Project Description
Business Law, 7th Edition
Nickolas James
Interactive E-Text: 9781394267286, Print Textbook: 9781394267279
Designed specifically for business students, James Business Law 7th Edition provides a comprehensive introduction to the fundamentals of business law. Tailored to accommodate the initial encounter with legal principles for business students, this textbook offers a clear and accessible pathway into the realm of law. Unlike traditional texts from leading legal publishers, Business Law 7th Edition prioritises a practical approach, emphasising real-world applications over doctrinal intricacies. By demystifying complex legal concepts and presenting them within a business-oriented framework, this textbook equips students with the necessary foundation to navigate the legal landscape with confidence.
Available in our low-cost subscription platform, Wiley Business Now, with additional practice resources. It also includes an Instructor Resource Toolkit and is supported by our local Wiley team.
Table of Contents
1.1 Law and the business person
1.2 The nature of law
1.3 Justice, ethics and politics
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
2.1 The Australian legal system
2.2 The Australian Constitution
2.3 The executive government
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
3.1 The legislature
3.2 Parliament in operation
3.3 The judiciary
3.4 The doctrine of precedent
3.5 Alternative dispute resolution
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
4.1 Finding the law
4.2 Reading the law
4.3 Thinking like a lawyer
4.4 Writing like a lawyer
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
5.1 Causing harm
5.2 Deliberately causing harm to person or property
5.3 Deliberately causing financial harm
5.4 The consequences of causing harm
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
6.1 Carelessly causing harm to person or property
6.2 Carelessly causing financial harm
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
7.1 Contracts
7.2 Requirement 1: agreement
7.3 Requirement 2: intention
7.4 Requirement 3: consideration
7.5 Formalities
7.6 Capacity to contract
7.7 Legality
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
8.1 Express terms
8.2 Terms implied by the court
8.3 Statutory terms
8.4 Disclaimers
8.5 Unenforceable terms
8.6 Non-contractual representations and promises
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
9.1 Entitlement to enforce
9.2 Unenforceable contracts: lack of consent
9.3 Remedies
9.4 The end of the contract
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
10.1 Getting someone else to do it
10.2 Scope of authority
10.3 The agent’s duties
10.4 The agent’s entitlements
10.5 Liability of agent and principal
10.6 Concluding the agency
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
11.1 Protecting consumers
11.2 Dealing with consumers
11.3 Consequences of contravention
11.4 Consumer privacy
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
12.1 Protecting competition
12.2 Dealing with competitors
12.3 Prohibited conduct
12.4 Consequences of breach
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
13.1 Intellectual property law
13.2 Copyright
13.3 Trade marks
13.4 Patents
13.5 Designs
13.6 Breach of confidence
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
14.1 Preparation
14.2 Licences and registration
14.3 Renting or buying the premises
14.4 Opening for business
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
15.1 The sole trader
15.2 The partnership
15.3 The trust
15.4 The franchise
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
16.1 The company
16.2 Corporate finance
16.3 Corporate governance
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
17.1 Making payments
17.2 Recovering debts
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
18.1 Taking out insurance
18.2 Paying tax
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
19.1 Employee or independent contractor?
19.2 Employer obligations
19.3 Workplace conditions
19.4 Termination of employment
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
20.1 Financial difficulty
20.2 Personal insolvency
20.3 Corporate insolvency
20.4 Closing the business
Summary
Concept check
Exercises
Key terms
Author
Professor James is Co-Director of the Bond University Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLE), Co-Chair of the Council of Australian Law Deans (CALD), President of the Australasian Animal Law Teachers Association (AALTRA), former Chair of the Australasian Law Academics Association (ALAA), and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law.
Available in Semester 1 2025
Explore our content
This comprehensive textbook is expertly designed to meet the specific needs of business students undertaking a 13-week business law course. It not only covers essential legal concepts but also uniquely provides a dedicated chapter on developing foundational legal skills, teaching students how to find, interpret, and apply the law.
Through the integration of case law, real-world scenarios, and engaging examples, students gain a practical understanding of how the law functions in business contexts. Each chapter begins and concludes with relatable, everyday situations, ensuring that complex legal principles are contextualised and easily understood.
The 7th edition of this text is thoroughly updated to reflect recent legislative changes and societal shifts, including developments in areas such as consumer law, privacy, AI, and legal technology. It also places a stronger emphasis on inclusivity, showcasing the perspectives of First Australians and addressing contemporary legal challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, globalisation, and climate change.
Interactive features, including concept check questions and an accompanying practice resources available in Wiley Business Now subscription, help students reinforce their knowledge and apply what they’ve learned.
