Legal Studies

This course examines core issues facing entrepreneurs and tech startups in Hong Kong and elsewhere and the legal, regulatory and/or policy issues and consideration arising from these. It covers the pervasive role of law (domestic and cross-jurisdictional) in the context of ABCD of technology (namely AI, blockchain, cloud and data) and business models (such as digital assets and circular economies), as well as the importance of self-governance standards and ethics, especially where there is an absence of laws and regulations.

This course provides a study of the elements that pertain to the most significant criminal offences, as well as newly emerging crimes, through the analysis of relevant legal aspects. Emphasis is placed on the most important legally protected rights and the varying classes of offences. Topics covered include: crimes against life, integrity of body, and against the family; crimes against personal liberty and normal psychosexual development; patrimonial crimes; crimes against health and well-being; corruption of minors; crimes committed by public servants; crimes against the administration of justice; crimes against public faith; concealment and operations with resources of illicit origin; crimes against biodiversity and the environment.

This course studies what legitimate authority is, under what conditions states have it, how law participates in legitimate authority, and how philosophical issues about legitimate authority are represented in positive law. It provides a grasp on the philosophical debate on legitimate state authority that can be applied in practice as jurists.

This course offers an introduction to the issues legal counsel encounter in connection with resolving international business disputes under U.S. law. The course uses lectures and interactive class discussions based on primary sources, including statutory and case law materials that the instructor provides, as well as hypothetical scenarios involving a German manufacturer confronting a variety of legal issues in connection with the distribution of its products into the U.S. market. 

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale program. The course is intended for advanced level students only. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. This course examines: the conceptual and theoretical foundations of cybercrime research; the cutting edge empirical research on cybercrimes; the main tools and practices related to the prevention and countering of cybercrimes, and to their harm mitigation; the social challenges and implications of digitalization and datafication in the context of cybercrime research and investigations; and develops an approach to cybercrimes that recognizes the cross-disciplinary nature of the area. The course discusses topics including approaching and researching crime in cyberspace; crimes against devices; crime against persons; crimes of deception and coercion; intellectual property infringement; market-based crimes; political offences; cyberterrorism and radicalization; information pollution; disrupting and preventing cybercrimes; crimes of the present, crimes of the future; and researching crime in cyberspace.

This seminar studies the law of property focusing on several sub-areas, such as changes in real estates rights, registration of rights in real estates, ownership, easements, and other proprietary rights. 

Topics in this course include an overview of the early Irish legal system (Brehon law), the structure of early Irish society and its institutions – in particular: the early Irish system of law enforcement in the absence of a centralized state and associated police force; the status of women in early Irish society, including marriage arrangements; Irish family structures; an overview of farming and food in early Ireland, and the nature and background of Irish "sacral" kingship and the concept of truth.

This course offers a study of alternative mechanisms for dispute resolution. Topics include: conflict and management; alternative methods for conflict resolution; negotiation; mediation; arbitration; alternative methods of dispute resolution in free trade agreements.

This course examines several of the most important issues of international legal theory and the philosophical approaches to international law. 

The course's main objective is to allow the student to acquire a panoramic view of different legal systems, enriching the notion of law and demonstrating that the ways of conceiving and solving legal problems vary throughout the different legal systems, which allows visualizing the contingent nature of law and its understanding as a social and changing phenomenon. The study of Comparative Law, together with the habits of research and reading of various materials, prepares the student for a better understanding of the legal culture and legal systems of other countries. Consequently, it facilitates study abroad and international legal practice.