Business Law
Israel is an international hub for corporate and business activity. Corporate giants from the U.S., Europe, and Asia constantly seek opportunities in Israel from buying companies to opening research centers. For example, Israel’s MobilEye was recently acquired by Intel for $15 Billion. Venture capital and private equity companies follow suit and aim for Israel’s earlier stage companies. At the same time that foreigners invest in Israel, Israeli companies look outward to raise capital and seek larger product markets. Israel has the second largest number of companies quoted on the NASDAQ, with 93 such companies (and counting!). Many Israeli companies, cross-list in Israel and abroad, and the Israeli Securities Law is highly innovative in this regard. Finally, some Israeli companies play a major role in international transactions. To say the least, Israel today is an exciting place to study business law.
The Business Law track focuses on the fundamentals of business strategy catered to a legal audience. The course topics and frameworks are drawn from business law as well as MBA curriculums of leading schools abroad. The track offers courses on an array of topics: Startup Financing and Governance, Shareholder Activism, Issues in Competition Law, Negotiations in the Technology Industry, and related issues. Together, we offer a range of courses that are second to none.
To complete your specialization in the Business Law track, you must take at least 14-15 credits of the LL.M.’s 32 required credits, from courses within the Business Law track, but you are more than welcome to take as many courses as you see fit – and that fit your schedule. You can also take courses from the other tracks, in addition to general elective courses.
The professors and courses refer to the 2022-2023 academic year courses are subject to change every year.
Antitrust Policy
Professor David Gilo - Tel Aviv University
The course will give an overview of antitrust policy. We will study how to analyze oligopolistic markets and harm to competition from various practices, including cross ownership among rivals, most favored consumer clauses, price matching practices, vertical restraints, loyalty discounts, excessive pricing by dominant firms and vertical mergers.
Risk Derivatives and Financial Crises
Adv. Menachem Feder
This course covers one of most essential yet paradoxical topics in financial law: derivatives. Derivatives constitute a fundamental component of today’s financial markets, yet are commonly considered exotic and inscrutable. Sophisticated market players regularly use derivatives, yet onlookers often label derivatives as toxic. In recent years, the dangerous reputation has held sway. Following the worldwide financial crisis of 2007-08, market observers blamed derivatives for spreading the contagion of the crisis and destabilizing the global financial system. As a result, public awareness, but not public understanding, of derivatives shot up. The objective of this course is to develop student understanding of financial risk and financial risk management via derivatives and of the role of law in controlling the use of derivatives.
Mergers and Acquisitions - A Real Life Experience
Adv. David Friedman - Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
This course is designed for those students interested in learning the practical skills needed to be a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) lawyer and will be taught by M&A practitioners -- David J. Friedman, who was trained at the international law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and Dan Shamgar and Shira Azran from the Israeli law firm of Meitar | Law Offices. The course, which will be taught in English, aims to give students hands-on experience in drafting and negotiating M&A transactional documents, while at the same time providing students with an understanding of contract architecture, corporate law and other topics that are relevant to M&A transactions. The focus will be on a US styled transaction, and will include a spotlight on certain unique Israeli aspects.
Sustainable Corporate Governance
Prof. Tobias Tröger - GoetheUniversity Frankfurt
Can corporate law and governance contribute to the transition of economic activity and help meet sustainability targets? This course looks into the fundamentals of sustainable finance and the transforming role that various actors could play in the internal and external governance of the firm. It examines different types of investors, for instance (passive) asset managers and activist funds, and corporate insiders, like board members. The focus is on how corporate law and financial regulation can influence incentives to induce the sustainable transition of the economy.
Comparative Company Law
Prof. Konrad Osajda - University of Warsaw, Faculty of Law and Administration
This course examines a selection of company law topics in a comparative context, drawing in particular on the laws of the UK, Germany, France, and the United States. At the beginning of each class the students will be introduced to definitions and concepts to be considered in-depth during the class. This will be followed by presentation of relevant national rules from different jurisdictions in order to allow for comparison of how different legal systems deal with the same issues. Against this background, the final part of each class will be devoted to discussing comparative advantageousness and effectiveness of the solutions analyzed. Participants are expected to contribute to the discussions.
Transnational Perspectives
Dr. Ido Baum – Colman
In this seminar, we will discuss the implications of globalization on corporate law, corporate governance, securities regulation, competition (AKA antitrust) law and business formation. We will do so by considering how different norms influence cross-border business activity.
Economic Analysis of Law
Prof. Avraham Tabbach & Dr. Shay N. Lavie - Tel Aviv University
This workshop will provide students the opportunity to engage with ongoing research in the economic analysis of law, written by leading worldwide scholars. In the first meetings, we will provide a general background concerning different types of papers in the economic analysis of law. Then, at most of the meetings, invited speakers will present works in progress, and an in-class discussion will follow. Students are required to read, before sessions, the papers to be presented and to submit brief written comments on several papers throughout the semester.
An Introduction to US Contract Law
Prof. Mark Gergen - University of California, Berkeley School of Law
The course will cover the most distinctive and controversial parts of U.S. contract law. These are the rules in classical contract law that give primacy to a writing to which parties manifest assent in determining the terms and existence of a contract. These rules include the parol evidence rule, the plain meaning rule, the duty to read rule, and the definiteness requirement. Many states, including New York, continue to apply these rules. The course will also cover rules in modern contract law that alter or create exceptions to these rules, including the reasonable expectation doctrine and UCC§ 2-207. The course will be taught using materials from the next edition of the casebook, Fuller, Eisenberg, and Gergen, Basic Contract Law. Students will not need to purchase the book.
Securities Regulation
Professor Omri Yadlin - Tel Aviv University
The course covers fundamental concepts of U.S. and Israeli Securities Regulation, including Fraud on the Market, Insider Trading, the IPO process, Liability for Mistatements in Prospectus and Manipulations.
US Antitrust Law & Policy
Prof. Barak Orbach – University of Arizona
This course offers a practical introduction to the principles and standards that govern the US antitrust laws with an emphasis on current trends. If you are interested in learning about or practicing antitrust, or if want to know more about the digital economy and the regulation of Big Tech.
**These are the courses that are being offered during the 2022-2023 academic year. Courses are subject, and likely, to change year to year. Applicants will be sent a final course list once it is available.
