Legal Systems & Skills

Scott Slorach (consultant editor) is a Professor and Director of Teaching & Learning at York Law School, University of York. He is also a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde, and has previously held visiting roles in Australia and Singapore. A qualified solicitor with City experience, he is currently co-author of Business Law (OUP). Scott specializes in the design, delivery, assessment, and review of legal education at all levels; he has held various roles with the SRA, and worked on projects with a range of HE institutions, regulators, and law firms. Judith Embley recently retired as an Associate Professor at the University of Law. She qualified as a solicitor in 1980, practising in a Lincoln’s Inn firm, and began teaching law in 1999 as a Visiting Lecturer at Bellerby’s College and then Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. She joined the University of Law in 2001, where she has taught contract, commercial, and business financial law. She now contributes to the design of graduate and postgraduate course materials and assessments as a visiting lecturer. She is joint author of Commercial and Intellectual Property Law and Practice and Legal Foundations, two of the University of Law’s Legal Practice Guides. Peter Goodchild is an Associate Professor and National Programme Director for Law Conversion Courses at the University of Law. He read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at St. Anne's College, Oxford, then attended the University of Law and qualified as a solicitor in 1997, into commercial practice. He joined the University of Law in 2000, where he has taught the English legal system, contract, tort, ethics, commercial, IP, and business structures law. Peter is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In addition to over twenty years of teaching experience, he has wide experience of designing programmes and has been an author of texts on tort, commercial law, IP law, and the English legal system. Catherine Shephard is a Reader in Practice-Informed Legal Education at Manchester Law School. She read law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and practised as a solicitor in corporate finance. Catherine’s work responds to the increasing emphasis on skills and the growing alignment between academic and professional legal education. Drawing on her experience in professional legal practice and leadership in professional and academic legal education, Catherine communicates her ideas through books, journal articles, professional practice publications, conference papers, presentations, and in the classroom. Catherine enjoys working collaboratively with leading law firms, in-house legal departments, legal education providers, widening participation charities, PSRBs, and her colleagues and students.

Part I Legal Systems
1: Introduction to law
2: Legal systems and sources of law
3: The court system of England & Wales
4: Legislation
5: Case law
6: Legal services and ethics
Part II Legal Skills
7: Reading cases and legislation
8: Research
9: Problem solving and case/matter analysis
10: Persuasive oral communication and presentations
11: Client interviews and meetings
12: Negotiation and mediation
13: Advocacy and mooting
14: Writing and drafting
15: Revision and assessment
Part III Employability and Commercial Awareness
16: Making yourself more employable
17: CVs, applications, and interviews
18: Understanding clients: individuals and businesses
19: Businesses and the business environment
20: Essential economics and finance
21: Law firms as businesses