The Contribution of Legal Skills Teaching to Student Transition and Progression Laura Sharp: Senior Lecturer in Law The Law School Robert Gordon University Aberdeen

Aims To outline the legal skills modules delivered on the UG programme at the Law School at Robert Gordon University and examine some of the challenges associated with teaching them To explore how teaching skills can enable students to make successful transitions into University, the honours year and the workplace. To describe an ongoing Law School student skills development project

Legal Methods- first year “how to” Sources of the Law Statutory interpretation Finding and interpreting legal information Reading cases and judicial precedent Legal problem solving Legal essay writing Revision and exam techniques Legal reasoning

Challenges in teaching skills development Modular course structure- do, it, pass it and forget it Time constraints of 12 week semesters Resistance of some students to embrace the idea that with practice and reflection and formative feedback comes improvement Resistance of some staff to contribute to skills teaching in other modules

Race’s four literacies (2014) Assessment Academic Information Social

Assessments- constructively aligned to the learning outcomes Coursework 1 comprising multiple short answer exercise on finding and using legal information Aim of the assessment is to enable to students to show that they can Find legal information Use it Demonstrate their understanding by summarising information using their own words, Identify the territorial extent of statutes Recognise whether the law is in force Evaluate search strategies Coursework 2 Q1 a legal problem question Q2 a short essay on how the courts interpret legislation Students are assessed on factual content, analysis and/or application of the law, research and use of sources, clarity of expression, structure and presentation and referencing. All criteria carry equal weighting. Transferrable nature of the skills on show- all needed in other law subjects.

Rationale for the assessments Students need to be able to do all the things covered in the exercises in order to be a successful law student We and they need to know that they can do and have done all the things we assess in the coursework Helps give students confidence Transferrable nature of the skills on show- all needed in other law subjects. “If we can do it in “Methods” the can do it anywhere

What the students tell us “CW1 seemed to be assessing fact finding skills, accuracy skills and attention to detail. Every bit of information was relevant in the questions e.g. year asked for, which particular statistic or relevant charge, so attention to the detailed reading of the question and accuracy of the answer was important. It developed skills necessary in using the law databases and which each offered. It extended our knowledge of courts websites, Government websites and others which could all be useful in our future studies.”

Legal Research and Proposal Writing Skills Professional workplace Skills- oral and written communication, interviewing, negotiation, drafting, advocacy and dispute resolution Practical Legal Skills. Legal Research and Proposal Writing Skills Delivered to all Stage 3 LLB and Law and Management students in the semester before they progress to honours.

Assessments Research Proposal Oral Presentation of legal arguments Problem solving and letter writing exercise Students tell us the exercises help them prepare for honours and when applying for jobs External examiners praise the relevance of the exercises

LLB and Law and Management Dissertation Grades 2008-2016 78-80% at grade A or B since 2012 First post introduction of PLS dissertations submitted in 2014 Has it made a difference?

Conclusions? Teaching legal skills to first year students helps them to find their feet, lets them in on the act of being a law student, boosts confidence and so aids transition. Skills can be applied in other law modules as an aid to progression Teaching skills to third years and giving formative feedback on research proposals aids transition to honours and the workplace on graduation

Any questions or observations? Thank you for listening Any questions or observations?

References Biggs J and Tang C Teaching for Quality Learning at University (4th edn) Open University Press 2011 Cherkassky L and Others, Legal Skills Palgrave MacMillan 2011 Finch E and Fafinski S, (6th edn) Legal Skills Oxford OUP 2017 Hanson S Learning Legal Skills and Reasoning (4th edn) London Routledge 2015 Race P, Making Learning Happen: A guide for Post Compulsory Education( 3rd edn) Sage 2014 Race P, The Lecturer’s Toolkit (4th edn) London Routledge 2015 Slorach S and Others Legal systems and Skills (2nd edn) Oxford University Press 2015