LGLS
3020 - INTRODUCTION
TO LAW
Links updated on April 24, 2012
Business Culture Meets Law
in Florence Program
Professor Perry Binder
Required Books and
Web Reading
REQUIRED -
Stern,
The Buffalo Creek Disaster
(Vintage Books 1977)
http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Creek-Disaster-coal-mining-company--/dp/0307388492/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320260364&sr=1-1
REQUIRED - FREE ONLINE TEXT:
Don Mayer,
Daniel Warner, George Siedel and Jethro K. Lieberman.
Business Law and the Legal Environment (November 2011)
(chapters to read are highlighted in green lettering below)
Italy News:
Skim the news to find timely law cases for class
http://www.theflorentine.net/index.asp
http://news.yahoo.com/topics/italy
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/italy
http://www.corriere.it/english/
http://ansa.it/web/notizie/rubriche/english/english.shtml
- wire service
I. The U.S. and Italian Court Systems -
Binder Clips on the Courts
Skim Chapters 3 and 52 of
Business Law and the Legal Environment
Evolving Case Studies in U.S. and Italian Law
A. Amanda Knox case (see links below)
B. Liability for Carnival Cruise Lines?
Lawsuits filed in United States federal and state courts
Costa
Cruises Group (acquired by Carnival in 2000) -
Offices worldwide
Headquarters: Piazza Piccapietra 48 - 16121
Genoa; Via De Marini 60 - 16149 Genoa
Video:
Italian Cruise Ship Disaster
Video:
Costa
Concordia coast guard tape: Get back on board Captain Schettino!
C.
The U.S. court
system explained - Visit the web site for
The U.S. Consulate in
Florence
Federal Court System
State of
Georgia Court System
D.
Italy's Court System (pdf)
How Laws
Become Laws in Italy
What is the
European Union (EU)?
How the EU Works (pdf)
What are
the EU governing institutions?
What are
EU Directives?
How do cases reach the EU Court of Justice?
Amanda Knox in the News (skim articles)
YouTube: Amanda Knox
Acquitted on October 3, 2011; Found Guilty of Criminal Slander
February 6, 2012 -
Amanda Knox Appeals Slander Conviction In Italy
October 9, 2011
-
7 Things the Amanda Knox Case Taught Us About Studying Abroad
- by Perry Binder
October
3, 2011 -
Conviction Overturned
February 19, 2011
Slaying
scene removed from Lifetime movie
February 15, 2011
Knox's
parents face criminal libel charges in Italy
December 18, 2010
Full
review of DNA evidence is granted by appeals court
April 22, 2010
Convicted Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini May Return for "Appealing" Courtroom Drama
April 17, 2010
Defense
files appeal - will call new witnesses (unlike a U.S. appeal) and focus on DNA
evidence
April 15, 2010
Prosecutor seeks life sentence
for Amanda Knox
April 12, 2010 VIDEO:
Amanda
Knox Speaks (off camera) From Jail with Reporter
March 19, 2010
Amanda
Knox Court Victory: Wins Civil Invasion of Privacy Lawsuit Against Media Outlet
The
notebooks did not become evidence in
March 18, 2010
Italian
Police Bombshell: We Knew She Was Guilty of Murder Without Physical Evidence
March 8, 2010 -
University of Washington newspaper account
by Lexie Krell
March 6, 2010 -
Delitto
Perugia, the latest twist but how many lies for Alessi and Guede
(hit "Translate to English")
March 4, 2010 -
Knox
jurors found no planning, malice in Kercher's slaying
March 4, 2010 -
Knox
charged with crime of Slander
(facing 2-6 years under Italian law)
February 2010 -
Prosecutor Mignini files at least 10 defamation actions
II.
