Graduate Diploma in Commercial Law (GradDipCommLaw)

The Sydney Law School’s Commercial Law program is one of immense array, which not only caters for the needs of modern commercial practice but also provides considerable scope to pursue specialised interests. Specifically, the trade practices offerings involve competition law as well as the consumer protection aspects. This section is complemented by focus on the non-corporate side of the disciplines, including restitution, controlling liability in contract, intellectual property and electronic commerce. The regulatory dimension is well catered for with study on regulation of financial products, investments and markets, as well as contemporary developments such as privacy surveillance and fair information practices. It also offers candidates the opportunity to fine-tune their expertise in other areas. The corporate area of commercial law is well catered for through areas such as fundraising, corporate governance, financing, insolvency and takeovers and reconstructions. Units in international business law, commercial arbitration, trade regulation, maritime law and study in Asia Pacific legal systems meet the demands of international law.

Program Co-ordinator

Professor Joellen Riley

Admission requirements

The Graduate Diploma in Law (GradDipCommLaw) caters for students who hold a law degree, are interested in a graduate coursework program, but may not be interested in the Master of Laws (LLM) program.

Program structure

Candidates must complete 24 credit points chosen from a wide range of units of study in the field of commercial law. With the permission of the Law School, you may take one unit not on the list of units prescribed for the Diploma, provided it can be shown to be relevant to your course of study.

Attendance pattern

Each unit of study entails 26 contact hours. Units are offered on a semester length basis or intensive basis. Semester length units are taught once a week over 13 weeks on either a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening between 6pm and 8pm. Intensive units of study condense the 26 hours over a period of four to five days. The units are then taught between 9am and 5pm over a block period. For example, an intensive unit may be taught two consecutive days one week and then two consecutive days in a fortnight's time. All classes are held in the Law School or another Sydney CBD location.

Duration

Mode Timeframe
Full-time 1-3 years
Part-time 2-6 years

Units of study

Most units of study are equivalent to six credit points (one semester length); a few units are 12 credit points (full-year duration). Units worth six credit points normally involve 26 hours of classes over one semester, and are held at the Law School from 6 - 8 pm one night per week.

Some units are taught on an intensive basis. These require a full day's attendance over a period of four to five days either between semesters or during the semester, and may take place on weekdays or weekends.

For 2009 Units of study list, please visit Units of study 2009 by alphabetical order.

Units of Study 2010
Advanced Financing Techniques [i]
Advanced Obligations and Remedies
Aspects of European Union Commercial Law
Australian Financial Services Regulation
Australian Import/Export Laws
Breach of Contract
Capital Gains Tax
Comparative Admiralty and Maritime Law
Comparative Commercial Contracts
Comparative Corporate Governance
Competition Law
Compliance: Theory & Practice in the Financial Services Industry
Construction Law
Consumer Contracts and Product Defects
Contract Negotiation
Controlling Liability by Contract
Corporate Fundraising
Corporate Insolvency Law
Debt Financing [ii]
Equity Financing
European Private International Law
Financial Risk Allocation in Equity
Food Product Law & Policy: Australia in an International Context
Global Oil and Gas Contracts and Issues
Intellectual Property: Issues in Marketing Rights
Intellectual Property: Principles and Context
Interaction of Tort and Contracts
International Business Law
International Commercial Arbitration
International Import/Export Laws
International Insolvency Law
International Investment Law
International Mergers and Acquisitions
International Structured Finance, Law and Practice
Introductory Corporate Law
Japanese Law
Japanese Law and the Economy
Key Legal Concepts in Finance Law
Law and Investment in Asia
Law of Asset Protection
Law of Derivatives Markets
Manipulation and Abuse in Global Securities Markets
Mediation of Commercial Disputes
Personal Property Securities
Plain English in Legal Writing
Principles of Defamation Law
Private International Law
Problems in Contract Formation
Shareholders' Remedies
Takeovers and Reconstructions
Tax and Commercial Laws of the CIS
The Law of Trusts
The Legal System of the European Union
The State of the Capital Markets
Transnational Commercial Litigation
World Trade Organization (WTO) Law I
World Trade Organization (WTO) Law II
[i] Candidates who do not have a background in Australian corporate law are encouraged to undertake Introductory Corporate Law and possibly Debt Financing or Equity Financing before taking this unit.
[ii] Candidates who do not have a background in Australian corporate law are encouraged to undertake Introductory Corporate Law before taking this unit.

Staff

One of the strengths of the program is its teaching staff, who bring a rich depth of knowledge and experience in professional law practice, teaching and research. Sydney Law School provides a base to pursue the highest standards of innovative scholarship. For further information, visit the Our People section of the website.