Semester.ly

Johns Hopkins University | EN.660.308

Business Law I

3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

(3.98)

This course is designed to provide students an introduction to legal reasoning and analysis. Further, this course is for the student who is interested in (a) a broad knowledge of law as it relates to modern business, and/or (b) a survey of business-related aspects of law with a view to further legal studies. This course will provide a self-contained and well-rounded study of business law as well as a foundation for continued education in the legal field. Course topics include, business formation, capitalization, torts, contracts, intellectual property, employment issues, and the sale of a business.

Fall 2012

(4.06)

Fall 2012

(4.14)

Fall 2013

(3.88)

Fall 2014

(3.52)

Fall 2014

(3.82)

Spring 2013

(3.63)

Spring 2013

(4.04)

Spring 2014

(3.91)

Spring 2014

(4.1)

Spring 2015

(4.03)

Spring 2015

(4.29)

Spring 2023

(4.29)

Fall 2012

Professor: W Rakes

(4.06)

Students found the material interesting and enjoyed the interactive lectures. They said it was hard to focus during a three-hour night class. Some students also thought the material was too advanced for 126 someone without a background in the subject. Suggestions for improvement included more quizzes or practice problems and more guest lecturers. Students recommended the course overal , even though it was a bit harder than other sections. Students should expect a reading-heavy course.

Fall 2012

Professor: David Fisher

(4.14)

Students said the professor was an engaging lecturer who used a lot of examples to explain the material. They said the three-hour lecture format made it hard to focus the whole time. Some students also didn’t like that there were very few assignments. Suggestions for improvement included splitting the lectures into two sessions, having more frequent homework assignments, and making the class more interactive. Overall, students said the course provides a good introduction to law and had a very reasonable workload.

Fall 2013

Professor: David Fisher

(3.88)

Students thought that the best aspects of this course included the very useful information they learned over the course, and appreciated how the professor used a specific scenario over the course of the semester to illustrate points and apply it to real-world situations. Students did not like the fact that the professor did not post any notes or study guides online and that there were few assignments. Students also felt that the lecture was too long and would have been better meeting twice a week. Additional suggestions for improvements included adding visuals or slides to make the lectures more engaging, and adding more assignments for additional grading opportunities. Prospective students should be prepared to focus and take notes during the lectures. The workload is light and the information useful, so the course is highly recommended.

Fall 2014

Professor: David Fisher

(3.52)

Students enjoyed the way this course provided a thorough introduction to its subject. They also appreciated the real world applicability of the material covered. Students perceived the biggest weakness of the course was the unnecessarily lengthy class sessions. They also thought that the course could have examined law mores specifically as it related to business. Students thought the course could be improved with greater discussion in classes. Students thought it was valuable for potential participants to know that the workload for the course was not large. They also thought it was good to know that exams mostly tested information from lectures so attendance was important.

Fall 2014

Professor: Wil iam Rakes

(3.82)

Students especial y valued that this course provided a thorough introduction to the subject matter taught by practicing lawyers. Students believed the biggest drawback of the class was the long class time for each session. Students also thought the course could benefit from more interactivity in the lectures 141and a greater diversity of assignments and tests. Students thought it was valuable for future participants to know that the class had a light workload other than preparation for exams.

Spring 2013

Professor: David Fisher

(3.63)

The best aspects of this course included the overview of the different types of law and the applicable problem sets that were assigned. Some students felt that the class was too long and that the lectures were often difficult to attend. One suggestion was to quicken the pace of the material presented throughout the semester. Another suggestion included breaking the course into smal er segments twice a week. Prospective students should know it’s important to study the key terms.

Spring 2013

Professor: W Rakes

(4.04)

The best aspects of this course included the practical material and engaging instructor. Some students felt the exams were difficult to understand because they were poorly worded. One suggestion was to incorporate more interactive activities as opposed to lectures. Another suggestion included posting the class notes online. Prospective students should be interested in business entrepreneurship to ful y enjoy this course.

Spring 2014

Professor: David Fisher

(3.91)

Prospective students who want to learn more about the legal system and its relationship to business should enrol in this course. This course was described as “solid,” and students seemed to love the informative lectures and the professor. The professor also gave awesome examples to help students understand and he told funny stories and jokes. However, the grading system was on a flat scale, the class was almost three hours long, and the exams were pretty tricky. Students suggested that they be given two short breaks to keep them engaged, a different teaching style from the professor, and reading assignments to motivate students to actual y look at the book.

Spring 2014

Professor: Wil iam Rakes

(4.1)

The instructor of this course was able to teach from the book but also from experience because he’s a lawyer. Students appreciated the specific type of law was emphasized throughout this course, and the extra credit event was an excellent way for students to connect with the instructor and the guest speaker. But class notes were not available on Blackboard, there were heavy reading assignments, and some of the material seemed to be rushed through. In addition, the midterm was tough and the constant note-taking made it hard for students to focus on the speaker. It was suggested that this class meet twice a week and that Blackboard be used. Prospective students should expect a general y straightforward class.

Spring 2015

Professor: David Fisher

(4.03)

The best aspects of the class included the overall organization, the good overview of law topics introduced, and the real-life examples provided by the engaging and enthusiastic instructor. Students felt that the course time period was too long, exam questions were difficult and lectures were sometimes hard to pay attention to. Exams were weighted heavily as there were not many other graded assignments. Suggestions for improvement included having class more frequently during the week for shorter blocks of time, adding more interactive elements to lecture, and supplying students with course lecture notes. Prospective students will find this course’s workload manageable and are encouraged to take good notes during all lectures.

Spring 2015

Professor: Wil iam Rakes

(4.29)

The best aspects of the course included the instructors who supplemented course material with personal law experience and encouraged class participation during engaging lectures. Students felt that the course was scheduled for too long and too late at night. Assigned readings were long and course material was boring at times. Suggestions for improvement included incorporating more interactive elements into lecture, increasing the number of assignments in order to practice concepts, and having visual aids such as slides or notes for each lecture. Prospective students are encouraged to read assigned material and take good notes in order to prepare for class discussion.

Spring 2023

Professor: Gueter Aurelien

(4.29)