Study

This course will focus on 3 different stages in the life of a company:  startup, growth, and private equity at the investment-bank/PE-fund scale (over half the semester is concentrated on this last category). 

The format for this course is unique. 

Teams of students (with diverse backgrounds) will act as investment-banking teams.  Each team will be given a small number of assignments relating to startups and growth equity.  Then, each team will focus on a capstone project for more than half the semester.  The scenario is that a well-known public company has asked the team to help it chose one of two public companies as an acquisition target.  The final work product will be an in-depth analysis of the client company and a reasoned selection of one of the two potential targets.  Each team will explain the basis for their selection in a report to the client and recommend a structure for the transaction to ensure the most efficient use of capital and markets.  These reports will be presented to the other members of the class at the end of the semester. 

Previous classes produced work rivaling that produced by some of the finest financial institutions in the world. 

The lectures provide the foundation to complete the various assignments.  When the course is over, each student will have gained an understanding of deal-making that will set them apart from their colleagues from other educational institutions. 

Special Notes:

*3 Credits

Spring 2022

Course Number	Course Credits	Evaluation Method	Instructor
358.02	Course Credits 3	Take-home examination Group project(s) Practical exercises Class participation	Bill Brown
Sakai site: https://sakai.duke.edu/portal/site/LAW-358-02-Sp22
Email list: LAW-358-02-Sp22@sakai.duke.edu