Commercial Law

This course explores the legal framework governing U.S. and international commercial transactions, with a particular focus on the rules that facilitate cross-border trade.

You will study key provisions of the U.S. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) on the sale of goods, leases, and secured transactions, together with the brand new and much discussed amendments to the UCC, particularly Article 12, which establishes a legal framework for Controllable Electronic Records (CERs), including many digital assets.

We will examine how the UCC relates to other legal frameworks governing commercial transactions, including English commercial law (such as the Sale of Goods Act) and the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG).

The course will also cover payment and financing mechanisms used in international trade, including negotiable instruments, guarantees, and documentary credits (letters of credit), and consider their continuing role in an increasingly digital commercial environment.