Assessment task details and instructions
Word count is 1400 including footnotes. No bibliography pls.
Oscola referencing.
You are to answer all three questions.
1. In August 2008, a judge criticised the CPS solicitor who produced an indictment in a criminal case that was ‘littered with errors’ including five misspellings of the word ‘grievous’ and a reference to an offensive weapon ‘namely axe’ (rather than ‘namely an axe’). Judge David Paget threw the indictment down saying: –
‘It’s quite disgraceful. This is supposed to be a centre of excellence. To have an indictment drawn up by some illiterate idiot is just not good enough’.
The senior partners are concerned that the standard of legal writing skills is
decreasing each year within the firm and you have been charged with constructing a
briefing document outlining the key elements of quality legal writing.
2. “The implementation of new Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) ………. Regulations ….. have attracted considerable criticism from law firms ………..”
– Lawyers Defence Group July 2019.
Critically asses the provisions of the new SRA Handbook in the context of this
quotation.
3. “Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is not a term of art: it includes any process of dispute resolution other than litigation, arbitration or traditional negotiation between the parties or their solicitors”.
– ‘Skills for Lawyers’, Elkington et al.
Critically assess whether the system of alternative dispute resolution procedures provides an effective and efficient addition to the normal court procedure in the UK in the context of how ADR might evolve with Covid 19 and developments in artificial intelligence.
Assessed intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to: –
Knowledge and Understanding
1. To understand the relevant rules and issues governing the relationship with the client in the context of the principles relating to the SRA Handbook, conflict of interest, ADR, legal malpractice and a client care complaints policy.
2. To understand more of the relevant professional requirements of client care communications.
3. To demonstrate a knowledge of the dangers facing lawyers who breach client care principles.
Practical, Professional or Subject Specific Skills
1. To be able to apply the duties of lawyers in practice in a legal context.
2. To recognise the risk for lawyers in potential, practical situations contained in the chosen questions.
3. To identify the necessary steps to be taken to avoid liability in the questions on the coursework.
Transferable Skills and other Attributes
1. To demonstrate the ability to write in a clear and unambiguous manner using correct terminology.
2. Structure opinions on client care issues in a legal environment that are objective
and ethical.
3. Ability to write a concise and comprehensive report on a key issue facing
organisations.
4. Analytical and problem-solving abilities.
