An elective course on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice designed to equip students to engage in legal work in the public sphere - whether as an advisor to a public sector body or as someone wishing to engage in dealings with, or challenge decisions of, a public body

8 x 1 hour lectures

10 x 2 hour tutorials

None

None

Assessment

1. Tutorial preparation, participation and performance (20%)

2. Presentation on Legislative Process (40%)

3. Preparation of Decision Letter (40%)

Not available for reassessment

1. Tutorial preparation, participation and performance (20%)

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. 

1. To equip students to engage in legal work in the public law sphere - whether as an advisor to a public sector body or as someone wishing to engage in dealings with, or challenge decisions of, a public body.

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

1.Demonstrate a detailed and critical understanding of the structure of the public sector in Scotland; the operation of central and local government; and the unique features of legal roles in the public sector including public sector information and political issues;

2.Analyse critically legislation so as to identify potential areas of challenge (under EU, ECHR and domestic law) and the level of risk of challenge, and to provide properly structured, concise, clear and practical advice;

3.Demonstrate a detailed and critical understanding of the decision making process in the public sector, including how to: make robust and defensible decisions, challenge a decision of a public authority and defend a decision of a public authority;

4.Deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent information, including Freedom of Information requests, and to know when to request further information;

5.Draft appropriately a variety of documents, including provisions of primary and secondary legislation, decision letters, and notes of argument;

6. Be able to participate as part of a group, take responsibility for their own work, and to exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in professional and equivalent activities.

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