Entrepreneurship & Law in Practice

Catalog description

The two-credit course is divided into two tracks/games: the law game (LawGame) and the entrepreneurship game (StartUp Game), and students choose one. The first is a simulation of litigation (with lawsuits relating to business matters, such as torts, product liability, contracts, etc.) from the beginning to a final trial that takes place at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. Students must meet with their clients, prepare pleadings, conduct research to argue their cases, depose characters, and ultimately, argue cases over a full day before judges in a real federal court played by actual attorneys who are NYU alumni. It is also my hope that some students go on to a successful career in law. The second is an examination of legal issues for startups. Students on this track come up with a business idea and work on understanding all of the legal ins and outs necessary for bringing their company to life -- from entity formation to intellectual property protection to ownership terms to financing. At the end of the semester, they take part in a mock Shark Tank event, where they pitch their ideas and are extensively challenged on their concepts and how well they have prepared for any legal problems. In addition, they take an exam to test their broader legal knowledge. It is my hope that some students go on to create companies started in the game.