Course Title: Practise in a legal environment

Part A: Course Overview

Program: C6106 Advanced Diploma of Legal Practice

Course Title: Practise in a legal environment

Portfolio: BUS Portfolio Office

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.

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

LAW5189

City Campus

TAFE

650T Vocational Business Education

Distance / Correspondence or Face-to-Face or Internet or Workplace

Term2 2012,
Term2 2013,
Term1 2014,
Term2 2014,
Term1 2015,
Term2 2015,
Term1 2016

Course Contact: Doug Gourlay

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5944

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



Course Description

 This course provides learners with knowledge and skills to initiate the client file, take instructions and provide required legislative information, consult with internal/external specialist(s), and prepare, develop and manage legal documents, to ensure that all necessary information is obtained and that documentation accurately reflects the client’s needs, according to organisational policies and procedures.

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Pre-requisites:  VU20108 Law of Contract and  VU20110 Law of Evidence and VU20111 Legal Process and VU20107 Law of Torts and VU20109 Property Law and VU20112 Commercial Law



National Competency Codes and Titles

National Element Code & Title:

VU20113 Practise in a legal environment

Elements:

N/A


Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:

Learning Outcome 1 - Open client file, take instructions and provide required legislative information.
Assessment criteria
1.1 Determine risk acceptance criteria and establish acceptable risk levels based on evaluation of exposure.
1.2 Open and prepare the client file based on relevant enterprise and legislative requirements.
1.3 Take client instructions and record accurately.
1.4 Establish and record essential details.
1.5 Provide the client with accurate legislative information as instructed by the enterprise and answer questions accurately, completely and in a language appropriate to the client.

Learning Outcome 2 - Consult appropriate specialist(s).
Assessment criteria
2.1 Identify appropriate specialist(s).
2.2 Consult specialist(s) in a timely manner and according to appropriate protocol.
2.3 Provide complete and accurate information to, and obtained from, specialist(s) as required.
2.4 Follow up and complete appropriate action(s) resulting from consultation with the specialist(s).

Learning Outcome 3 - Obtain, prepare and manage legal documentation on the instructions and under the supervision of a solicitor or barrister.
Assessment criteria
3.1 Obtain legal documentation from appropriate source within appropriate timeframes (if applicable)
3.2 Prepare legal documentation in accordance with legal and organisational specifications and format, ensuring the compliance of all statutory requirements.
3.3 Check documentation for legal implications and complications.
3.4 Manage legal documentation according to legal and organisational timeframes and guidelines.

Learning Outcome 4 - Maintain communication with the client.
Assessment criteria
4.1 Inform the client on the progress of the file at appropriate and regular intervals.
4.2 Liaise with the client when required on decision making matters and/or legislative requirements.
4.3 Check database to ensure that there is no conflict with the existing client.
4.4 Inform the client of the consequences and procedures if conflict arises.

Learning Outcome 5 - Identify and apply legal ethics and practice.
Assessment criteria
5.1 Identify the main duties of legal practitioners and others employed in the legal profession.
5.2 Identify legislative and other sources of information on legal ethics and practice.
5.3 Identify potential ethical conflicts, including conflicts of interest between clients, apply and complete appropriate responses according to legislative and organisational requirements, report and review as required.
5.4 Identify confidentiality requirements in the legal profession.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of the requirements in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks and may include:

• practical demonstration in a real or simulated work environment
• oral questioning
• role plays
• tests/exam
• case studies
• group discussion

Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant module standards are being met.