International Business Negotiation
This course is structured around a semester-long, simulated negotiation exercise which is intended to provide an in-depth study of the structuring and negotiating of an international business transaction. This class will be taught in counterpart with a class at Northwestern Law School. Students in this class (which will include both JD and MBA students) will represent a US pharmaceutical company, and the students in the class at Northwestern will represent an African agricultural production company. The two companies are interested in working together to exploit a new technology developed by the pharmaceutical company that uses the cassava produced by the African agricultural production company. The form of their collaboration could be a joint venture, a licensing agreement or a long term supply contract. The negotiations between the two classes will take place through written exchanges and through real-time negotiation via state of the art "Telepresence" videoconferences. The course provides students with an opportunity to gain insight into the dynamics of negotiating and structuring international business transactions, to learn about the role that lawyers, law and business play in these negotiations, and to develop experience in drafting communications and actual negotiations. Students will also learn about the legal and business issues that may arise in joint ventures, supply agreements and licensing agreements.