[BUS 370 – M&A Law and Finance Spring 2026]
The following information should be in all syllabi.
I. COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Fabio Marazzi
Instructor’s Email: fmarazzi@fus.edu
Office location: Kaletsch Campus Faculty office 8
Office Hours: by appointment
Class location: Kaletsch Campus classroom 6
Class meeting times: Monday 10:00-12:45
II. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This special topics course will feature lectures and student-centered activities, focusing on cross-border M&A operations from non-binding offers to sale agreements. The students will be instructed and led by experts in M&A transactions, and the activities will be taught from a common law perspective.
A strong emphasis of the course will be an experiential learning component that will include the implementation of a moot competition dividing students into 'Vendor Team' and 'Buyer Team' to simulate real-world M&A negotiations and presentations.
The teams will be tasked with creating persuasive arguments, negotiating terms, and producing documents relevant to a cross-border M&A transaction.
III. RATIONALE
This 1 credit course is a special topic class on mergers and acquisitions (M&A). It does not
serve as a required course in any major or minor at Franklin. The purpose of this course is to
provide students with an experiential learning environment on a relevant topic in finance that
helps students obtain practical experience and that will be taught from an interdisciplinary
perspective.
IV. COURSE GOALS
The objective of this course is to provide students with both theoretical and applied information on the execution of an international M&A deal. Students should develop an interdisciplinary perspective on how to approach international M&A deals with an emphasis on the development of analytical skills in order to deal with complex M&A transactions.
V. SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES
Apply managerial and economic concepts to real-world cases
Analyze real-world M&A cases and provide a critical evaluation of the relevant information
Create a critical response to real-world M&A cases by applying and contrasting different interdisciplinary trains of thought to managerial problems.
VI. REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
Several readings to students will be assigned throughout the semester
VII. ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
Participation (individual grade): 50%
Moot competition (group grade): 50%
VIII. ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Participation (individual grade): includes attendance, active participation in discussions and
during moot competition
Moot competition (group grade): includes the quality of the work of the produced
documents including the understanding and correct application of M&A principles to the
case, as well as negotiation skills, and overall professionalism: 50%
IX. GRADING POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS
At the end of the semester, a student’s total points will be translated into the final grade as determined by the following grading scale:
A: 93-100
A-: 90-92
B+: 87-89
B: 83-86
B-: 80-82
C+: 77-79
C: 73-76
C-: 70-72
D+: 67-69
D: 63-66
D-: 60-62
F: 0-59
X. HOW TO DO WELL IN THIS COURSE (POLICIES / REQUIREMENTS)
Attend the class.
- Read the assigned articles before class.
- Ask questions during class.
- After each class, carefully review your class notes.
XI. DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION IN OUR CLASSROOM
Mutual respect is fundamental for any academic community like Franklin. At Franklin, each individual’s difference and uniqueness enrich our environment. Our shared values and beliefs lead us to respect all members of the community that we live in, and to value each other as individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, genetics, age, or differences in ability. As members of the Franklin community, we support awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion through academic research, practical experiences and exchanges in everyday life.
All parties in the classroom space, including on class excursions and Academic Travel, are expected to:
Show respect for all, valuing differences in identities, perspectives, and backgrounds;
Engage in constructive dialogue that illustrates tolerance and respect for differing views and opinions;
Contribute to a learning environment that ensures equal opportunities for all, avoiding any behavior that may marginalize or exclude others;
Engage with course content and others in a culturally-aware manner, recognizing the impact of stereotypes, biases and assumptions.
Any form of discrimination, harassment, or disrespect based on identity will not be tolerated and should be reported immediately, either through the Bias Incident Reporting form on Moodle or by contacting the University-Wide Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at dei@fus.edu
Lived Name / Pronoun Syllabus Statement
I will gladly honor your request to address you by the name or gender pronoun that you choose. I will provide the opportunity for you to indicate your choice on the first day of class so that I may make appropriate changes to my records, and I am always open to change.
Including a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) statement in your syllabus can be a helpful step toward fostering a classroom where all students feel respected and supported. It communicates your dedication to creating a welcoming and supportive learning environment, encourages students to respect diverse perspectives, and promotes a sense of belonging. Beyond this, it highlights the university's commitment to these values and practices. Including a DEI statement helps cultivate a positive, inclusive learning experience for everyone. Consider this resource for suggestions and guidelines: Diversity & Inclusion Syllabus Statements | Sheridan Center | Brown University
Note that the Lived Name statement is recommended.
XII. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: STATEMENT ON CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM
A student whose actions are deemed by the University to be out of sympathy with the ideals, objectives or the spirit of good conduct as fostered by the University and Swiss community, may be placed on Disciplinary Probation or become subject to dismissal from the University. Cheating is a dishonest action out of sympathy with the ideals, objectives and spirit of the University. Furthermore, cheating reflects negatively on one’s personal integrity and is unjust to those students who have studied.
See the full statement here
XIII. RESOURCES AVAILABLE
Students with certified learning differences are entitled to accommodations for all in-class activities, including, but not limited to, assessments. To ensure that both the learning objectives of the course and the needs of the student are upheld, a discussion of how a student’s accommodations will be implemented in the course must take place. In order to allow adequate time for implementation of appropriate accommodations, this discussion must be requested by the student within the first two weeks of the semester. In the case of a delayed diagnosis, this request must take place as soon as possible, and within two weeks of official notification from the Franklin Office of Accessibility Services.
The course instructor may require the student to sign a contract specifying related rights and responsibilities.
XIV. COURSE SCHEDULE
Jan 19 Foundations of M&A and introductions to M&A
Jan 26 Regulatory framework and type and strategic motives for M&A, cultural differences
Feb 3 Typical M&A clauses and traps
Feb10 M&A in today’s world: intangible, tech. AI …
Feb 17 Moot competition and conclusions
- Teacher: Fabio Marazzi
- Teacher: David Suleiman