General transferable skills: University of Leeds

(Transcript of a section of the General transferable skills report, 1998)

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Strategy and target group

The department has adopted a statement of the competences of a law student, which identifies a range of outcomes which a model graduating law student should be good at. Apart from knowledge of legal principles, students are expected to develop skills in problem analysis, synthesis, research, oral and written presentation and critical reflection in a legal context.

The outcomes are used to review the content, teaching and assessment methods in the LLB programme of study (and, where possible, in joint honours programmes as well). Review of the programme in terms of general transferable skills is not advanced, though participation in EHE and other projects has helped broaden reflection in this area. Interest among students is heavily focused on qualifying law degrees, and this has set the context for much work to date.

One specific strand since 1992 has been the legal skills module taken by single honours LLB students in semester 2 of their first year. This is designed to promote a range of oral and written presentation skills, as well as research in a simulation of the process of preparing a case for oral argument in court. This is the most explicit part of the development of skills within the department, though the learning objectives of other modules do frequently deal with skills as well as content.

Specific skills module or integration of skills?

The legal skills module is discrete but compulsory. It thus creates a common basis for students. It is assessed as part of the first year programme of study and builds on various activities in October and January which introduce students to study skills necessary for university and for law in particular (for example time management, use of the library, participation in seminar groups).

Mooting is typically a voluntary activity, though there is a new module in competition mooting at level 3.

Learning support

There are tutorial sessions connected with the legal skills module. Students must complete a review of their learning as part of the assessment for the module. This exercise is already prepared in the group research project which students conduct in January preceding the legal skills module, where students must produce an evaluation of what they have learnt from the exercise.

Students are supported through the students union and careers service in articulating skills development, but there is as yet no specific personal development log used to assist students in analysing their skills development within the law department, as in other departments. Preparation for the year abroad and for careers at the Bar are areas in which explicit focus on reviewing skills development is being developed in lone with activities in other parts of the university.

Specific skills

The legal skills module involves a group of six students being given one of a set of case studies. The students must draft pleadings (either a statement of claim or defence) followed by a brief to counsel. They must conduct the relevant research and keep to strict time limits.

Finally students either act as advocates in a moot before a judge or member of the legal profession acting as judge or they must write an evaluation of their learning and their group activity. Skills of oral and written presentation are thus assessed, as is research. Students must also develop word-processing skills, since all reports must be typed and must learn to work in groups and evaluate their learning.

While this exercise has been successful and enjoyable, there has yet to be an appropriate follow-up at levels 2 and 3. Oral presentation is not assessed at later stages, except in relation to competition mooting, though research and written presentation may be further developed in optional modules. Students may take up to 60 credits of modules from other departments at levels 2 and 3 of their LLB, and this can enable them to demonstrate their skills in non-legal contexts.

In reality much of the skills development to date is implicit rather than explicit. A review of the LLB is currently being undertaken with a view to bringing the reality of the LLB programme and the statement of competences of a law student better into line.

Teamwork is the basis for company law and commercial contracts. Teamwork as such is not assessed, but 50% of the marks are for a team essay. The mark is subject to peer review under overall tutor control.

Oral presentations are non-assessed in company and commercial contracts, but assessed in insurance. They are video’d and count for 10% of the module.

Drafting is one assessed exercise in commercial contracts.

Negotiation is used in seminars in company and commercial contracts but is not assessed.

All forms of assessment in all courses come with criteria sheets, published and given to students in advance and returned with marks by way of feedback.

Last Modified: 30 June 2010