The Law of Business Organizations

This book gives a concise introduction to the German law of business organizations. After outlining the corporate legal framework within Germany, the book addresses some basic issues of international and European business law, such as the law applicable to corporations engaged in cross-border activities. Special emphasis is placed on some recent developments in the European Common Market. The book then describes the various types of German business organizations with a special focus on the German Limited Liability Company (GmbH) and the German Stock Corporation (AG). Key issues such as the incorporation of various business forms, questions of designing corporate contracts, corporate governance issues and the liability of shareholders and managers are also explained. The book also provides a brief outline of some recent developments in European company law with a special focus on the new multinational corporate form of the European Company (SE).