Law, Lawyers and Society - LAWS1210
Faculty: Faculty of Law
School: Faculty of Law
Course Outline: See below
Campus: Sydney
Career: Undergraduate
Units of Credit: 6
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 4
Enrolment Requirements:
Currently enrolled in a program in the Faculty of Law.
Excluded: JURD7110, JURD7130, LAWS1230
CSS Contribution Charge: 3 (more info)
Tuition Fee: See Tuition Fee Schedule
Further Information: See Class Timetable
View course information for previous years.
Description
This course examines the different values, rules and regulations that affect legal practice. Students will (1) learn to identify the values, rules and norms that lawyers should apply in practice; (2) judge what roles lawyers do play in society and the justice system, and what roles lawyers ought to play; (3) identify and begin to develop the skills necessary for ethical practice. The course considers the lawyer-client relationship, the regulatory framework governing legal practice including the role of self-regulation, the role of lawyers as advocates including the responsibility of lawyers for access to justice and the special duties and roles of the criminal defence lawyer, the prosecutor, and the public interest lawyer.
Course Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate awareness of the principles of legal ethics and their relationship to the broader context of the role of lawyers in society.
- Develop a heightened understanding of the legal profession and be able to reflect on its effectiveness.
- Analyse case law
- Explain in your own words the meaning of legal concepts, doctrines and principles we have studied
- Apply legal principles to hypothetical fact situations.
- Demonstrate an ethical understanding of the nature of law.
- Evaluate the impact of judgments on society.
- Demonstrate effective written communication skills by articulating legal concepts clearly, persuasively and appropriately;
- Demonstrate an ability to incorporate a range of legal and interdisciplinary research sources in written communication with appropriate referencing;
- Demonstrate effective oral communication skills by discussing and debating course concepts in a scholarly, reflective and respectful manner.
- Engage in reflective practice regarding the obligation of ethical legal practitioners.
Main Topics
- Lawyers& Clients: Communication, Representation & Advice
- Lawyers’ Duties & Regulation
- Advocacy and Justice
Assessment
- Class participation - 15%
- Kingsford Legal Centre report - 15%
- Seminar presentation and handout - 15%
- Take home exam - 55%
Course Texts
Prescribed
Y. Ross & P. MacFarlane, Lawyers' Responsibility and Accountability: Cases, Problems and Commentary, Fourth edition, (Butterworths, 2012).
Other required materials are:
Reference Materials, which contain NSW Solicitors’ Rules (Professional Conduct and Practice Rules), NSW Barristers’ Rules and Part 3.2 & Chapter 4 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW).
Volumes 1 and 2 of the course materials, which contain class outlines, notes on class topics and extra readings.
Study Levels
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