Unit Outline

LAW452 focuses upon the main areas of professional responsibility of lawyers: (1) to clients; (2) to the court / administration of justice; and (3) to the profession and community. It commences with a discussion of ethics and professionalism, before moving onto the character (and other) requirements for admission to practice. The unit combines both theory and practical elements, and seeks to challenge students in assessing not only what ethical conduct for lawyers may involve, but to ponder the boundaries of ethical (and unethical) conduct in this context. To this end, beyond the three core sections noted above, the unit concludes by investigating standards of professional conduct from the perspective of professional discipline.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Analyse, appraise and explain legal ethics and its relationship to the main areas of professional responsibility for lawyers.
2.	Apply and defend decisions chosen to resolve hypothetical factual scenarios demonstrating ethical conduct.
3.	Research and analyse a legal topic or problem pertaining to legal ethics.
4.	Work collaboratively in a group environment to prepare and submit an ethical approach to resolve a deliberately polemic topic.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	50 credit points of Advanced Law core

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Assessment Task 1: Short essay assignment in teams	See the MyLO site for the due date	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Assessment Task 2: Problem assignment	See the MyLO site for the due date	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Assessment Task 3: Exam	Exam Period	40 %	LO1, LO2

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Assessment Task 1: Short essay assignment in teams

Task Description:

Short essay assignment in teams

Task Length:

1200 words

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Group essay	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 2: Assessment Task 2: Problem assignment

Task Description:

Problem assignment

Task Length:

1200 words

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.