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Legal Services, Professionalism & Commercial Awareness - LAW00056M

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  • Department: The York Law School
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Scott Slorach
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module summary

The module will develop students' understanding of the regulatory framework within which legal services are provided, and the professional standards required of solicitors. In addition, they will develop their commercial awareness of the structures and economics of legal services provision, and of the interests of corporate commercial clients.

This module is one of six integrated modules that make up the first phase (120 credits over two terms) of the LLM in Professional Practice (Corporate Commercial). The other modules include Professional Legal Skills and four modules on areas of corporate commercial practice.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24 to Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

The aim of the module is enable students to develop a deep understanding of the solicitors profession. This includes understanding of the regulatory framework within which legal services are provided, and the professional and ethical standards required of solicitors. In addition, they will develop their commercial awareness of the structures and economics of legal services provision, and of the interests of corporate commercial clients. Students will analyse, evaluate and apply these elements in the context of a range of simulated corporate commercial transactions and matters.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to, in the context of corporate commercial transactions and matters:

  • demonstrate an understanding of the regulatory framework within which entities can provide legal services, and the system of rules and ethics applicable to advising corporate commercial clients
  • analyse the professional lawyer-client relationship
  • evaluate any regulatory or ethical constraints when advising clients
  • analyse client interests such that these are incorporated into the development of advice and solutions
  • apply understanding of the regulated professional lawyer-client relationship, professional ethics, and commercial awareness in the exercise of technical legal skills and communications with client, peers and other professionals
  • reflect on their learning in the fields the subject matter of this module

Module content

The corporate commercial transactions and matters in which students will develop and apply their learning are in the fields of of business organisations, property, litigation, employment, intellectual property and commercial transactions.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Reflective learning portfolio		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The reflective learning portfolio will require students to demonstrate, using evidence from transactional and matter outputs, and a reflective learning journal, how they have met the module learning outcomes. The feedback provided on individual outputs will be formative in nature.

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Reflective learning portfolio		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Students will receive regular individual feedback from their supervisor on the outputs created in the context of the simulated client transactions and matters on which they will work throughout the module. Feedback on the final submissions for assessment will be provided in week 5 of Summer Term.

Indicative reading

Due to the PBL nature of this module, there are no set key texts.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.