M&A as One Component of a Business Planning Course

Abstract

This article describes how mergers and acquisitions ("M&A") can be taught in law school as one component of a business planning course that also addresses other stages of a business's development, such as the start-up and financing of growth stages. This approach to covering M&A is in contrast to a curricular offering that focuses solely on M&A for an entire semester. The benefits and costs of such an M&A module approach are identified, and the key pedagogical features of the M&A segment are explained. One critical factor for successful pedagogy is for the professor to collaborate with both an experienced transactional lawyer and a seasoned transactional business person. Effective partnering in this way requires the professor to articulate clearly to those cohorts the importance of transmitting practical knowledge and experience, to be sure, but doing so while being especially mindful of the teaching/learning process itself. For those lawyers and business persons who can successfully combine deep sophistication with attentiveness to the teaching function -- a challenge in one or two-day "cameo" appearances -- the pedagogical payoff is immense. This article pays special attention to the crucial role of the business "deal person" in this approach to M&A.

Keywords: mergers, mergers and acquisitions, M&A, corporate law, legal education, transactional law, transactional legal education