Law School Module Details

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title CLINICAL LEGAL SKILLS - A Law Clinic Module
Code LAW322
Coordinator Ms HJ Birt
Law
Helenor.Birt@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2021-22 Level 6 FHEQ Second Semester 15

Aims

1. To provide students with the opportunity to study an area of law and justice in depth through experiential and enquiry based learning by assisting a practicing lawyer to provide legal services to members of the public who cannot afford to pay for legal advice and who do not qualify for legal aid.

2. To provide students with the opportunity to engage with their own personal, professional and academic development through reflection, collaborative working, research and self-directed learning.


Learning Outcomes

(LO1) At the end of the module you will have demonstrated an ability to research the law and procedure in order to provide advice or other legal assistance to their client.

(LO2) At the end of the module you will have demonstrated an ability to write a letter of advice to a client or to write another legal document to advance their case, such as a letter of representation to the Home Office based on research undertaken.

(LO3) At the end of the module you will have demonstrated an ability to critically analyse client cases that you have worked on, taking a theoretical approach to evaluating an aspect of access to justice that is relevant to the client cases and to reflect critically on how you have developed your understanding of law, procedure and policy through your casework and experiential learning.

(LO4) At the end of the module you will have demonstrated an ability to reflect on your personal, academic and professional development.

(LO5) At the end of the module you will have demonstrated your ability to maintain case files in accordance with the Law Clinic Office Manual and SRA Handbook and Code of Conduct. 

(S1) Research management developing a research strategy, project planning and delivery, risk management, formulating questions, selecting literature, using primary/secondary/diverse sources, collecting & using data, applying research methods, applying ethics

(S2) Literacy application of literacy, ability to produce clear, structured written work and oral literacy - including listening and questioning

(S3) Problem solving/ critical thinking/ creativity analysing facts and situations and applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions.

(S4) Team (group) working respecting others, co-operating, negotiating / persuading, awareness of interdependence with others

(S5) Self-management readiness to accept responsibility (i.e. leadership), flexibility, resilience, self-starting, initiative, integrity, willingness to take risks, appropriate assertiveness, time management, readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning

(S6) Communication, listening and questioning respecting others, contributing to discussions, communicating in a foreign language, influencing, presentations

(S7) Information literacy online, finding, interpreting, evaluating, managing and sharing information


Syllabus

 

Legal content of the course will vary according to client problem and advice needs. Currently student law firms either work on immigration, education or family law cases, but this may vary depending on client needs and supervisor expertise. Topics covered in workshops will include, professional ethics and conduct, funding legal cases, access to justice, practical legal research, reflective writing, interviewing skills, legal drafting, case file management, case analysis. Students will be expected to do preparation work for workshops and will be given clear guidance on VITAL on a week by week basis of what reading they are expected to do. Student will also be expected to research legal problems, prepare for interviews, attend client interviews, draft letters and other documents, manage files in accordance with Law Clinic Guidelines and to conduct independent research on access to justice relevant to the casework done in the Law Clinic.


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Teaching Pattern
10 one hour tutorials – weeks 1 to 11 – students work in groups of six to research the law and give advice to clients and get feedback on their work in the tutorials.

5 one hour workshops- weeks 1 to 5

10 large group teaching sessions over the semester to support students with skills needed to do advice work and to give formative opportunities to reflect – these will now be delivered asynchronously through Canvas.

Module Delivery
Tutorials/workshops will be synchronous and large group lecture asynchronous


Teaching Schedule

  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 20

  11

    5

36
Timetable (if known)              
Private Study 114
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment

EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Critical Reflection There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment. Assessment Schedule (When) :Submitted in Assessment Week - w    40       
Legal Drafting: You will research the relevant law and procedure in order produce a piece of legal writing, either an advice letter or other document such as a letter of representation to the Home Of    50       
File management This is a group assessment on the way in which a client case file has been organised and all Law Clinic procedures followed. This is not an anonymous assessment. It is submitted     10       

Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.

Other Staff Teaching on this Module

Ms JM Bezzano Law J.Bezzano@liverpool.ac.uk
Miss EF Brand School of Law and Social Justice Elaine.Brand@liverpool.ac.uk
Mrs D Tyfield Law Deborah.Tyfield@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr SH Woodhouse Law S.Woodhouse@liverpool.ac.uk
Ms JC Carter Law Judith.Carter@liverpool.ac.uk
Ms LB Yeatman Law Lucy.Yeatman@liverpool.ac.uk

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

 

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):

LAW209 LAW OF TORT; LAW242 LAND LAW 

Co-requisite modules:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:

 

Additional Programme Information