Commercial Law and Bankruptcy involves how debt is created, financed, restructured or enforced. The courses build on the first year Contracts course -- the legal concepts involved in selling goods, incurring payment obligations, and securing obligations -- as well as the federal bankruptcy law and the restructuring of businesses.  

Commercial law includes making contracts for the purchase of goods and for the security lending financing those purchases. Basic courses in this area study the principles for the sale and lease of goods as well as secured transactions.  

Bankruptcy law involves allocating losses when a firm or individual is unable to meet its financial obligations. Debtors who are insolvent and creditors who are owed money from a bankrupt company are both under the jurisdiction of the federal bankruptcy scheme. 

Attorneys who practice in commercial law and bankruptcy represent business clients in litigation or transactional work, and some do both. Commercial lawyers negotiate and draft contracts for purchases, including financing. Commercial litigators resolve disputes that have not turned out as expected. 

Whether negotiating or litigating disputes, the issues will arise in all practice settings: "BigLaw", in-house counsel, and any size practice, including solo practice. 

We offer a wide range of relevant courses. Not every course is offered regularly, and to be a well-rounded lawyer you should take many other courses as well.   

Courses foundational to the topic 

• Business Associations 
• Civil Procedure  
• Contract Law 

Courses focused on the topic 

• Banking Law  
• Bankruptcy  
• Consumer Law
• Enforcement of Judgements and Liens
• Financing the Start-Up Business and Venture Capital Financing
• Sales
• Secured Transactions 

Courses related to the topic 

• Advanced Trial Advocacy  
• Alternative Dispute Resolution  
• Drafting Business Agreements  
• Interviewing, Negotiating and Counseling  
• Trial Advocacy 

• Our relevant combination degrees include Business, Accountancy, Economics, and others 

• Family and Small Business Program 

Our relevant student organizations include: 

• Business Law Association 
• South Carolina Journal of International Law & Business  

These (and other) faculty and staff may be available to advise you, supervise your own legal research ("SLR"), or hire you as a research assistant. Learn about them through their biographies, and then consider reaching out. 

• Professor Cassandra Jones Havard 
• Professor Etienne Toussaint

• SC Bar Corporate, Banking, and Securities Law Section 
• SC Bar Construction Law Section 
• SC Bar Consumer Law Section