Week 14: April 30-May 4

The reading for this week is brief and very simple; the chapter on contracts and treaties of Honore´ s book. Besides, find short answers to the following questions:

1. When a binding contract is created?
2. What are other sources of obligations besides contracts?
3. What types of contracts we have? (classification, not examples)
4. What are some of the contracts that business deal with on every day basis?
5. What is the difference between employment contract and other type of civil/private contracts?
6. What, in your country, is the legislation applicable to contractual relationships?

Both sides of the debate would have received a passing grade, a 4 in the opinion of most of the students a 2 in mine, but to slice it fair a 3. Many are criteria applicable and detailed feedback is available upon request. However, according to records on the preparation and conduction of the debate, and the quality of the participation, these grades are adjusted, so at the end everyone got a personal evaluation that ranges from 0-5. These will be communicated to the group later.

The next class will take place in week 15, when at least a list of preliminary bibliography for the final paper should be ready. I will be available to correct the works in progress (I recommend you to use this opportunity!). The final paper is due on week 16.

Survey on the Debate

Click here to take survey

Week 13: April 23-27

The debate planned for the next class should cover 3 academic hours: 135 minutes, after one hour of traditional lecture (including a 15 minutes break for organizing the last details).
By now each one should be already educated on the role to defend. Without preparing, participation will harm your team, so make sure you do not count on improvising.
A list with the least you should cover is already communicated to your coordinators; discuss with them. With a good effort collaborating and effective team work everyone could do fine.

A debate is a formal/traditional/academic and intellectual exercise. This should help not only on IPLegislation but on presentation skills, group work, leadership, and argumentation.

Assignation of roles

Julius coordinates the team arguing against the current status of IPlaws
Han Xiao, Yujun, Satu Vahteristo, Uche, Julia Robotaenko, Jaanika Tomingas, Valeria, Lauri Puskar,
Ganesh Paudel, Tomi Näres, Tomi Laitinen, Lauri Kosonen, Julius Hyppönen, Christina Karjalainen, Juli Jokinen, Marta Idaszek, Joonas, Magomed Dzhavatkhanov, Benoit braconnot,
Julien Bêche and Jaro Auranen.

Riku-Juuso the one in favour of the IPL as they are proposed now, and their rigorous enforcement
Rikimaru, Sebastian Bahri, Rosa bergheim, Luminita Cretu, Miikka Gröhn, Tuomas Hirvonen, Jesse, Benjamin Jamois, Janne, Juha Kautto, Evgeny, Ez lynold Sajonia, Maciej, Henri levo, Tuomas,  Tuomas pasanen, Alyona, Haoyi Sun, Emmi, Magomed Isalov, David Remy Valeri, Qi Zeng, and Maria Erss.

Prepare on your role and also on how to debate. On this, a variety of websites are widely available. Start here

More detailed instructions can be obtained from the coordinators.

Week 12: April 16-20

On the 18th we start with the quiz announced on property law in general. Next, the class will introduce intellectual property rights, theory and categories. The roles for the upcoming debate will also be distributed. Two moderators are needed (one for the group in favor of current IPlaws, and the other for the team that will be debating against them), also two annotators that should keep records on the discussion and present a report. Volunteers are welcome.

Final paper list of approved topics so far:

1. Rosa and Emmi: LEB, to be narrowed.
2. Satu and Sebastian: Balancing digital rights in Europe
3. Benjamin and Julien: EU policy on Digital rights. The French approach.
4. Maria: IPlaws (pending details)
5. Jesse and Julius Hyppönen: EU policy on digital rights: current issues and expected developments (ACTA)
6. Riku Juuso and Tuomas Pasanen: EU policy on digital rights
7. Miikka: Trademarks and Patent laws, pending specific issue.
8. Qi and Haoyi: Are IPL needed or imposed onto China?
9. Ignatious, Ez and Lauri: Laws affecting oil trade (needs to be specified, and put into a narrow context)
10. Joonas and Juliane: Copyrights and marketing
11. Qi Zeng and Haoyi Sun: Intellectual property rights in China: needed or imposed?
12. Tomi and Henri: Practical assessment of the LEB in Finland (loans)
13. Janne and Juha: The IPlaws "Censorship effect"

Your final grade on the paper will be reduced up to 10% if the topic has not been approved in advance.

Week 11: March 9-13

This week (11th), the choice of topic for the final needs to be submitted, with few annotations about the reasons for your choice, and the purpose of the paper (reporting alone is not acceptable, you have to detect an interesting issue to develop with the work).
The final can be presented in couples or individually.
Two good topics can be:
1. Practical assessment of the legal environment of a particular business idea or project. This requires explicit references to the legislation applicable, in the terms, and using the concept discussed on the course.
2. Analyze the current European policy on digital economic rights and the trends about their protection within the region.
You can propose other subjects, in a field that allows discussing business activities and laws, but they can be accepted only if undoubtedly relevant to the course.

On Wednesday, you will receive a set of electronic readings materials (or their references) to cover independently; The next meeting will take place on April 18th.

Week 10: April 2-6

Read the chapter on Property on the Introduction to Law by T.Honore book; and prepare to participate in the common summary sent to your personal email addresses via Writeboard. Each group should contribute with comments, text or any substantial addition on how property law appeared (history) and what justifies the protection of private property. I added a starting argument that groups can support or contrast with differing opinions. Every idea is welcome.
All contributions should be added by the end of the next class.