With the interwoven global economy and close economic ties between the United Kingdom and the United States, UK barristers may well have reason to represent, or litigate against, American corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships or other business entities.  The complexities of American business law, which is a mixed system of federal and state regulation, may be daunting at first.  The goal of this lecture is to present some basic concepts in American corporate law to a Middle Temple audience, in hopes that listeners will approach their next encounter with an American firm with reasonable comfort and confidence.