Skip to Main Content

Contents

Subject Overview

Studying Commercial Law will give you an array of skills that are valued highly in business. It will develop your analytical and critical thinking skills, improve your written communication skills, and help you to think strategically about business opportunities and risks.
Commercial law is taught in various undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the University of Auckland Law School. Commercial Law is also a major in the Bachelor of Commerce, studied at the Business School.

Our staff are leading academics in their fields, many combining academic excellence with experience as practitioners in leading New Zealand firms. Their expertise spans all areas of commercial law, including corporate law, intellectual property and information technology, governance, insolvency, international trade, securities markets, finance, insurance, and taxation.

As part of a vibrant discipline that impacts directly on business, we focus on producing excellent research that is relevant and has an impact on business and the professions. Staff are frequently seen in the news media and on television contributing to public debates about controversies in commercial law and are actively involved in law reform. As a student of commercial law, you will also benefit from our connections with the business community and the professions.

Knowledge and Skills

In Commercial Law you will study the legal frameworks used to make business decisions in the public and private sectors. You will focus on legal problems you may encounter in your career. Commercial law is crucial to all careers in business as well as law, including accounting, finance, management, HR, marketing, property and entrepreneurship.

Courses are taught by a combination of Auckland Law School staff, staff of the Department of Commercial Law in the Faculty of Business and Economics, distinguished overseas academics, and senior law practitioners.

Postgraduate students will benefit from engagement with the New Zealand Centre for Law and Business, hosted by Auckland Law School. The centre has a primary goal of facilitating interdisciplinary research connecting law and business, with a strong focus on the interface between the two.

Schedule

Plan Schedules

Complete 120 points for one of the following:

  • 120 points for all 120 points Thesis Option, or
  • 120 points for 90 points Thesis Option, or
  • 120 points for 90 points Research Portfolio Option, or
  • 120 points for all 120 points Research Portfolio Option

120 points Thesis Option

Complete 120 points for ALL of the following:

90 points Thesis Option

Complete 120 points comprising:

  • 90 points for all Thesis, and
  • 30 points from Elective Courses

Thesis

Complete 90 points for ALL of the following:

Elective Courses

Complete exactly 30 points from the following:

Up to 30 points may be substituted from such other 700 level courses as the Dean of Faculty of Law approves from year to year as relevant for inclusion in this specialisation.

90 points Research Portfolio Option

Complete 120 points comprising:

  • 90 points for all Research Portfolio, and
  • 30 points from Elective Courses

Research Portfolio

Complete 90 points for ALL of the following:

Elective Courses

Complete exactly 30 points from the following:

Up to 30 points may be substituted from such other 700 level courses as the Dean of Faculty of Law approves from year to year as relevant for inclusion in this specialisation.

120 points Research Portfolio Option

Complete 120 points for ALL of the following: