Legal Skills and Research

Module Identifier: LC20420
Module Title: Legal Skills and Research
Academic Year: 2027/2028
Semester: Semester 1
Co-ordinator: Miss Rosemary Toll
Reading List: View on Aspire
Exclusive (Any Acad Year): CT10420 or LC10420
Exclusive (Any Acad Year): CT20420
Other Staff: Dr Megan Talbot; Ms Caroline Whitby

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment details	Proportion
Semester Assessment	Written Essay: 2000 Words	40%
Semester Assessment	Mooting Assessment:	40%
Semester Assessment	Seminar performance:	20%
Supplementary Assessment	Written Essay: 2000 Words	40%
Supplementary Assessment	Review in lieu of seminar performance: 1000 Words	20%
Supplementary Assessment	Mooting Assessment: 20 Minutes	40%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Demonstrate a good practical knowledge of academic writing skills generally, and writing skills and formats specific to the study of law and the preparation of legal documents.
Demonstrate familiarity with the reading, researching and study of legal documents, and legal databases with specific attention to legislation and case law.
Employ advanced critical analysis/problem solving skills with reference to reading law-based materials.
Demonstrate good oral presentation/mooting/advocacy skills and be able to develop and present a sound legal argument.
Ability to demonstrate sound legal argument.

Brief description

This module will provide the students with a thorough grounding in the skills needed to undertake study of law.

Content

The module provides students with the academic skills necessary for the study of law. (Please see learning outcomes for detailed list of these skills). This module will provide the students with a thorough grounding in the skills needed to undertake study of law. This is not an exhaustive list but includes critical analysis, advocacy ( with particular focus on mooting), reading cases, case noting, reading legislation, sources of law, utilizing legal databases, legal method, legal reasoning, writing legal essays and papers etc.

Module skills

Skills type	Skills details
Application of Number	n/a
Communication	Interactive seminars and development of legal argument through oral advocacy with other students in moots.
Improving own Learning and Performance	Students will be guided and encouraged to manage their independent study time.
Information Technology	IT systems and legal databases essential to study and research.
Personal Development and Career planning	Students will be advised as to the various opportunities that a law degree offers and how law is taught at university.
Problem solving	By analysis and identification of distinct areas of law, principles of law; development of legal argument based on hypothetical scenarios.
Research skills	Use of legal databases, Aber Primo, Google Scholar.
Subject Specific Skills	Preparation of legal argument; legal writing; legal research; advocacy skills; legal method; reading case law; reading legislation; preparation of skeleton arguments for moot.
Team work	Students will be encouraged through seminar group work and paired mooting teams to engage with peers.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5