Handbook

This is a two-week intensive course held in Shanghai each year. It provides an introduction into the legal system of the People's Republic of China with particular reference to modern developments in commercial law and other important legal areas. China opened up its economy to market forces only in the late 1970s. When it did so, law and the legal system lost the pariah status they had been given during the Proletarian Cultural Revolution. The course examines the role law plays in modern China by reference to its historical antecedents. It looks at particular areas of development not only for their own sake but also as indicators of the changing role of law in Chinese society. Areas which are the subject of particular attention include: the elements and institutions of Chinese legal system; the role of law in Chinese society from the perspectives of legal history and philosophy; contract law; intellectual property law; foreign investment law; corporate and securities law; foreign trade law and mediation, arbitration and civil enforcement procedures.

In addition to classroom teaching, there will be field trips to Chinese legal institutions including a Chinese court, Shanghai International Arbitration Centre  and a Chinese law firm.

Main Topics

• Constitutional law
• Contract law
• Intellectual property law
• Financial law
• Foreign investment law
• Corporate and securities law
• Foreign trade law
• Mediation, arbitration and civil enforcement procedures
• Law and development
• Human rights and labour law