Students
LAWS8019 – Dispute Resolution Processes and Law
2025 – Session 2, Online-scheduled-weekday
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor & Tutor
Jack Ellis
Contact via iLearn Messenger
Tutor
Amira Aftab
Contact via iLearn Messenger
Lecturer
Therese MacDermott
Contact via iLearn Messenger
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| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(Admission to LLM) or (Admission to JD and 160cp in LAW or LAWS units at 6000 level or above)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This final year unit draws together doctrinal, theoretical and practical knowledge and experience in the study of law through a focus on the use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the Australian and international context. Students are encouraged to think critically about the ways that legal disputes are typically resolved and the extent to which developments in the ADR field have been integrated into legal practice and regulation. This unit consolidates student learning on the range of legal remedies available through a comparison of ADR processes including negotiation, mediation, arbitration and restorative justice. This unit also provides students with an opportunity to consolidate high level communication skills by providing simulated opportunities for legal negotiations and to further develop the discipline specific communication skills required in conflict resolution processes.
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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 and critique models of dispute resolution in the Australian and International legal context
- ULO2: Identify and critique the key theoretical and doctrinal differences in the application of dispute resolution frameworks
- ULO3: Apply high level communication skills to dispute resolution processes and distinguish the skills required for different models of dispute resolution
- ULO4: Identify and critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of different models of dispute resolution and appropriately apply the models to different types of disputes
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Skills | 10% | No | Ongoing, during tutorials |
| Practice-Based Task | 40% | No | 11:55pm on Tuesday, 7 October 2025 |
| Role Play report | 30% | No | 11:55pm on Monday, 27 October 2025 |
| Exam | 20% | No | 3pm to 5pm on Thursday, 20 November 2025 |
Professional Skills
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: Ongoing, during tutorials
Weighting: 10%
Students will develop essential legal professional skills through structured classroom activities such as oral advocacy, critical reasoning, strategic problem-solving, collaborative work, team leadership, mooting, simulated client consultations, legal presentations or demonstrations, doctrinal analysis and problem solving, and/or collaborative legal research. These activities are designed to develop students’ professional capabilities including capacity to communicate legal concepts clearly and engage professionally with diverse audiences in diverse contexts.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Analyse and critique models of dispute resolution in the Australian and International legal context
- Identify and critique the key theoretical and doctrinal differences in the application of dispute resolution frameworks
Practice-Based Task
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: 11:55pm on Tuesday, 7 October 2025
Weighting: 40%
An assessment on professional skills and knowledge relevant to the unit. This could be a legal or policy brief, a report, an essay, a role play, a law reform proposal, legal pleadings or other related professional task. This assessment may require students to prepare a response through research and adhere to discipline-specific scholarly conventions.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Apply high level communication skills to dispute resolution processes and distinguish the skills required for different models of dispute resolution
- Identify and critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of different models of dispute resolution and appropriately apply the models to different types of disputes
Role Play report
Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 11:55pm on Monday, 27 October 2025
Weighting: 30%
A report that includes a reflective element based on the negotiation role play and skills practiced in tutorials. The report may also include a research element.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and reflect on the negotiation skills and knowledge of negotiation theory that you demonstrated in your Role Play.
- Describe and critique the various types of dispute resolution processes in operation in Australia which may be relevant to the nature of the dispute at the centre of the Role Play.
- Research and critique the relevant ethical considerations in dispute resolution and management processes.
- Identify and apply applicable dispute resolution processes relevant to the nature of the dispute and the participants in that dispute.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Apply high level communication skills to dispute resolution processes and distinguish the skills required for different models of dispute resolution
- Identify and critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of different models of dispute resolution and appropriately apply the models to different types of disputes
Exam
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 3pm to 5pm on Thursday, 20 November 2025
Weighting: 20%
A time based assessment requiring a written advice on an aspect of conflict resolution.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and critique the key theoretical and doctrinal differences in the application of dispute resolution frameworks
- Identify and critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of different models of dispute resolution and appropriately apply the models to different types of disputes
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
Delivery
Lectures: One recorded lecture per week (1 hour) delivered by Prof. Therese MacDermott
Tutorials: One in-person or online tutorial per fortnight (i.e. 2 hours, every second week) delivered by Jack Ellis or Dr Amira Aftab.
This unit is worth 10 credit points, which equates to 150 hours of work. Therefore, students should expect to commit an average of 10 hours per week to this unit, including all scheduled and unscheduled activities and preparing and executing the assessment tasks.
Resources
The required textbook is: Spencer, Barry and Akin Ojelabi, Dispute Resolution in Australia (5th ed. 2023 Lawbook Co.) Students can purchase this textbook online from online resellers such as Booktopia, Amazon and Zookal. Additional readings will be accessible through iLearn.
Students require access to a computer, internet with decent speed and a secure/reliable server. The iLearn page contains all Unit requirements and a weekly schedule for teaching, readings and tutorials. Information about all assessment tasks is also available on iLearn.
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:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Complaints Resolution Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
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 connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Academic Integrity
At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.
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- Workshops
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Unit information based on version 2025.04 of the Handbook