Course Title: Practise In A Legal Environment

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2008

Course Code: LAW5109

Course Title: Practise In A Legal Environment

School: 650T TAFE Business

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6070 - Advanced Diploma of Business (Legal Practice)

Course Contact : Doug Cole

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5424

Course Contact Email:doug.cole@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Robyn Lang (Coordinator)
Telephone 9925 1565
Email: robyn.lang@rmit.edu.au

Joanne Mackay
Telephone 9925 5540
Email: joanne.mackay@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 68

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

LAW5040 Legal Process [VBM898]
LAW5041 Law of Torts [VBM894]
LAW5042 Property Law [VBM896]
LAW5043 Law of Contract [VBM895]
LAW5048 Commercial Law [VBM899]
JUST5009 Law of Evidence [VBM897]

Course Description

This module covers open client file, take instructions and provide required legislative information, consult appropriate specialist(s), obtain, prepare and manage legal documentation, maintain communication with the client and identify and apply legal ethics and practice

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBJ207 Practise in a Legal Environment

Learning Outcomes

1. Open client file, take instructions and provide required legislative information.
2. Consult appropriate specialist(s).
3. Obtain, prepare and manage legal documentation.
4. Maintain communication with the client.
5. Identify and apply legal ethics and practice.

Details of Learning Activities

Students will study Practise in a Legal Environment skills and theory in class sessions and through prescribed exercises and assessment work. These concepts will also be explored through the investigation of appropriate real world and simulated environments.

Teaching Schedule

Week	Lecture	Tutorial
Week 1 - 7 July	Introduction- Aims of the Course File Management	Cost Disclosure Statements  Legal Ethics- Presentation Groups
Week 2 - 14 July	Communicating with the Client and Third Parties	Commence Civil Litigation File
Week 3 - 21 July	Managing your day in a Legal Office / Preparing a Civil File	Commence Drink Driving File  File Management to be assessed.
Week 4 - 28 July	Trust Accounts and Office Accounts	File Work
Week 5 - 4 Aug	Preparing Conveyancing Documentation	Commence Conveyancing File  Civil Litigation- Magistrate Complaint Due
Week 6 - 11 Aug	Brief to Counsel	File work
Week 7- 18 Aug	Taking and Preparing Affidavits, Statutory Declarations	Conveyancing File- Contract of Sale due
Week 8 - 25 Aug	Preparing Bill of Costs	File Work
1 -  5 Sept	Mid Semester Break (student vacation)	Mid Semester Break (student vacation)
Week 9 - 8 Sept	Practical Placement	Practical Placement
Week 10 - 15 Sept	Practical Placement	Practical Placement
Week 11 - 22 Sept	Statement of Adjustments	Drink Driving File- Brief to Counsel due
Week 12 - 29 Sept	Attending Settlements	Conveyancing File- Statement of  Adjustments due
Week 13- 6 Oct	Working with Interpreters	Conveyancing File-Settlement
Week 14 - 13 Oct	TBA	Civil file- Letter advising client of   enforcement options due
Week 15- 20 Oct	Guest Speakers	Drink Driving File -Letter to Client enclosing costs due
Week 16 -27 Oct	File Work	File Work
Week 17 - 3 Nov	Independent Learning	File Work  Files to be handed in
Week 18 - 10 Nov	Feedback with tutors	Feedback with Tutors

* This outline is subject to variation please check the learning hub regularly for changes.

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

There are no prescribed texts.

References

Other Resources

R. Curnow, A Practical Students’ Guide to Working in a Legal Environment, Law Crest.
Lewis and Kyrous Handy Hints on Legal Practice (3rd ed.) Lawbook Company.2004
Legal Profession Act 2004 (Vic)
Professional Conduct and Practice Rules 2005
Legal Profession Regulations 2005
Online Resources:
Australian Legal Sites (www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/just5010/)
Australasian Legal Information Institute (www.austlii.edu.au)
CCH Online (www.cch.com.au)
ComLaw (www.comlaw.gov.au)
LexisNexis Butterworths Online (www.butterworthsonline.com)
Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents (www.dms.dpc.vic.gov.au)
High Court of Australia (www.hcourt.gov.au)
Federal Court of Australia (www.fedcourt.gov.au)
Federal Magistrates Court (www.fms.gov.au)
Supreme Court of Victoria (www.supremecourt.vic.gov.au)
County Court of Victoria (www.countycourt.vic.gov.au)
Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (www.magistratescourt.vic.gov.au)

Overview of Assessment

Assessment will consist of assignments, a presentation and practical exercises (simulated client files).

Assessment Tasks

Assessment that learning outcomes have been achieved will be by:
1. Submission of three simulated client files 70%
Students will need to satisfactorily complete all work on files to achieve a pass.
Marks will be determined by assessment of the following:
- Magistrates’ Court Complaint
- Brief to Counsel
- Letter to client
- Statement of Adjustments and Settlement Statement
- Settlement instructions
- Contract
2. Ethics presentation and report 15%
3. Practical Placement report 15%

To pass this course, students must satisfactorily complete all assessment and have a total mark of not less than 50%.

Assessment Matrix

Learning outcome	File 1	File 2	File 3	Presentation
Open client file, take instructions and provide required legislative information	X	X	X
Consult appropriate specialist(s).	X	X	X
Obtain, prepare and manage legal documentation	X	X	X
Maintain communication with the client	X	X	X
Identify and apply legal ethics and practice				X

Other Information

Students will require the following stationary items.

• 3 Spring Release Folders
• Stapler
• Holepunch
• Printing (you will be required to print letters/documents therefore you will need an adequate amount of print credits when you attend Thursday’s class).

Course Overview: Access Course Overview