units

LAW4330

Faculty of Law

18 September 2017 30 April 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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12 points, SCA Band 3, 0.250 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Law
OfferedClayton Summer semester A to Semester one 2015 (Day)
Clayton Trimester 2 2015 (Day)
Clayton Trimester 3 2015 (Day)

Quota applies

The number of places available in this unit is 12

Synopsis

This unit is open to those who have completed a family law unit and placement and wish to broaden their knowledge and develop their practical skills in family law.

Over a 17 week period, students manage and run their own family law files, mentor less experienced students.
Under the supervision of a family law practitioner, students will draft documents and general correspondence, advise clients, brief counsel and attend court to instruct counsel at hearings. Students are rostered to conduct client interviews, work on ongoing files, take on new matters as initiated and attend the duty lawyer service at the Family Court at Dandenong each Monday to assist unrepresented litigants.

Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will:

  • understand and be able to apply the more complex areas of family law and related legislation such as child support to real life problems of clients;
  • create, maintain and attend to all substantive and procedural aspects associated with the running of family law files;
  • gain advocacy experience in the Family Court and / or Federal Magistrates Court relating to Family law matters;
  • develop skills in assessing the needs of clients and communicating to clients the nature of their legal options and the implications of each option; and
  • understand the importance of, and be able to achieve, client-acceptable outcomes from family-law representation.

Assessment

70%: Supervised casework in a workplace based learning context. This may include:
Casework performance including attendance and punctuality, taking instructions and relationship with clients,
discussion with supervisor, follow-up work, drafting documents,
family law advocacy skill,
compliance with office and regulatory procedures,
appropriate file initiatives

30%: 1500 word research activity or assignment or present a research activity with the approval of the supervisor.

Workload requirements

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcome for this unit is as follows:

  • One full day orientation and family law seminar and regular one-to-one tutorials
  • One half-day client interview session per week at FLAP for 17 weeks (including during non-teaching period)
  • Participation in seminar program for 6-8 weeks involving 2 hour contact per week
  • 14 hours per week for client-group consultations, private research and casework

Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, client interviewing and advice sessions, supervision and online engagement.

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Mr Malcolm Bennett

Prerequisites

For students who commenced their LLB (Hons) course in 2015 or later:
LAW1111; LAW1114; LAW1112; LAW1113; LAW2101; LAW2102; LAW2111; LAW2112

For students who commenced their LLB course prior to 2015:
LAW1100 OR LAW1101 and LAW1102 or LAW1104;
LAW2100 or LAW2101 and LAW2102;
LAW2200 or LAW2201 and LAW2202;
LAW3300 or LAW3301 and LAW3302

Further, one of the following is required:
+ participation in a prior placement at FLAP as a part of a Monash family law unit, or
+ a minimum of 12 weeks volunteering on a one day a week basis at FLAP, or
+ completion of Professional Practice LAW5216 or LAW4328.

Please see http://www.law.monash.edu.au/cle.html for an application form and more information.

Co-requisites

For students who commenced their LLB (Hons) course in 2015 or later: LAW3111 and LAW3112