Students
LAWS5051 – Independent Professional Placement
2020 – Session 2, Weekday attendance, North Ryde
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Kirsten Davies
Contact via via Ilearn
06 First Walk (Law Building),room 505
Tuesdays 9-11.00 a.m or by appointment
Lecturer
Paul Maluga
Contact via via Ilearn
By appointment
Lise Barry
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
160cp in LAW or LAWS units and permission by special approval
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit provides the opportunity for students to engage with the legal profession and community through participation in a variety of workplace experiences including, but not limited to, law firms, legal centres, community-based legal organisations and services, government agencies and not-for-profit organisations. The experience may be via clerkship, volunteer work, or internship, and may be undertaken on a weekly or block basis. Students source their own placement, and nominate it for approval by the convenor. Applications for the unit are advertised by the convenor via email. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Analyse issues that arise in professional practice and community engagement. In particular the personal and professional demands on, and expectations of, lawyers and public advocates in practice.
- ULO2: Examine and critique what it is to be a professional, especially in the discipline of law.
- ULO3: Identify and respond to ethical issues appropriately.
- ULO4: Critique current practices and regulation of the legal profession.
- ULO5: Demonstrate advanced practical skills necessary in legal practice.
- ULO6: Apply the specialised cognitive, interpersonal and communication skills necessary in legal practice.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Research Essay | 30% | No | 23/10/2020 |
| Goal Evaluation and Reflection | 25% | No | 30/10/2020 |
| Hypotheticals | 25% | No | 02/10/2020 |
| Short quiz | 15% | No | 22/08/2020 |
| Skills Checklist and Goal Setting Exercise | 5% | No | 31/07/2020 |
Independent Research Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 23/10/2020
Weighting: 30%
Students are required to respond to a set questions and complete an independent research essay that critiques current professional practices and regulation of the legal profession.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and respond to ethical issues appropriately.
- Critique current practices and regulation of the legal profession.
Goal Evaluation and Reflection
Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 30/10/2020
Weighting: 25%
Students are required to assess the achievement of their goals, prepare a goal outcomes report and personal reflection; and set future long and short term goals.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Examine and critique what it is to be a professional, especially in the discipline of law.
- Demonstrate advanced practical skills necessary in legal practice.
- Apply the specialised cognitive, interpersonal and communication skills necessary in legal practice.
Hypotheticals
Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 02/10/2020
Weighting: 25%
Students are required to complete set readings and complete two hypothetical exercises on ethics and regulation of the legal profession.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse issues that arise in professional practice and community engagement. In particular the personal and professional demands on, and expectations of, lawyers and public advocates in practice.
- Examine and critique what it is to be a professional, especially in the discipline of law.
- Identify and respond to ethical issues appropriately.
Short quiz
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 1 hours
Due: 22/08/2020
Weighting: 15%
Short quiz related to professional conduct
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse issues that arise in professional practice and community engagement. In particular the personal and professional demands on, and expectations of, lawyers and public advocates in practice.
- Examine and critique what it is to be a professional, especially in the discipline of law.
- Identify and respond to ethical issues appropriately.
Skills Checklist and Goal Setting Exercise
Assessment Type 1: Work-integrated task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 2 hours
Due: 31/07/2020
Weighting: 5%
Students are required to complete a skills checklist template, then develop goals for their placement and consider the means by which they will be achieved.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Examine and critique what it is to be a professional, especially in the discipline of law.
- Apply the specialised cognitive, interpersonal and communication skills necessary in legal practice.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
This PACE unit is delivered via student placements and online resources that can be found on the ilearn site
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.