LLB Law with Criminology

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Property Law I

Course unit fact file
Unit code LAWS20110
Credit rating 30
Unit level Level 2
Teaching period(s) Full year
Offered by Law
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This is a compulsory course for students on the LLB Law programmes and is one of the course units contributing to Qualifying Law Degree status. The course starts with a general introduction to principles of property law and briefly outlines the development of Equity and the trust mechanism. The first substantive part of the course will cover the creation of express trusts, including secret trusts and private purpose trusts, and the legal formalities for the transfer of property. The second part of the course moves on to consider express trusts in practice, looking at the powers and duties of trustees, and then considers the role of non-express trusts in the family home and the role of statutory trusts that are imposed where there is co-ownership of land. The course provide a foundation for further study of property law and related courses at Level 3.

Aims

  • introduce students to the law of property in England and Wales, with a focus on the role of Equity and the development of the trust mechanism;
  • develop a broad understanding of the role of Equity in the creation and use of express and non-express trusts and the legal nature and characteristics of these different types of trusts
  • contribute to the development of key legal skills, including finding, interpreting and analysing primary legal sources; identifying legal issues and applying law and legal reasoning to problem scenarios; and explaining, analysing and evaluating the law and the legal system of England and Wales in the context of property law;

promote effective and reflective independent learning;

  • provide a foundation for further study of property law and related courses

Teaching and learning methods

This course unit will use a blended learning approach to teaching and learning incorporating a range of synchronous and asynchronous methods.

Seminars will include a variety of problem and essay-based questions which students will be asked to prepare in advance. Some seminars may require collaborative group work, whether before or during the seminar, or may require students to undertake tasks beforehand designed to advance their practical skills and enhance their understanding of the subject matter.

Students will be encouraged to contribute to the moderated discussion boards on Blackboard throughout the year. These provide the opportunity to clarify understanding of difficult topics, consider linkages between the different topics and reflect upon the nature and roles of Equity and trusts in the legal system of England and Wales. Students will also have the opportunity to complete online multiple choice questions for topics, enabling them to monitor and evaluate their learning.

Knowledge and understanding

  • explain the role of Equity in the legal system of England and Wales in the context of property law;
  • explain the concept of a trust and demonstrate coherent knowledge and understanding of how and why trusts are created expressly, impliedly or by operation of law in the legal system of England and Wales;
  • demonstrate knowledge and understanding of current tensions and debates within the law of Equity and trusts, enabling students to speculate in an informed manner on possible future developments.

Intellectual skills

  • identify and analyse the primary sources of Equity and trusts;
  • assessing, evaluating and developing structured and coherent arguments in relation to

Equity and trusts aspects of property law in England and Wales;

  • recognise property law issues and apply relevant law and legal reasoning to problem scenarios.

Practical skills

- demonstrate competence in the use of a range of library, electronic and online legal sources including cases, statutes, Law Commission reports, textbooks and databases.

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • construct and articulate relevant arguments orally and in writing;
  • think logically, identify issues and apply relevant problem-solving techniques;
  •  find, read and correctly reference academic and policy material from a wide range of sources;
  • independently and effectively manage study-time and deadlines.

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written exam 100%

Feedback methods

The summative assessment comprises an open book online examination at the end of the course. The learning outcomes will be assessed through multiple choice questions, problem questions and essay style questions. The MCQ component will be scheduled separately to the written exam. Individual feedback on exam scripts, cohort feedback and outline of issues will be published when results are available.

Students will also have a formative exam at the end of Semester 1 and individual and group feedback will be provided following the submission of the formative assessment and during seminars. Online MCQs will be available for students to test their understanding of topics throughout the year and electronic feedback will be provided. The revision will also consider exam technique and provide commentary on examples of exam answers from previous years.

Students will be encouraged to contribute to the moderated discussion boards on Blackboard throughout the year. These provide the opportunity to clarify understanding of difficult topics, consider linkages between the different topics and reflect upon the nature and roles of Equity and trusts in the legal system of England and Wales.

Recommended reading

1. Introductory Textbooks

S. Gardner, An Introduction to the Law of Trusts (3rd ed OUP, 2011)

A. Hudson, Understanding Equity and Trusts (6th ed Routledge, 2016)

F. Lawson and B. Rudden, The Law of Property (3rd ed OUP, 2002)

S. Panesar, General Principles of Property Law (Pearson, 2001)

M. Ramjohn, Beginning Equity and Trusts (Routledge, 2013)

2. Shorter Textbooks

S. Atkins, Equity and Trusts (2nd ed Routledge, 2016)

A. Hudson,Principles of Equity and Trusts (Routledge, 2016)

J. Penner, The Law of Trusts (10th ed OUP, 2016)

G. Watt, Trusts and Equity (9th ed OUP, 2020)

G. Watt, Equity and Trusts Law Directions (6th ed OUP, 2019)

C. Webb and T. Akkouh, Trusts Law (5th ed Palgrave, 2017)

M. Ramjohn, Unlocking Equity and Trusts (8th ed Routledge, 2019)

3. Major Textbooks

R. Clements and A. Abbas, Complete Equity and Trusts: Text, Cases and Materials (4th ed OUP, 2015)

P. Davies, G. Virgo, Equity & Trusts: Text, Cases and Materials (3rd ed OUP, 2019)

J. Glister and J. Lee, Hanbury and Martin: Modern Equity (20th ed Sweet & Maxwell, 2015)

C. Huws, Text, Cases and Materials on Equity and Trusts (Pearson, 2014)

R. Pearce and W. Barr, The Law of Trusts and Equitable Obligations (7th ed OUP, 2015)

G. Virgo, The Principles of Equity and Trusts (3rd ed OUP, 2018)

S. Wilson, Todd and Wilson's Textbook on Trusts and Equity (12th ed OUP, 2015)

J. Garton, R. Probert and G. Bean, Moffat's Trusts Law (7th ed CUP, 2020)

Core Textbook: S. Panesar, Equity and Trusts (4th ed Pearson, 2020)

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 40
Seminars 8

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Gillian Ulph Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Restricted to students on the LLB Law programmes for whom this subject is compulsory.

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