Contract and Company Law

Learning Outcomes

  1. Know the types of contractual relations existing in the Portuguese legal system, in terms of non-public contracts.
  2. Know the legal construction of civil contracts (in the strictest sense) and consumer contracts.
Know the legal construction and legislation concerning civil societies and commercial companies.

Study Program

  • Introduction to Law – brief notions of organicity and materiality of the Portuguese legal system.
    • Concept and functions of Portugal's sovereign
    • Sources of law and fundamental dynamics of the legal system. The legal norm. The application of law in time and space. Interpretation and integration of gaps in law.
  • Introduction to the fundamental problems of the Law of Obligations. Notion of obligation. The legal positions of the creditor and debtor – The principles of autonomy and good faith in the formation of contracts. Types of obligations. Compliance and non-compliance with obligations. Late payment and definitive non-compliance – assumptions and consequences.
  • Contractual liability and non-contractual liability. i) the agent’s voluntary act; ii) illegality; iii) fault (types of intent and types of negligence); iv) the damage (property and non-property damage); the causal link between the fact and the damage (assumptions and way of measuring). Compensation as a typical sanction in contractual liability.
  • The purchase and sale contract. Concept, form, effects, and scope of application.
  • The service provision contract. The various modalities: work contract, mandate, and deposit. Concept, form, effects, and scope of application of these contracts.
  • Introduction to Consumer Consumer rights and their judicial and extrajudicial protection. The general security obligation. Characteristics of consumer contracts. Unfair commercial practices.
  • Introduction to company law. Civil and commercial societies – typology, functions, and scope of applicability. Personality and legal capacity of companies.
  1. Legal assumptions for creating a company. The partners, the firm, the social pact and the share capital.
  2. Operation of online business creation
ii) The possibility of registering brands and patents. How to register trademarks and patents.

Bibliography

 

 

Principal

 

Menezes Leitão, L. (2022) Direito das Obrigações. Vol. I – Introdução. Da Constituição das Obrigações. Edições Almedina.

Menezes Leitão, L. (2021) Direito das Obrigações. Vol. II – Transmissão e Extinção das Obrigações. Não Cumprimento e Garantias de Crédito. Edições Almedina.

 

Falcão, D. (2023) Lições de Direito do Consumo. Edições Almedina.

Dias Pereira, A. (2023) Compêndio de Direito Empresarial. Imprensa da Universidade de Coimbra. (Em acesso aberto.)

 

 

Secundária

 

Código Civil

Código das Sociedades Comerciais

Falcão, D. (2023) Direito do Consumo – Coletânea de Legislação Fundamental. Edições
Almedina.