Civil and Commercial Law Foundations
Core concepts
Understand contract formation: offer, acceptance, consideration or cause, capacity, and legality of object. Study the rules on interpretation, implied terms, and the effect of vitiating factors (mistake, fraud, duress, undue influence). Learn remedies: damages (expectation, reliance, restitution), specific performance, and rescission. Study the law of obligations, including tort liability for fault and strict liability in defined contexts. Understand property concepts: ownership, possession, transfer of title, and security interests. Learn commercial instruments, agency, and the basics of company law - separate legal personality and limited liability.
Traps
Questions test whether acceptance was communicated (the mirror-image rule and the postal rule where recognized). Another trap is confusing void and voidable contracts: a void contract has no legal effect; a voidable one is valid until avoided. Watch for questions on damages: expectation damages put the claimant in the position as if performed; reliance damages restore the pre-contract position.
Rule of thumb
For any contract question, run the formation checklist: offer, acceptance, consideration/cause, capacity, legality. Then ask: is there a vitiating factor? Then: what remedy restores the claimant?
Worked example
A seller agrees to sell a car, then sells it to a third party. The first buyer may claim damages for breach; specific performance may be unavailable because the subject matter is no longer with the seller.