Legal Studies

This course is an introduction to public international law. It covers evolution, sources, relationship between international and municipal law, the law of treaties, the law of the sea and international institutions, particularly the United Nations.

How to make money in China? How to avoid to losing money within China? While the first issue suits business schools, the latter is a typical law school issue. However, this course stands up in between, in the belief that without the helmet and shield from the legal premise, a business pioneer would risk all the efforts of his innovations, products and business models in the long-term race, not to mention safeguarding his harvest from such business. A proper parachute is instantly and constantly necessary before the entrepreneurship soars high into blue sky. This course applies PEST and SWOT analyses, as well as case-study methods, in the POV of a start-up, to walk the students through the whole business-life, including but not limited to soft-landing phase, the formation of business, the transaction rules, the legal compliance of routine operations, and the dispute resolutions.

This course teaches essential concepts in law and economics in a dynamic setting. It introduces rationality theory and explores specific areas of law, such as Tort, Contract, or Criminal Law, focusing on current topics. Students apply analytical skills to analyze legal situations, culminating in a legal memo addressing a current legal issue or public consultation.

The course examines some of the legal and ethical issues arising from the use of AI. It analyzes the technologies and considers the legal issues arising from a range of applications (in areas such as financial services, healthcare, employment, judiciary). It provides an overview of existing and emerging legislation on an international and comparative basis and self-regulatory systems.

This course gives a comprehensive introduction to the main branches of intellectual property law, providing a solid foundation for advanced study. It covers the essential legal frameworks governing patents, copyrights, trademarks, and designs, examining how they incentivise creativity and innovation while balancing public interest. Students explore the legal principles and policy rationales underlying IP protection, gaining a deep understanding of core IP doctrines and the ability to apply this knowledge across various industries and legal contexts.

As technologies change the way we live and generate vast amounts of personal data, privacy regulation has become a pillar of modern society. Among the patchwork of legal frameworks adopted worldwide, the EU has asserted its regulatory leadership by taking a singular stance. Through the GDPR, the EU has attempted to protect individuals' data rights, with the belief that this will increase trust in these technologies and in turn foster digital growth. This course explores the foundations of EU data protection law, from a critical legal perspective, sheds light on the ongoing challenges that shape this field and, most importantly, empowers students to become informed digital citizens.

This course introduces students to some of the key doctrines and methods in the study of the private law. Students study key aspects of contract law and of property law within the context of the common law of England and Wales. Contract law centers on exchange, from simple consumer purchases to complex international financial arrangements. Property law governs varying forms of ownership, including in land and in personal property, which give rise to legally protected claims. This course examines both their substance and uses them to illustrate the broader nature of the common law. English private law is extremely important globally: it is commonly selected by parties to international commercial contracts as the governing law, and influential on worldwide legal developments. 

This course provides an overview of some of the main legal, ethical and policy foundations that shape public health debates in contemporary societies through a multi-disciplinary perspective. During thematic sessions, it explores how legal and ethical considerations structure public health policies and decision-making. The course provides starter tools in policy analysis and engagement with legal texts as well as with bioethical principles. The topics covered include an introduction to comparative analysis of healthcare systems, health policy debates such as the question of access to medicines and reproductive health care, the study of legal levers available to citizens through the example of the right to health, but also a specific focus on public health crisis. Finally, moving to a selection of main contemporary bioethical debates, three classes are devoted to the exploration of the rapidly evolving intersections between innovation, bioethics and legal frameworks. The reading materials include news articles, public organization reports, academic articles and book chapters that present diverse viewpoints on the topics presented. Students are expected to have completed all assigned readings prior to each class to ensure fruitful discussion and an interactive experience. This course is based on guided discussions enriched by concrete case studies.

The course introduces international law as a discipline. It considers the sources and subjects of international law, and explores the settlement of international disputes and enforcement of international law, including in relation to human rights. It also discusses international legal institutions such as the United Nations Security Council, the International Court of Justice, the International Law Commission, and the International Criminal Court.