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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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.”

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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?

12. 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

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

14. 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