Legal Methods and Legal Systems

• Credit value: 30 credits at Level 4

This course introduces you to core themes and methods relevant to the study of all other law subjects. It aims to prepare you to study those subjects in a more analytical and critical manner and to give you practice in the skills necessary to do this.

The course aims to introduce you to methods of interpreting and using legal materials and understanding legal systems in their many contexts. However, we also take the view that a rigorous academic approach to law requires an appreciation of theory as the basic material of legal research. But we will not be looking at theory in the abstract. We shall be using case studies and other materials to ground the theory.

Indicative module content

In this course we aim to introduce you to a range of:

• perspectives which can be used to critique the notion of law
• techniques used by lawyers in the reading of legal texts and presentation of a case
• dimensions of the history of modern law and legal systems
• theoretical debates around dispute resolution, punishment and justice
• social perceptions and expectations of dispute resolution and justice mechanisms.

We encourage you to reflect on:

• how you are socialised as lawyers
• the role of formal and informal rules and procedures in the management of disputes.