LLB Law / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Law in Practice (semester 1)

Course unit fact file
Unit code LAWS31201
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 3
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This is an optional course for students in the final year of the LLB programmes. It builds on students' training and experience in various legal processes, develops students' transferrable skills and prepares them for further study and employment.

This course requires students to conduct self-directed research including retrieval and evaluation of accurate current and relevant information from a range of appropriate sources.

 

Pre/co-requisites

Restricted to final students within the School of Law on the LLB (Law), LLB (Law with Politics) and LLB (Law with Criminology) programmes.

Aims

The course will provide students with an opportunity for critical self-reflection of their participation in the project and will particularly seek to:

  1. Enhance students' ability to identify, develop and evidence their oral and written skills, both specific and transferable;
  2. Understand the importance of and demonstrate critical reflection;
  3. Be grounded in practical experiences so students will be able to approach a working environment with a deeper understanding of civil justice processes, procedures and problem-solving;
  4. Enable students to explore and apply legal rules, doctrines and concepts in 'the real world';
  5. Expose students to the professional and social contexts of law, how practitioners are regulated, and facilitate students' appreciation of ethics and values;
  6. Enable active reflection on past and present experiences;
  7. Require students to understand and critically evaluate their learning experiences.

 

Knowledge and understanding

LO1: Demonstrate an understanding of the legal process and effective procedures of the legal advice centre in preparing research, applying the law to the facts and providing effective legal advice;

LO2: Facilitate critically reflective appreciation of legal ethics and values and the professional and socio-economic context in which legal services are provided.

LO3: Develop an awareness of the dynamics of legal relationships and processes in advice and casework;

LO4: Demonstrate a critical understanding of access to justice and/or social justice issue through independent research.

LO5: Demonstrate critical self-reflection and the development of personal and professional skills.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Other 50%
Written assignment (inc essay) 50%

Assessment is -

Legal Advice Centre (‘LAC’) Case File & Reflective Coursework (2,000 words) (collective mark of 50%)

AND

Access to Justice Essay (2,000 words) (50%)

 

Legal Advice Centre Case File assessed against learning outcomes:

LO1: Demonstrate an understanding of the legal process and effective procedures of the legal advice centre in preparing research, applying the law to the facts and providing effective legal advice;

LO3: Develop an awareness of the dynamics of legal relationships and processes in advice and casework;

 

Reflective Coursework assessed against learning outcome:

LO2: Facilitate critically reflective appreciation of legal ethics and values and the professional and socio-economic context in which legal services are provided.

LO5: Demonstrate critical self-reflection and the development of personal and professional skills.

 

Access to Justice Essay assessed against learning outcomes:

LO2: Facilitate critically reflective appreciation of legal ethics and values and the professional and socio-economic context in which legal services are provided.

LO4: Demonstrate a critical understanding of access to justice and/or social justice issue through independent research.

Feedback methods

Formative

Submit Access to Justice Essay Title (compulsory) and Plan (optional) on or before specified date for approval and feedback.

Submit Reflective Coursework Plan (optional) on or before specified date for feedback.

Casework in the LAC.

Feedback is also provided in weekly group workshop sessions.

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Fintan Walker Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Contact Hours

Initial training - 6 hrs;

Workshop/lectures 10 x 2hrs;

Supervision in LAC clinics;

Online discussions/tutorials;

Meetings with Supervising Lawyers/LAC case work.

 

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