Professional Legal Skills - LAW00053M

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Module summary

This module is one of six integrated modules that make up the first phase (120 credits over two terms) of the LLM in Professional Practice (Corporate Commercial). This particular module is aimed at developing students' technical legal skills required in legal practice. These include interviewing, case analysis, problem-solving, advocacy, negotiation, research, writing and drafting. These skills will be developed and practised in the context of a range of corporate commercial transactions relating to the law and procedure of business organisations, property, litigation, employment, intellectual property and commercial transactions.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2023-24 to Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

The aim of the module is, in the context of a range of corporate commercial transactions and matters, to enable students to develop the technical legal skills required in corporate commercial legal practice. The module will be highly practical, with students practising and developing skills throughout the module, creating written outputs and performing oral legal skills in a variety of contexts. These skills will be integrated with aspects of commercial awareness and professionalism, and be exercised in simulated transactions and matters relating to business organisations, property, litigation, employment, intellectual property and commercial transactions.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to, in the context of corporate commercial transactions:

• plan and effect advanced research strategies to identify relevant law, procedural and documentary requirements, and commercial issues
• analyse facts and documents to identify client interests and legal issues, as a prelude to exercising legal skills to progress transactions and matters
• plan strategies for the exercise of legal technical skills
• apply the range of legal technical skills required by practitioners to engage with clients, peers and other professionals
• evaluate models and theories of legal skills practice
• provide clear, structured advice to clients
• reflect on personal development of technical legal skills and identify areas for further improvement

 

Module content

Skills will be developed and practised in the context of a range of corporate commercial transactions relating to the law and procedure of business organisations, property, litigation, employment, intellectual property and commercial transactions.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The reflective learning portfolio will require students to demonstrate, using evidence from transactional and matter outputs, and a reflective learning journal, how they have met the module learning outcomes.

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	100

Module feedback

Students will receive regular individual feedback from their supervisor on the outputs created in the context of the simulated client transactions and matters on which they will work throughout the module. Feedback on the final submissions for assessment will be provided in week 5 of Summer Term.

Indicative reading

S Slorach, J Embley, P Goodchild and C Shephard, Legal System and Skills, OUP, 2^nd Ed. 2015

Maughan C. & Webb J. Lawyering Skills and the Legal Process, (2^nd Ed.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2005

E. Finch & S. Fafinski, Legal Skills, OUP, 4^th Ed. 2013