LL4S2      Half Unit
E-Commerce Law

This information is for the 2017/18 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Andrew Murray NAB7.11

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Law and Accounting, Master of Laws and Master of Laws (extended part-time study). This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

This course is capped at 30 students. Students must apply through Graduate Course Choice on LSEforYou.

Course content

This course is to introduce students from a legal background to the specialised legal structure which surrounds e-commerce. The course looks at the specific problems an e-commerce start-up must overcome in order to begin trading, including arranging hosting agreements, designing terms and conditions of service and delivery, and arranging distribution agreements. From here the course will develop to examine the problems of more mature e-commerce businesses including jurisdiction, payment systems and rules on marketing and privacy. Special classes on internet auctions and social networks will complete the analysis. The course is designed to act as an interface between ICT law and commercial law and practice in that it examines in detail the close sub-set of online transactions which are clearly commercial in nature.

Teaching

20 hours of seminars in the LT. 2 hours of seminars in the ST.

Formative coursework

Students should submit an essay plan and working bibliography for the assessed essay. All students are expected to contribute to a series of class and online exercises, and to submit one 2,000 word formative essay.

Indicative reading

Murray: Information Technology Law: The Law and Society 3ed (OUP, 2016) Edwards & Waelde (eds): Law and the Internet 3rd ed (Hart, 2009) Hörnle: Cross-Border Internet Dispute Resolution (CUP, 2009) Law of Electronic Commercial Transactions: Contemporary Issues in the EU, US and China (Routledge 2014) Wang: Law of Electronic Commercial Transactions: Contemporary Issues in the EU, US and China (Routledge, 2010)

Assessment

Essay (100%, 8000 words).

Key facts

Department: Law

Total students 2016/17: 28

Average class size 2016/17: 28

Controlled access 2016/17: Yes

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Communication
  • Specialist skills