Juris Doctor Professional Writing - LAW00070M
Module summary
A JD student will agree with their supervisor a piece of professional writing that will encompass specific aspects of corporate commercial professional legal practice. The specific subject matter and format of the required output - 7,500 words - will be agreed between student and supervisor but the output should represent a piece of professional "know-how" with potential application in or to professional practice. Subject matter may have a focus on a specific transaction or transaction type; commercial litigation; regulation of the commercial or corporate sectors; corporate commercial legal practice; or corporate commercial client sectors, and the chosen format should be an output commonly written or encountered by practising lawyers.
Related modules
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2025-26 to Summer Semester 2025-26 |
Module aims
The aim of the module is to enable students to demonstrate and develop, in a chosen major piece of professional writing, legal understanding, skills, and professional and commercial awareness developed during their JD programme.
Module learning outcomes
Demonstrate a deep understanding of a chosen area of corporate commercial legal practice
Apply advanced skills of analysis in identifying key legal, practical, professional and commercial issues relevant to their chosen subject matter, and how such issues can be resolved
Apply critical reasoning skills in the analysis of an area of corporate commercial legal practice
Demonstrate a clear understanding of the interrelationships between law, legal practice and commerce, and how professional legal skills can be applied in managing such interrelationships
Communicate competently to professional audiences, demonstrating high standards of written skills, in a format familiar to professional lawyers
Demonstrate and apply an evaluative understanding of relevant commercial, financial, political and policy perspectives applicable to a chosen area of corporate commercial legal practice
Plan and manage a major piece of professional writing
Reflect on the development of a major piece of professional writing and act appropriately on feedback received
Module content
Students can draw upon and develop further any suitable content within the sphere of corporate commercial legal practice that has featured in their JD programme. The specific content (and format) of a student's chosen piece of professional writing must be agreed with their supervisor at the outset of the module.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
Non-compensatable
Additional assessment information
Students will receive formative feedback on their work from their supervisor as the output is developed.
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Students will receive written feedback on their assessment within the terms of the University's Policy, i.e., within twenty working days.
Indicative reading
Students will be familiar with problem-based learning and its linked independent research skills requirements. These latter skills, and the independent nature of this module, are such that students will be expected to locate their own reading and other sources for this module.