CQUniversity Unit Profile
LAWS12073 Legal Practicum
Legal Practicum
All details in this unit profile for LAWS12073 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This capstone unit provides you with a choice of a domestic placement, social innovation project, international study tour, or workplace simulation. Placement opportunities available during Terms 1 and 2 are domestic placements, social innovation projects, and workplace simulations. Domestic placements will be facilitated by the Unit Coordinator and Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) team, or you may instead submit a placement that you have identified for approval. Social innovation projects will enable you to engage with pressing social issues and contribute to real-world outcomes. The workplace simulation will support the development of your practical legal skills (including advocacy, drafting, client interviewing, negotiating, file management, and problem solving) in the context of a simulated legal workplace. The content of the simulation may vary annually. In Term 3, the only placement option available is an international study tour, facilitated by CQUGlobal, to an international location in conjunction with an external partner organisation. International study tours will require you to pay for travel and accommodation; these costs may be offset by government scholarships such as the New Columbo plan. Prior to and during your placement, you will study cultural competencies, ethical responsibilities, and practical skills necessary to support your placement work. This capstone unit will enable you to apply your knowledge to legal problems in real-life environments. You will undertake legal and academic analysis, integrate reflecting thinking into your work, and present your ideas orally and in writing.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 2
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Prerequisite: 24 credit points of law 

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2023

Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Residential Schools

This unit has a Optional Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment
Weighting: 40%
2. Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books
Weighting: 60%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Student feedback, self-reflection

Feedback

Review assessment timing

Recommendation

Assessment timing should be reviewed to identify potential opportunities to increase the time students have to build on feedback received.

Feedback from Student feedback, self-reflection

Feedback

Integrate practical tasks

Recommendation

This unit teaches practical skills. Authentic practical tasks should be retained as an integral part of students' work in the unit.

Feedback from Student feedback, self-reflection

Feedback

Introduce single source of truth for all assessment information

Recommendation

The assessment regime of this unit is complex, as it varies to cover a range of different placement learning experiences, and is overseen by multiple staff. A single source of truth should be introduced to ensure clarity and consistency.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Plan and prepare for a professional experience
  2. Effectively participate in a professional experience
  3. Communicate effectively about a professional experience
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Written Assessment - 40%
2 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Practical Legal Skills

Edition: 5th (2021)
Authors: Ross Hyams & Adrian Evans
Oxford University Press
Binding: Paperback

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Australian Guide to Legal Citation, 4th ed

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Luke Price Unit Coordinator
l.price@cqu.edu.au
Wayne Jones Unit Coordinator
w.jones@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 10 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Legal Practicum: Preparing for Practice

Chapter

Ross Hyams & Adrian Evans, Practical Legal Skills (OUP, 5th ed, 2021), Chapter 1

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 17 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Managing Professional Responsibilities and Relationships

Chapter

Practical Legal Skills, Chapter 4

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 24 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Learning on the Job

Chapter

Barbara Mescher, ‘Reflective Thinking Can Be the Key to Best Decisions: The Statement of Ethics and the Law in Practice’ (2009) 47(6) Law Society Journal 38

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 31 Jul 2023

Module/Topic

Client Interviewing

Chapter

Practical Legal Skills, Chapter 2

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 5 Begin Date: 07 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Advising Clients

Chapter

Practical Legal Skills, Chapter 3

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation Week Begin Date: 14 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 6 Begin Date: 21 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Legal Writing and Drafting

Chapter

Practical Legal Skills, Chapter 5

Events and Submissions/Topic

Written Assessment Due: Week 6 Tuesday (22 Aug 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Week 7 Begin Date: 28 Aug 2023

Module/Topic

Negotiation

Chapter

Practical Legal Skills, Chapter 6

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 04 Sep 2023

Module/Topic

Advocacy

Chapter

Practical Legal Skills, Chapter 7

Events and Submissions/Topic

Placement Logbook Due: Week 8 Thursday (7 Sept 2023) 11:59 pm AEST
Term Specific Information

Legal Practicum will run in intensive mode in Term 2 2023. The until will run for 8 weeks.

Students whose placements end in Weeks 10, 11 or 12 will be granted extensions for Assessment 2 (the Placement Logbook).

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Written Assessment

Task Description

You will be provided a task in Week 4, which you are required to complete by using the unit materials, your placement experience, and your own research.

If you are undertaking a domestic placement, Forage simulation, or social innovation project, this task will relate to practical legal skills.

If you are undertaking the CQUni virtual workplace simulation, this task will relate to a virtual client’s matter.

Your assessment submission should include:

  • An answer to your assigned task; and
  • A short reflective commentary of how you used your placement or unit experience to complete the task.

The word limit for this assessment is 1500 words (total).


Assessment Due Date

Week 6 Tuesday (22 Aug 2023) 11:59 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 8 Tuesday (5 Sept 2023)

Estimated return is 2 weeks from due date.


Weighting
40%

Assessment Criteria

  • Knowledge and understanding;
  • Critical analysis and reasoning;
  • Integration of reflective thinking and processes, and research, into arguments;
  • Written expression and referencing.

The rubric will be uploaded to Moodle.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Plan and prepare for a professional experience
  • Effectively participate in a professional experience
  • Communicate effectively about a professional experience

2 Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books

Assessment Title
Placement Logbook

Task Description

Select three tasks you completed as part of your practicum. These tasks may include, but are not limited to:

  • Interview note;
  • Letter;
  • Memorandum of advice;
  • File note;
  • Affidavit;
  • Brief;
  • Other drafting.

For each task, critically reflect on your experience and what you learned:

  • Briefly summarise the task you completed;
  • Explore and evaluate your experience of undertaking the task;
  • Critically analyse the task, its context and outcomes; and
  • Based on your experience of the task, propose lessons for the future or an action plan.

Students undertaking domestic placements or the CQUni Virtual Workplace simulation will receive a Supervisor Evaluation of the practicum work via SONIA or via email, which will automatically be appended to your logbook submission. Students undertaking Forage placements will not receive a supervisor evaluation and should include a Self-Evaluation form (available on Moodle) in their logbook.

The word limit for your placement logbook is 2000 words (excluding supervisor evaluation or self-evaluation).


Assessment Due Date

Week 8 Thursday (7 Sept 2023) 11:59 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Results will be withheld until certification of grades.


Weighting
60%

Assessment Criteria

  • Knowledge and understanding;
  • Critical analysis and reasoning;
  • Use of authorities and other sources;
  • Written expression and referencing.

The rubric will be uploaded to Moodle.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Plan and prepare for a professional experience
  • Effectively participate in a professional experience
  • Communicate effectively about a professional experience

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?