Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professors Nancy Doyle and Elizabeth Ritter

LL.M Course 791 | 2 credit hours

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of complex derivative transactions currently utilized in the global financial marketplace; emphasis will be on how such transactions are structured, how they are utilized by market participants, and how they will be regulated under new U.S. federal law and regulations. Topics addressed will include: legal and policy issues that gave rise to the trading of these financial market products and changes to legislation and regulations affecting these markets in recent decades; varieties of swaps transactions involving various underlying commodities, including interest rates, currencies, agricultural and energy commodities, credit products such as credit default swaps, and equities; varieties of exchange-traded funds involving various underlying commodities including precious metals, energies, and securities; exchange-traded credit derivative products, including security and commodity options; and structured products. The course will focus on the growth and innovation in swaps and derivatives markets, market development prior to enactment of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and in-depth review of new financial reform statutes and regulations for these markets. Specifically, in addition to analyzing various types of swaps and derivatives, the course will address issues relating to swaps clearing, trading execution, recordkeeping, reporting, enforcement authorities, as well as exemptions from regulation. Focus of the course will be on understanding how market participants use complex derivatives, the benefits and risks of particular products, and the new regulatory landscape for such transactions.