA Bank now wants to take legal action against Gazza. Explain to DA Bank the grounds, if any, on

which it can take legal action to stop Gazza from contacting the bank’s clients.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Marking Rubric

Group Report

Part A Question

Total marks available: 20 marks

Excellent

Good

Satisfactory

Unsatisfactory

Identification of material facts involved in problem question (4 marks)

3.5 to 4 marks Completely identifies all relevant facts of case

2.5 to 3 marks Identifies most of the relevant facts of case

2 to 2.25 marks Identifies the basic relevant facts of the case but misses other relevant facts

Below 2 marks Does not identify relevant facts of case

Identification of legal issues / legal question and relevant law (4 marks)

3.5 to 4 marks Correctly identifies all relevant legal issues and are stated in the form of questions. Correctly identifies relevant and appropriate legal rules and case law, and states them in the form of statements

2.5 to 3 marks Issues correctly identified, but may contain extraneous information and are not stated in the form of questions. Legal rules and case law correctly identified, but may contain extraneous info and are not in the form of statements.

2 to 2.25 marks Issues are not completely identified. Legal rules and case law not correctly identified.

Below 2 marks Identifies incorrect or irrelevant issues. Identifies incorrect or irrelevant legal rules and case law.

Thorough yet succinct application of law to material facts (6 marks)

5 to 6 marks Correctly identifies facts; well- reasoned discussion relating facts to the rules and case law.

3.5 to 4.5 marks Correctly identifies facts. Not well reasoned.

2.5 to 3 marks Facts not correctly identified. Analysis incoherent.

Below 2 marks Scant to no analysis.

Citation and referencing (including minimum number of references) (3 marks)

2.5 to 3 marks Correctly cites minimum of 6 references, in-text and in reference list.

1.75 to 2.25 marks Has minimum of 6 references; or has occasional errors in formatting of in-text citations and reference list

1 to 1.5 marks Does not have minimum of 6 references or contains errors in formatting of in- text citations and reference list

Below 1 mark No referencing either in-text or in reference list; or cites inappropriate references; or all references not cited in the correct format.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Professional quality including language use and writing style (3 marks)

2.5 to 3 marks Professional language. No grammatical, punctuation or spelling errors.

1.75 to 2.25 marks Some mistakes. Does not detract from understanding.

1 to 1.5 marks Many mistakes. Detracts from understanding. Sloppy.

Below 1 mark Reflects no real effort.

Deductions Excess word count (1 mark for every 25 words over) Under the word limit (1 mark for every 25 word under) Lacks minimum of 6 references (1 mark for every missing reference)

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Part B and Part C Questions

Total marks available: 10 marks

per question

Excellent

Good

Satisfactory

Unsatisfactory

Identification of material facts involved in problem question (2 marks)

1.75 to 2 marks Completely identifies all relevant facts of case

1.5 mark Identifies most of the relevant facts of case

1 mark Identifies the basic relevant facts of the case but misses other relevant facts

Below 1 mark Does not identify relevant facts of case

Identification of legal issues / legal question and relevant law (2 marks)

1.75 to 2 marks Correctly identifies all relevant legal issues and are stated in the form of questions. Correctly identifies relevant and appropriate legal rules and case law, and states them in the form of statements

1.5 mark Issues correctly identified, but may contain extraneous information and are not stated in the form of questions. Legal rules and case law correctly identified, but may contain extraneous info and are not in the form of statements.

1 mark Issues are not completely identified. Legal rules and case law not correctly identified.

Below 1 mark Identifies incorrect or irrelevant issues. Identifies incorrect or irrelevant legal rules and case law.

Thorough yet succinct application of law to material facts (3 marks)

2.5 to 3 marks Correctly identifies facts; well- reasoned discussion relating facts to the rules and case law.

1.75 to 2.25 marks Correctly identifies facts. Not well reasoned.

1 to 1.5 marks Facts not correctly identified. Analysis incoherent.

Below 1 mark Scant to no analysis.

Citation and referencing (including minimum number of references) (2 marks)

1.75 to 2 marks Correctly cites minimum of 6 references, in-text and in reference list.

1.5 mark Has minimum of 6 references; or has occasional errors in formatting of in-text citations and reference list

1 mark Does not have minimum of 6 references or contains errors in formatting of in- text citations and reference list

Below 1 mark No referencing either in-text or in reference list; or cites inappropriate references; or all references not cited in the correct format.

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HI6027 Business and Corporate Law Group Assignment T1 2021

Professional quality including language use and writing style (1 mark)

1 mark Professional language. No grammatical, punctuation or spelling errors.

0.75 mark Some mistakes. Does not detract from understanding.

0.5 mark Many mistakes. Detracts from understanding. Sloppy.

Below 0.5 mark Reflects no real effort.

Deductions Excess word count (1 mark for every 25 words over) Under the word limit (1 mark for every 25 word under) Lacks minimum of 3 references (1 mark for every missing reference)