Criminal Justice Issues in the U.S. and Italian Courts
Skim Chapter 6 of
Business Law and the Legal
Environment
The Monster of
Florence case
- YouTube
interview with writer Douglas Preston
Compare The Monster of Florence case with:
A. Amanda Knox case
B. The Son of Sam case
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/berkowitz/letter_1.html
YouTube Movie Trailer:
Summer of Sam (.44 caliber killer)
C. Arnold and Jesse Friedman case
YouTube Documentary Trailer:
Capturing the Friedmans
Complex
Persecution - Arnold and Jesse Friedman
Arnold and Jesse Friedman article - by Perry Binder
Skim: Parolee Jesse Friedman's
website
D. State of Georgia v. Calvin Johnson
A Case of Actual Innocence in Georgia
YouTube: Calvin Johnson
accepts award from Innocence Project
III. Business Law Issues in Italy and the U.S.
A. INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY FOR THE ITALIAN ARTS
Skim Chapter 32 of
Business Law and the Legal
Environment
When something useful is
a work of art
When
glass is an art form
Florence "WIPO" Arbitration ruling:
Case dealing with trademarks and domain names
IP Tool Kit for
Italy
·
European Commission: Intellectual Property – Italy
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/business/competing-through-innovation/protecting-intellectual-property/italy/index_en.htm
·
Italian Patent and Trademark Office (in Italian)
http://www.uibm.gov.it/index.php
·
The Italian Chambers of Commerce: Protect Enterprises and
Consumers – Patents and Trademarks
http://www.chamberofcommerce.it/inglese/brevetti-.asp
Other IP Resources
http://export.gov/italy/doingbusinessinitaly/eg_it_025957.asp
http://export.gov/italy/doingbusinessinitaly/stop039452.asp
http://ipinfos.com/ipmenu/country/italy.htm
B. U.S. & EU EMPLOYEES/OTHERS IN TROUBLE ON THE WEB
CPK Server Fired for Tweets: Did He Deserve It?
Facebook entry gets office worker fired
EMT fired over Facebook murder victim photo?
IBM staffer posts pics on Facebook, loses insurance benefits
UK: Worker fired for writing negative comment about company on Facebook
Swedish McDonald’s employee fired for blog post
EMPLOYER SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES
8% of US Companies
Have Sacked Social Media Folks
Washington Post's
Social Media Guidelines Paint Staff Into Virtual Corner
Q&A With Perry on
Employee Participation in Social Media and Blogging
Perry's
Presentation on Employee Blogging - Business benefits and legal pitfalls
10 Must-Haves for
Your Social Media Policy
C.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS ISSUES (time permitting after The Buffalo Creek Disaster
case below)
Skim Chapters 33-36 of
Business Law and the Legal Environment
Privacy Law - Italy
Convicts Google/YouTube Execs in absentia on Privacy Invasion Charges (appeal in
process)
http://www.fastcompany.com/1560995/google-youtube-italy-law-legal-court-bullying-video-students-privacy
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/technology/companies/25google.html?pagewanted=all
Family Law
Facebook a treasure trove for divorce lawyers
Child custody issue - Georgia or Italy?
Personal & Real Property law
GA
Tenant Rights
AJC's BORROWER BEWARE
Estate Law
Living will?
Inheritance laws in Italy
A cat in Italy inherits over $15 mn fortune
IV. Civil Justice Issues in Italy and the U.S.
Skim Negligence material in Chapter 7 of
Business Law and the Legal Environment
The Buffalo Creek Disaster case -
Buffalo Creek
Documentary
We'll be using The
Buffalo Creek Disaster as a case study (and comparing GA and
Italian law) What
went wrong?
GA Attorney-client privilege
GA Conflict of interest
GA Rule on Attorney
solicitation/advertising
Compare Buffalo Creek case with:
A.
Italian
executive convicted for steel plant fire
http://news.ca.msn.com/world/italian-reports-thyssenkrupp-executives-convicted
B. Upper Branch Mine Disaster
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/us/mine-owner-to-pay-200-million-in-west-virginia-explosion.html?_r=1&hp
Lessons of Justice for College Students: Grandpa versus Big Coal by Perry
Binder
C. BP Oil Spill Lawsuit
Engineer Arrested in BP Oil Spill Case
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/8466444/BP-oil-spill-lawsuits-whos-being-sued.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/06/bp-halliburton-gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill?newsfeed=true
Study in
Florence, Italy: Law & Business Communication classes