Key features of Business Law 7th Edition:
- Tailored for Business Students: Specifically tailored for business students, covering all key topics for a 13-week business law course.
- Foundational Legal Skills: Includes a unique chapter dedicated to developing foundational legal skills — how to find, understand, and apply the law.
- Recent Legislative Changes: Incorporates recent legislative changes across multiple areas, including consumer law, privacy law, company law, copyright law, and more.
- Legal Developments: Reflects legal changes like the creation of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
- Integrated Case Law: Enhances understanding with real-world examples.
- Contextual Scenarios: Each chapter begins and ends with scenarios that demonstrate real-world application.
- Case Boxes: Summaries of key legal cases and their significance.
- Law in Context: Practical illustrations of legal principles in business operations.
- Emerging Topics: Expanded coverage of technology, including cybersecurity, blockchain, smart contracts, and AI.
- First Australians’ Perspectives: Greater emphasis on First Australians’ perspectives, promoting inclusivity and diversity.
- Updated Examples: Modern, relevant scenarios in ‘Example’ boxes.
- Technology Coverage: Expanded content on cybersecurity, blockchain, smart contracts, and AI.
- Practical Insights: Added to ‘Managing a business’ chapters for real-world application.
- Capstone Case: The Lame Duck Café case demonstrates practical application of key concepts.
- Contemporary Developments: Discusses ‘The Voice’ referendum and the shift towards a cashless society.
- COVID-19 Impact: Explores legal ramifications of the pandemic.
- Enhanced Explanations: Key concepts and modern legal research techniques.
- User Guide: Comprehensive overview of features, examples, exercises, and revision questions.
Take a closer look:
Interactives and Key Features
Available as a interactive e-text or printed textbook, with both subscription or buy-to-own access models. This title empowers students to master concepts and excel in assessments. Lecturers are supported with an extensive, easy-to-use teaching and learning package.
The only text that includes a chapter designed to develop foundational legal skills – How to find, understand and use the law.
Foundations of law chapter
Case boxes provide interesting summaries of the issues in relevant legal cases.
Case boxes
Boxed features offer practical illustrations of legal principles within business operations.
Featured: law in context
This capstone case shows the practical application of key concepts in most chapters through a recurring case.
Lame Duck Cafe capstone case
Featured in our digital eText are multiple-choice questions provide immediate feedback, reinforcing learning and identifying areas that may need further review.
Concept check questions (eText)
Our digital eText includes perspectives from ANZ practitioners on topics from the chapter.
Practitioner videos (eText)
Students can personalise their eText by highlighting and taking notes, as well other useful tools like the read aloud.
Personalisation features (eText)
Access Options
Wiley is committed to creating innovative delivery options that cater to students, libraries and institutions, our texts are available with multiple purchase models to ensure flexibility and meet the needs of our diverse customers.
Student Purchase Options
At Wiley Direct, students can explore subscription or buy-to-own options (inc. Print & eText) – with 10% off and free shipping, click here
Library Provisioned
This text can be provisioned by your university library with unlimited student access, as well as other options, click here
Institution Provisioned
When your department wants to provision the text for students – we can help. To discover more click here
Practice Resources
Available exclusively in Wiley Business Now, inclusive of the semester or monthly subscription price.
Solution Manual
Answers to every odd-numbered question posed in the text. Students can check their understanding, boost self-study and excel at exam preparation.
Instructor Resource Toolkit
Our Instructor Resource Toolkit is designed to seamlessly integrate the text content into your teaching, saving you time and boosting student engagement. It includes a variety of customisable tools, guides and assessment.*
Pre-made PowerPoint slides save you time in your course set-up, while the ability to customise the content means you can build it to suit your courses learning outcomes.
The Instructor Resource Guide includes class exercises for each chapter, aimed at evaluating student comprehension during discussions.
Access to a comprehensive LMS-ready test bank. This collection of customisable exam and quiz questions are designed to assess students’ understanding of key concepts and learning objectives.
Local Wiley Support
This text is proudly published and supported by a local team dedicated to enriching learning experiences for ANZ based students and instructors.
Meet with your Wiley Representative!
- Take a customised tour of the text features tailored to your course learning objectives
- Explore the Instructor Resources available to you
- Learn about the access models available to students, or ways your university can provision the text
- Request a review copy or sample materials
- Discuss the needs of your course and how we can assist you
*The Instructor Resource Toolkit is only available to educators in Australian, New Zealand & Pacific Universities. Our team will verify all requests for access. Once your request is verified, you will be able to login and download the resources from the Instructor Companion site. *All prices on this page are AUD