Legal Foundations

The aim of this unit is to provide learners with a general introduction to the operation and fundamental principles of the legal system of England and Wales, enabling them to acquire a basic knowledge of: 

• the main legal institutions (including the main legal professions); 
• sources of law, the criminal and civil justice systems;
• rules of interpretation and legal services and the funding of legal services.

This unit also provides learners with the skills required to study law at postgraduate level and to develop the critical and research skills required for both the study and practice of the law. The skills studied are applied in different contexts through other modules on the LLM programme, providing learners with the opportunity for progressive development.  

This module also provides an introduction to the legal skills that are the backbone of any legal professional’s career.

Company Law and Practice

This unit covers the key principles of corporate law in England and Wales. Learners will be introduced to the concept of the company as a separate legal entity before considering limited liability, the corporate veil, a company’s constitution, as well as the role of directors who manage a company on a day-to-day basis and shareholders who have invested in the business. 

Learners are introduced to the internal processes and procedures that need to be followed within a company, together with associated reporting requirements and liaison with Companies House. Learners will be encouraged to think critically about legal issues.

Contract Law and Disputes

The aim of this unit is to enable learners to develop awareness of the issues surrounding contract law and their practical and ethical implications, to evaluate its operation within society and to appreciate the social, economic and political contexts and underlying policy issues relating to its operation and their impact.  

Learners are encouraged to develop a critical understanding of the methods and processes used to resolve civil disputes cost-effectively in England and Wales. Learners learn about the contexts in which disputes may arise, the objectives of parties in disputes and the ways in which those objectives can be met in a cost-effective and proportionate way. 

Public Law and Law of the European Union

The aim of this unit is to provide a general introduction to the operation and fundamental principles of the UK’s constitution. This enables learners to acquire a knowledge of the institutions (the Crown and Parliament, central government, devolved institutions, EU institutions and the judiciary) and principles of the British Constitution. 

Learners will also be introduced to Parliamentary sovereignty, the separation of powers (including judicial independence), the rule of law, Judicial control of the Executive, in particular the process and principles of judicial review and the role of the European Convention of Human Rights in domestic law.

Torts

The aim of this unit is to enable learners to develop an awareness of the issues surrounding the law of torts and their practical and ethical implications. It also concerns evaluating its operation within society and appreciating the social, economic and political contexts and underlying policy issues relating to its operation and impact.  

Land Law and Property

The aim of this unit to provide learners with an appreciation of areas of key importance to legal practitioners in England and Wales relating to property and land law. To do so, learners are introduced to the process of analysis of the definition of land and practical application to the conveyancing process.

Criminal Law and Practice

This unit aims to cover the main principles of English criminal law and analysis of their practical application. 

Equity and Trusts

This unit aims to enable learners to develop awareness of the issues surrounding equity and trusts, their practical and ethical implications; to evaluate the operation of equity and trusts within society and to appreciate the social, economic and political contexts and underlying policy issues relating to their operation and their impact.