Module LAW1117: THE LEGAL SYSTEM OF ENGLAND AND WALES

Department: Law

LAW1117: THE LEGAL SYSTEM OF ENGLAND AND WALES

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• This module introduces students to the legal system of England and Wales. It brings them to an understanding of how law comes into being, how it interacts with the larger society, and how various actors, including members of the legal profession and judiciary, participate in the legal system.

Content

• Introduction to law and the legal system of England and Wales;
• Dispute resolution;
• Courts and adjudication;
• Law in everyday life;
• Law in practice;
• Ethics and professional responsibility;
• Wider implications of the rule of law.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• recognise the key legal institutions, actors and processes of lawmaking;
• understand how law works in practice;
• demonstrate a basic knowledge of the sources of that law, and how it is made and developed; of the institutions within which that law is administered and the personnel who practice law;
• demonstrate a basic understanding of professional ethics and professional responsibility in the legal profession.

• By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• research and analyse the law from primary resources;
• construct appropriate arguments both where the law is disputed and where it is clear;
• use the English language and legal terminology with care and accuracy;
• communicate legal arguments, findings, and solutions appropriately to the needs of a variety of audiences;
• apply information in a structured argument drawing upon the inter-disciplinary methods of legal scholars: theoretical, historical, and textual.

• By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• communicate complex ideas and arguments in clear written form;
• approach an unseen exam effectively, especially with regard to time management;
• apply knowledge to complex situations;
• recognise potential alternative conclusions for particular situations, and provide supporting reasons for them.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures are used primarily to impart knowledge - and also to suggest approaches to evaluation and critical analysis;
• The course will also include a guest speaker series, "Law in Practice", to provide insight into how law operates in the professional setting;
• Tutorials will be used to develop and enhance students capacity for legal-problem solving in a particular factual situation, evaluative critical analysis and their appreciation of law’s linkage with society;
• The formative mock exam is used to develop subject-specific and exam-taking skills; students will have the option of answering a question on the core content of the course; or on the "Law in Practice" component;
• The ‘Law in Practice’ guest lecture series, linked with the Legal Skills course, will be held on a weekly basis and constitute additional lecture hours during full term. The details of the guest lecture series will be published separately. The examination tests the ability to focus on relevant legal issues and organise knowledge and argument appropriate to questions raised. The examination questions will provide the means for students to demonstrate the acquisition of subject knowledge and the development of their problem-solving skills.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One formative mock exam (50 minutes).

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University