Written Advocacy

This subject is not offered in 2012.

96 hours.

Legal Method and Reasoning; Principles of Public Law; Torts; Contracts; Property; or their equivalents.

None.

None.

None.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will develop the skill of writing effective and persuasive documents. The subject will look at key documents that need to be prepared in practice. It will focus on how documents can best be written to comply with the applicable legal requirements while being persuasive, effective and readable.

Topics:

1. Effective writing to influence decision making;
2. Writing techniques;
3. Advising clients: letters of advice, written opinions;
4. Letters to adversaries before actions;
5. Pleadings;
6. Written submissions in Courts and Tribunals;
7. Applications to regulatory bodies;
8. Witness statements, affidavits and expert opinions;
9. Appeals;
10. Application for special leave to appeal.

On completion of this subject, students should have developed the skills to prepare a variety of documents, including documents commonly used in legal practice, in a clear and effective manner.

• Drafting exercise (1,500 words) due throughout the semester (30%)
  
  AND
• Written submission (2,500 words) due weeks 11 – 12. Students will be required to make in-class presentations to defend their written submission. Oral component 20%; written component 50%

Printed materials will be available from the Melbourne Law School.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject, students should have developed the following generic skills:

• Critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, analytical skills;
• Capacities in information seeking, evaluation and retrieval;
• Written communication skills;
• Oral communication skills.

This subject has a quota of 30. Please contact the Law Student Centre for enrolment information.