Sunday, December 19, 2010

Math for Business Lawyers

Over a recent afternoon run I discussed with my colleague Peter a class I'd like to create and teach or co-teach: Math for Business Lawyers. I envision its being one credit, taught in a single 13-hour week just before the first week of class in the fall. It would be targeted to 2Ls, but of course open to any upper-level student. It would be strongly suggested for any student taking upper level business law electives who does not come from an accounting, finance, business, economics, math or science background.

The purposes are to avoid the necessity of my explaining how to calculate simple interest in Secured Transactions and Bankruptcy; to shorten the time required to calculate HHIs in Antitrust; to ensure that when I say "expected value" or "time value of money" the student knows what that means without explanation. Peter and I have also commiserated over "number-phobia," which is the glassed-over look when numbers go on the blackboard during class and pathetic efforts to respond to the simplest of questions requiring calculations on the exam. The course would qualify as a skills course, which would help to meet the increasingly onerous ABA requirements.

I'd love help compiling a top-10 list of things to cover. What basic math concepts do others see in their classes?

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