Module manager: Dr Anna Tzanaki
Email: a.tzanaki@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2026/27
| LAW1035 | Contract Law |
| LAW1204 | Foundations of Law |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
The module explores the main features of company law in the United Kingdom. The study of company law provides a framework for understanding the internal dynamics of companies and the way they affect the external world. Company law governs the formation, management, and dissolution of companies, which are foundational to modern economic activity. By examining the legal responsibilities of companies, including directors’ duties, shareholder rights and remedies, and creditor protections, students can gain insight into how businesses balance profit motives with ethical and legal obligations. Moreover, company law addresses issues of accountability and corporate governance, which are increasingly important in today’s world where stakeholders expect companies to act responsibly in areas like sustainability and social impact. While the module focuses on UK company law, it equips students with key legal concepts, principles and rules that shape corporate behaviour in a globalised economy and introduces them to similar legal and policy debates in other jurisdictions.
This module will provide students with the opportunity to learn about key company law principles, case law and legislation, and practice how these may be applied to provide solutions to real-life or hypothetical problem scenarios. It aims to provide students with a good overview of central issues in UK company law such as the nature of the company as a business organisation, potential shareholder liability, the corporate constitution, the relations between the company and third parties, the law relating to corporate finance and key principles of corporate insolvency law, corporate governance and the distribution of power within a company, the duties of directors and available remedies to shareholders. The goal is to enable students to identify and discuss the main features of UK company law, explain the ways in which company law balances the interests of the different groups represented within the company, and evaluate the effectiveness of company law mechanisms, such as the limitation or potential extension of shareholder liability, the enforcement of the company’s constitution, directors’ duties, and shareholder remedies to solve corporate conflicts.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
Critically analyse and synthesise legal concepts, values, principles, and rules of company law to assess their effectiveness.
Synthesise information and legal reasoning to provide a coherent account of complex legal issues of company law that is presented effectively and concisely.
Apply legal concepts, authorities, and scholarship to solve complex actual or hypothetical problems relating to company law, with well-supported arguments.
Interpret and critically evaluate the interaction between company law and relevant economic, social, cultural, commercial and political contexts, offering perspectives on the efficacy and impact of legal frameworks of company law.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
Demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in analysing complex legal and ethical issues, proposing solutions.
Communicate persuasively, effectively conveying complex ideas and legal concepts to a variety of audiences such as scholars, legal professionals and clients and using a variety of methods.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 11 | 1 | 11 |
| Seminar | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 179 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 21 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
179
A formal formative assessment opportunity will be provided for each summative assessment task, which is specifically pedagogically aligned to that task. As part of this, each student will receive feedback designed to support the development of knowledge and skills that will be later assessed in the summative task.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Coursework | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team