Categories: Business, Corporate, Commercial Law Economic Regulation
Instructor(s) Cohen, Adrian
The Payments course covers all major forms of modern payment systems, including checks and the banking system, promissory notes, credit and debit cards and wire transfers. In other words, Payments is about the types of things that businesses and consumers deal with every day, even though they may not fully understand the rules that apply and the consequences of actions they take within the payment systems. For example, most people don’t realize that if they merely place their signature on a promissory note, frivolously and without any intent to bind themselves to pay the note, they in fact become obligated to pay the note…and may not be able to even raise any defense to payment (such as, to use an extreme example, “I was just showing off my new style of signature…that’s why I signed sideways down the side of the note!”) The course provides comprehensive analysis of the types of problems that clients frequently address with their lawyers…and with people who potential clients know are lawyers. It is invaluable for any lawyer who may deal with business or consumer clients because virtually every payment made in our country by every individual every day carries layers of significance that go far beyond the mere act of incurring, paying or collecting on a debt. The course covers Articles Three and Four of the Uniform Commercial Code, and studies the federal statutes and regulations that govern check processing and credit and debit transactions, in a relaxed way that aims to make you feel comfortable with the rules so you can apply them with confidence when faced with questions lay people (and bar examiners) may, and almost certainly will, ask on the topic.
