A core course on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice to equip students with the professional skills necessary for practising in the area of private client law in Scotland.

10 x E-Modules

11 X 2 hour tutorials

None

None

Assessment

1.Tutorial preparation, participation and performance. 25%

2.Drafting a Will. 25% 3. Executry Letters 25%

4 Tax Forms 25%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Reassessment is not available for Assessment 1, Tutorial preparation, participation and performance 25%.

The aims of the course are to:-

■ Develop critical awareness and understanding of the law learned in the undergraduate programme relating to succession, taxation, trusts and adults with incapacity.

■ Simulate real life scenarios and demonstrate the practical application of the law in these areas.

■ Provide the key sources and resources for private client work in practice.

■ Integrate core professional and ethical considerations including client care, organisation and communication of complex information to clients, all in order to meet the standards of an ordinarily competent trainee solicitor.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:-

■ Apply their knowledge and understanding of the law to advise clients on testate and intestate succession.

■ Take instructions, orally and in writing, and draft wills and trusts and advise on taxation implications.

■ Identify the problems that may arise in connection with adults with incapacity and develop responses to these problems; and draft powers of attorney

■ Administer a deceased's estate from the stage of taking initial instructions, through obtaining valuations, drafting Confirmation and associated HMRC documentation, to final accounting to HMRC in IHT, Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax, and to beneficiaries.

■ Evaluate, advise on, and carry out, all procedural aspects of testate and intestate winding up.

■ Develop a sound awareness of the ethical considerations which may arise on the administration of a deceased's estate and how to make informed judgments to deal with such considerations.

■ Critically analyse complex and novel circumstances in order to conceptualise the relevant legal issues; formulate the appropriate advice; identify tax planning opportunities and identify and explain the administrative procedures to follow in each case.

■ Understand the professional relationships which require to be developed in Private Client work.

■ Communicate complex legal information orally and in writing, both to lawyers and to non-specialist audiences, by developing interviewing and drafting skills and the use of technology.

Attendance at tutorials is compulsory. Credit will be refused if a student fails to attend a tutorial without good cause.

The requirements for the award of the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice is 120 credits:

(a) candidates to achieve a grade D or better in all courses.

(b) candidates to achieve a grade D or better in each component part of each course.

Completion of the online Power of Attorney test is compulsory. Credit will be refused in the event of failure to undertake the test.