LAW5000 - Australian legal reasoning and methods - 2019

The unit provides students who are new to the study of Australian law with advanced knowledge and understanding of the Australian legal system, its underlying principles and concepts (including international and comparative contexts), principles of justice and approaches to ethical legal practice; and advanced practical and professional skills to undertake legal research, interpret legislation and judicial decision, analyse factual and policy issues, demonstrate professional judgment and scholarship to formulate and evaluate solutions to legal problems, collaborate and communicate effectively.

At the successful completion of this unit, students will demonstrate knowledge and skills to:

1. design and implement an efficient research strategy which requires them to synthesise relevant legal, factual and policy issues;
2. apply professional judgment and critical thinking skills to interpret legal conclusions and legislation, evaluate alternative constructions and justify a considered opinion;
3. generate appropriate responses to legal problems and communicate them in a form appropriate for legal practice or scholarship; and
4. exercise professional judgment in responding to ethical issues that arise in legal practice or the administration of justice.

1. Tutorial participation and activities: 10%
2. Research assignment (3,750 words): 50%
3. Take home examination (3,000 words): 40%
4. Attendance at two library tutorials is a hurdle requirement for sitting the examination.

Students enrolled in this unit will be provided with 24 contact hours of seminars per semester whether intensive, semi-intensive, or semester-long offering plus 6 hours of library and 6 hours of tutorials. Students will be expected to do reading set for class, and to undertake additional research and reading applicable to a 6 credit point unit.