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Juris Doctor Professional Writing - LAW00070M

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  • Department: The York Law School
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Stephen Levett
  • Credit value: 40 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module summary

A JD student will agree with their supervisor a piece of professional writing that will encompass specific aspects of corporate commercial professional legal practice.  The specific subject matter and format of the required output - 7,500 words - will be agreed between student and supervisor but the output should represent a piece of professional "know-how" with potential application in or to professional practice.  Subject matter may have a focus on a specific transaction or transaction type; commercial litigation; regulation of the commercial or corporate sectors; corporate commercial legal practice; or corporate commercial client sectors, and the chosen format should be an output commonly written or encountered by practising lawyers.

Related modules

Pre-requisite modules

Co-requisite modules

  • None

Prohibited combinations

  • None

Module will run

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

Module aims

The aim of the module is to enable students to demonstrate and develop, in a chosen major piece of professional writing, legal understanding, skills, and professional and commercial awareness developed during their JD programme.

Module learning outcomes

Demonstrate a deep understanding of a chosen area of corporate commercial legal practice

Apply advanced skills of analysis in identifying key legal, practical, professional and commercial issues relevant to their chosen subject matter, and how such issues can be resolved

Apply critical reasoning skills in the analysis of an area of corporate commercial legal practice

Demonstrate a clear understanding of the interrelationships between law, legal practice and commerce, and how professional legal skills can be applied in managing such interrelationships

Communicate competently to professional audiences, demonstrating high standards of written skills, in a format familiar to professional lawyers

Demonstrate and apply an evaluative understanding of relevant commercial, financial, political and policy perspectives applicable to a chosen area of corporate commercial legal practice

Plan and manage a major piece of professional writing

Reflect on the development of a major piece of professional writing and act appropriately on feedback received

Module content

Students can draw upon and develop further any suitable content within the sphere of corporate commercial legal practice that has featured in their JD programme.  The specific content (and format) of a student's chosen piece of professional writing must be agreed with their supervisor at the outset of the module.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Independent project: Professional Writing		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Additional assessment information

Students will receive formative feedback on their work from their supervisor as the output is developed.

Reassessment

None

Module feedback

Students will receive written feedback on their assessment within the terms of the University's Policy, i.e., within twenty working days.

Indicative reading

Students will be familiar with problem-based learning and its linked independent research skills requirements.  These latter skills, and the independent nature of this module, are such that students will be expected to locate their own reading and other sources for this module.


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.