S. Research Seminar on Market Manipulation
Course Information
- Course Number
- L8426
- Curriculum Level
- Upperclass
- Areas of Study
- Corporate Law, Business, and Finance
- Type
- Seminar
- Additional Attributes
- New Course
Section 001 Information
Instructor

Section Description
This seminar is a “deep dive” into market manipulation, with an emphasis on the securities markets and extensions to commodities and futures as well. We begin with the history of prohibitions on market manipulation and literature on the conditions under which manipulation is expected to be profitable. We then critically appraise enforcement actions and criminal prosecutions for specific types of manipulation: wash trading / matched orders, spoofing and layering, “open-market” strategies like banging the close and cross-market manipulation, as well as “pump and dump” and “short and distort” cases. We consider jurisprudence on private damages claims under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Commodities Exchange Act and issues like standing, class certification and damages. We also consider manipulation claims under the antitrust laws. Finally, we conclude by considering to what extent traditional academic critiques of securities class actions apply to market manipulation cases.
- School Year & Semester
- Spring 2024
- Location
- WJWH 101
- Schedule
-
Class meets on
- Tuesday
- Points
- 2
- Method of Evaluation
- Paper
- J.D Writing Credit?
- Minor (automatic)
- Major (only upon consultation)
- LLM Writing Project
- Upon consultation
Learning Outcomes
- Primary
-
- At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in a specific body of law, including major policy concerns
- At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in doctrinal analysis, including close reading of cases and precedents, and application to facts
- At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in statutory and regulatory analysis, including close reading of statutes and regulations, and application to facts
- At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in use of other disciplines in the analysis of legal problems and institutions, e.g., philosophy; economics,other social sciences; and cultural studies
- At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in various lawyering skills, for example, oral advocacy, legal writing and drafting, legal research, negotiation, and client communication
- At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in academic research and writing.
- At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in transactional design and value creation.
Course Limitations
- Instructor Pre-requisites
- None
- Instructor Co-Requisites
- None
- Requires Permission
- No
- Recommended Courses
- None
- Other Limitations
- None