Students

LAWS8099 – Professional and Community Engagement

2021 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update

The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.

This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.

Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Doron Goldbarsht
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
120cp in LAW or LAWS units at 6000 level or above and permission by special approval
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides JD students with an opportunity to apply their legal knowledge and skills in practical placements within partnerships between Macquarie University and the legal profession and community. Students will develop vital employability skills and have opportunities to participate in a variety of workplace experiences including law firms, legal centres, community-based legal organisations and services, government agencies and not-for-profit organisations. In these placements, students will be able to engage with the real world application of legal skills and principles developed in earlier units of study either through internships, clerkships and voluntary or paid legally related employment. In line with the university's Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) initiatives, the unit aims to provide students with a broad social perspective, critical thinking skills and the technical competence that employers value. Students will be advised of clinic, workplace or project opportunities on a regular basis and will be invited to apply for these opportunities online before they are required to apply for special approval to enrol in the unit.

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: Describe and analyse the personal and professional demands that arise in professional legal practice and community legal engagement. .
  • ULO2: Examine and critique the theory and law of professionalism in legal practice including its ethical dimensions
  • ULO3: Analyse the regulatory framework for the practice of law in a national or international context
  • ULO4: Apply the specialised cognitive, interpersonal and communication skills necessary in legal practice including the ability to take direction and work in a team to address or resolve legal problems.

General Assessment Information

Please note:

The assessment regime under "Assessment Tasks" is only for students who participate in a project or clinic organised by the Law School (Laws5078).

Individual Placement: Below (and on the Laws5051 iLearn page), you will find the assessment regime for students completing an Individual Placement:

 

Skills checklist and goal setting; Weighting: 5%, Hurdle? No; Due date: 23:59, 15/8/2021; Estimated Time on Task: 5 hours.

Evaluation and Reflection; Weighting: 25%; Hurdle? No; Due date: 23:59, 7/11/2021; Estimated Time on Task: 15 hours.

Engagement in unit and workplace tasks; Weighting: 30%; Hurdle? No; Due date: ongoing; Estimated Time on Task: 8 hours.

Research Report; Weighting: 40%; Hurdle? No; 23:59, 10/10/2021; Due date: 30 hours; Estimated Time on Task: 30 hours

 

Late Submission Penalty - Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – 10 marks out of 100 credit will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted seven days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Independent Research Project 30% No Part A: due 23:59 15/08/2021 Part B: due 23:59 07/11/2021
Reflection and contribution report 30% No A: Ongoing. B: Sunday 23:59, weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.
Problem Solving Activities 40% No 23:59 07/11/2021

Independent Research Project

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Part A: due 23:59 15/08/2021 Part B: due 23:59 07/11/2021
Weighting: 30%

Students are required to respond to a set question or problem, and complete an independent research report that critiques current professional practices and regulation of the legal profession; or addresses specific problems raised by the partner organisation


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Examine and critique the theory and law of professionalism in legal practice including its ethical dimensions
  • Analyse the regulatory framework for the practice of law in a national or international context

Reflection and contribution report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: A: Ongoing. B: Sunday 23:59, weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.
Weighting: 30%

Students are required to prepare a report that considers aspects of their placement that have impacted their consciousness, and influenced their views of society, the profession and themselves; and of their individual contribution to the tasks posed


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe and analyse the personal and professional demands that arise in professional legal practice and community legal engagement. .
  • Examine and critique the theory and law of professionalism in legal practice including its ethical dimensions

Problem Solving Activities

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 60 hours
Due: 23:59 07/11/2021
Weighting: 40%

Students are required to attend and participate online or in person in a series of problem solving or presentation tasks.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Analyse the regulatory framework for the practice of law in a national or international context
  • Apply the specialised cognitive, interpersonal and communication skills necessary in legal practice including the ability to take direction and work in a team to address or resolve legal problems.

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 unit, apart from the placement component, is delivered in one of two streams: A clinic stream or a project stream.

The clinic stream begins with a comprehensive orientation program, including training in reflective practice and a session on dealing with vicarious trauma when appropriate to the clinic context. Essential orientation information is assessed through an online quiz. Further skills-based modules are available for students to complete in their own time on ilearn. Students will work under the close supervision of solicitor-teachers on real-world social justice cases, undertaking a range of activities including legal research and writing, client interviewing, and legal and non-legal advocacy. Students work face-to-face with their solicitor-teacher in the clinic on campus.

In the project stream, students are introduced to the PACE program and course structure in Week 1 before meeting their PACE partner. Students are given additional support in relation to teamwork theory and practice to help ensure a successful teamwork experience. PACE partners provide a written project brief that outlines the PACE activity. These are legal projects that will contribute to the work of the partner organisation. The projects are developed in consultation with the convenor to ensure that the projects are challenging but achievable within one session. PACE partners also brief the students on the work of the partner organisation and the projects. Students in the project stream will meet regularly as required by the project and partner, allowing teaching staff to monitor students’ progress and to support students and teams as the need arises.

Students require access to a computer and a secure and reliable internet provider.

Unit Schedule

This unit is based on the practical application of theoretical and conceptual professional legal responsibility obligations that are owed in the practice of the legal profession.

In this unit, you are taking up a practical placement and putting the knowledge and skills you have acquired in law school to practical use. This will involve a chance to be reflective with your experience and understand and reflect on your practical work placement.

You will also be asked to apply your analytical and research skills to investigate and advise on practical situations concerning the application of legal professional ethical obligations to specific situations. Finally, you will be asked to understand and look at how the legal profession is developing and changing over time.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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.


Unit information based on version 2021.03 of the Handbook