Course 1 – Legal Practice Skills (3 US credits; 45 hours, over four weeks)
Dispute resolution is a vital part of legal training and practice. You will consider civil and criminal matters in and out of court. Most legal disputes are settled without litigation (going to court). However, lawyers must be effective negotiators to avoid litigation, which can be costly and time-consuming and damage future relations between the parties. Course content will include:
- Negotiation (15 hours) – “Discussion to reach an agreement.”
Explore the International Negotiation Competition for Law Students to understand the negotiation skills needed in international transactions and disputes. The competition was launched in 1998 by two American law schools and the American Bar Association.
- Court Advocacy (15 hours) – “A specialist skill used by legal advisors to present an argument to a court with the aim of persuading a jury or judge.”
Civil issues can find their way to court, where matters cannot be resolved using alternative dispute resolution methods. Also, in a criminal law context, lawyers represent clients charged with minor to the most serious criminal offences.
Using case studies replicating legal practice, you will learn to prepare and present a legal argument such as making a plea in mitigation or a bail application. Your arguments will be presented in an actual or mock courtroom.
- Legal Research and Writing (15 hours)
You will be introduced to legal databases to understand how, and where, lawyers research the correct law. You’ll learn how to write for different audiences, including letters of advice to lay clients and communicating with people from other cultures. The ability to communicate through written language is crucial. You will explore writing in different styles, including reflective writing techniques, and explaining legal concepts in terms that non-lawyers can understand.
You will be required to keep a reflective diary and to hone your reflective writing skills. You’ll learn to critically analyse your experiences, their impact upon you, and how to use your knowledge.
Course 2 – Law Clinic Internship (3 US credits; 45 hours, over four weeks)
Explore the interpersonal and legal skills needed to interact with clients effectively when communicating orally and in writing. Course content will include:
- Client Consultation and Interviewing (15 hours) – “The practice of communicating with and advising a client on a legal matter.”
Module content and learning outcomes are based on the International Client Consultation Competition. Launched in the US in 1969 and adopted by the American Bar Association, the competition attracts applications from law students from over 20 countries.
Develop your skills by participating in client interviews using scenarios from past competitions. Learn the elements of client interview techniques such as:
- Active and passive listening
- Questioning techniques (open, closed and leading questioning)
- Obtaining information sensitively and professionally
- Abiding by legal professional obligations such as confidentiality and legal ethics
- Applying the law to the facts obtained during the interview process. For example, quick thinking and explaining potentially complex terms in an appropriate and accessible manner.
- Law Clinic Experience (15 hours) – “Dealing with real or simulated clients to advise and assist on law-related matters.”
Gain first-hand experience of client engagement at Cardiff University’s Law Clinic. Activities could include*:
- An introduction to clinical training and practices
- Working on actual or simulated Law Clinic client matters
- Visiting Cardiff’s Civil Justice Centre, the central court for civil matters, to shadow lawyers dealing with clients in a court setting.
*Please note: The various elements of The Law Clinic are reviewed regularly, and Cardiff University cannot guarantee that specific opportunities will always be available. However, Law Clinic experience will be provided.
- Legal Writing and Reflection (15 hours) – “The presentation of legal information/advice in a format relevant to the reader (and) the act of deeply thinking about our experiences in order to learn from them”.
Building upon the experience of interviewing a client and appropriately explaining legal points, you will develop writing skills to convey complex legal terms to non-lawyer clients, avoiding ‘legalese’.
Would you fancy contributing to the satellite Law publication The Justice Gap? As part of the Cardiff Law School Innocence Project, the online magazine features reports about access to justice issues. Examining the reports can encourage students to reflect upon different writing styles.
You will respond to ‘the law’ in a case study and to ‘politics’ in a position paper, and discuss the synthesis between ‘the law and politics’ in a conference paper and presentation. Over the course of these projects, you will engage with various research resources, outlets, and methods – both online and ‘in-person’- through the contacts you make in Wales.
Additional educational, cultural and social experiences could include*:
- Attending criminal and civil courts to observe courts and lawyers in action
- Tour of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) to meet politicians and law-makers
- A visit to a major law firm
- Cardiff Castle and other historical sites
- Historical coal mining sites
- National Museum of Wales
- National History Museum of Wales
- Visit stadiums and sporting venues like The Principality Stadium, home to the Welsh Rugby Union.
*Please note: Additional educational, cultural and social experiences are subject to change.
