Undergraduate Course: Street Law: public legal education in the community (LAWS10252)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will involve students, under professional supervision, identifying existing legal needs, researching the relevant law and policy and then preparing and delivering interactive presentations for designated client groups. The subject matter will depend on what they client requires but will either relate to fields of study relevant to the students¿ overall legal education and/or will involve the skills, attributes and ethical concerns applicable to law in practice. The course will enable students to apply theory in a defined context.
The relevant legal knowledge examined is likely to overlap with or otherwise complement studies elsewhere in the undergraduate programme providing a unique opportunity for students to apply legal relevant principles. For example students¿ understanding of consumer aw, the law affecting tenancies and employment rights may well come up as topics for Street Law presentations.
We will work closely with statutory bodies and other organisations in the not for profit sector some of whom have already expressed interest in collaboration, particularly the access to justice team in the Justice Directorate of the Scottish Government. |
| Course description |
There is no indicative programme content as this detail will depend on the subject matter the students must research and present on but the format for content and delivery is set out below.
The induction session (likely to be delivered in an intensive day¿s workshop or two half days) will cover the Street Law method (interactive learning and teaching), professional practice considerations and the need for applied research. Guidance will also be provided on working with and in the community. Past experience suggests that a range of groups are likely to be involved including school pupils, young offenders, tenants, benefit claimants and the unemployed. Also some training of trainers may be taken on working with advisers in not for profit organisations. The proposed Street Law team has strong community links. The Scottish government (Justice Directorate) have already expressed strong interest in working with the School on the Street Law initiative.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Spaces on this course are allocated as part of the Law Honours Course Allocation process. Places are generally only available to students who must take Law courses. To request a space on this course, please email Law.UGO@ed.ac.uk |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 35 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Reflective journal, 50% (submitted at the end of teaching)
Written assignment , 50% (submitted after teaching ends)
Written assignment will address an aspect of law encountered in their case work, and the task will be to critically examine the law as it applied in practice and to identify possible reforms that could be made to improve access to justice. Both the reflective journal and written assignment will be summatively assessed with feedback provided online or in writing as circumstances dictate in order to explain the mark or grade awarded.«br /»
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| Feedback |
Formative assessment will consist of feedback given to students on a regular basis during their assigned client group ¿case¿ progression and supervision meetings. It will be structured through the requirement for students to complete a reflective journal addressing each stage of their work including identifying relevant legal issues, researching the law, analysing results, drafting presentations, making presentations, evaluating impact and reflecting on overall progress. Formative feedback will be given online and/or in writing or orally depending on circumstance, but the extent of coverage will be the same for each student regardless. Formative assessment will be given regularly principally through the supervisor meetings and in relation to entries in the reflective journal. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
| identify, analyse and apply appropriately law and policy on a range of legal issues in relation to given scenarios.
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Reading List
Richard Grimes, Public legal education: the role of law schools in building a more legally literate society, Routledge, 2021
David McQuoid-Mason, Street Law and Public Legal Education, Juta Press, 2019
Lee Arbetman and Edward O¿Brien, Street Law: A course in practical law, McGraw Hill, 2021, 10th edition.
Reference to other relevant resources will be provided during the course |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
To identify client group need and then research and record accurately relevant sources of law and policy in the applicable subject(s) of study.
To meet LOs 1 and 2 in both self-study and working team settings and to critically reflect on the possible need for law reform in a given subject area in terms of improving access to justice.
To prepare an interactive presentation and deliver this to a defined client group in ways that are comprehensible and appropriate to context
To exercise autonomy and initiative in the activities of the Street Law Clinic. To manage time to enable the timely completion of work with a view to relevant deadlines. To work effectively as part of a team. To manage professional relationships with peers and supervisors and client groups.
To produce a set of resource materials relevant to the presentation(s) and utilise effectively applicable resources for example IT. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Rebecca Samaras
Tel: (0131 6)50 6524
Email: rebecca.samaras@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Ryan McGuire
Tel: (0131 6)50 2386
Email: Ryan.Mcguire@ed.ac.uk |
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