This course will examine the fundamentals of finance and capital structures. The course will start with a focus on financial statement analysis and various measurements of company performance. The course will then explore the factors that influence the capital structuring decisions made by businesses, investors, and lenders.? The course will help students understand mergers, leveraged buyouts, long-term debt, and asset securitization with a focus on the tools necessary for a lawyer to render legal opinions.?Through participation in simulated transactions, students will draft memoranda evaluating the opportunities for a business to raise capital. The work will be based on both legal principles and business considerations. The course will prove useful for students who are interested in transactional work. (Credits may be applied towards the Transactional Law Practice concentration.)