Master of Laws Professional Legal Practice LLM
1 Year Full Time | September Start

The content of the module will be in line with the SRA Assessment Specification for SQE1. You will learn about and apply relevant core legal principles and rules, at the level of a competent newly qualified solicitor in practice, to realistic client-based and ethical problems and situations in the following areas:

The key elements of a freehold and/or leasehold residential or commercial property transaction.

Investigation of a registered or an unregistered freehold and/or leasehold title.

Pre-contract searches and enquiries undertaken when acquiring a freehold and/or leasehold property.

Steps in progressing a freehold and/or leasehold property transaction to exchange of contracts.

Pre-completion steps relevant to a freehold and/or leasehold property transaction.

Completion and post-completion steps relevant to a freehold and/or leasehold property transaction including remedies for delayed completion.

The grant and the assignment of a commercial lease and/or underlease.

The key lease covenants in a commercial lease and the law relating to their breach.

Security of tenure under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Part II.

Taxation of property transactions through Stamp Duty Land Tax, Land Transaction Tax, Value Added Tax and Capital Gains Tax.

This module will therefore support you in preparing for the SQE1 assessment in property law and practice.

You will learn about the whole lifecycle of a business from start-up to dissolution/insolvency. You will learn about the main types of business media - sole traders, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), partnerships and companies – as well as their advantages and disadvantages and key considerations relevant for choice of legal structure. You will understand the procedures for setting up each type of business media, and you will be able to demonstrate an awareness of the ongoing interests, rights, obligations and powers of the various stakeholders within each business structure. You will be able to advise on the legal aspects of common business transactions, entering into contracts and the basics of finance and lending. In relation to companies, you will learn to appreciate the importance of a company’s constitution and the Companies Act 2006 in relation to: the ongoing operations of the company; the appointment and removal of officers; alterations to the constitution; transactions with directors; and the allotment, issue and transfer of shares. You will be able to draft routine documentation required to effect common transactions and advise on the taxation of business profits. You will understand the implications of insolvency for a business and individuals and be able to advise on any claims arising and potential liabilities. You will cover the basic principles of business accounting and you will learn how to interpret business accounts to ensure clients are appropriately advised. Finally, professional conduct scenarios will be employed so that you learn the importance of complying with the Code of Conduct and other professional obligations, including in relation to anti-money laundering and financial services regulation.

The content of this module will be in line with the SRA Assessment Specification for SQE 1:

Analysis of merits of claim or defence.

Arbitration, mediation and litigation as an appropriate mechanism to resolve a dispute.

Pre-action considerations and steps.

Commencing, responding to or progressing a claim.

Case management and any interim applications relevant to a claim.

The evidence needed and disclosure steps required in commencing, responding to, progressing or defending a claim.

Preparation of a case for a trial, the trial and any post trial steps.

Procedures and processes relevant to costs involved in dispute resolution.

On completion of this module you will apply relevant core legal principles and rules to realistic client based and ethical problems and situations in the area of civil dispute resolution. These areas will be considered using contract and tort legal knowledge and principles, you will be expected to understand the basics of both of these legal areas and apply them to realistic scenarios in order to advise a client, either bringing a claim or defending an action.

The module will take you through a claim from initially seeing a client including initial considerations around parties, funding a claim, limitation, causes of action, jurisdiction, through where and how to start proceedings, responding to proceedings and how to terminate proceedings at an early stage. It will also then cover how cases are managed by the court and what evidential issues you may encounter during the process of a claim. Finally it will deal with considerations for trial, including costs issues that may arise at the end of or during the dispute resolution process.

This module will therefore support you in preparing for the SQE 1 assessment in dispute resolution.

The content of this module will be in line with the SRA Assessment Specification for SQE 1.

The core principles of criminal liability including actus reus and mens rea, specific and general defences, and participation.

The law, procedure and processes involved in advising a client at the police station.

The law, procedure and processes involved in pre-trial considerations.

The law, procedure and processes involved to meet the client’s objectives.

The law, procedure and processes involved in magistrates’ court and Crown Court trials, including sentencing and appeals.

On completion of this module you will understand and be able to apply the core legal principles and rules to realistic client based and ethical problems and situations in the area of criminal law and practice. The module will include advising clients about the procedures and processes at the police station including the applicable rules of criminal evidence. You will to apply the core principles to realistic scenarios in order to advise relevant parties to criminal proceedings.

The module will take you through the key stages of the criminal litigation process including arrest, detention, interview , procedures in the police station, bail, the first hearing in the magistrates’ court, case management and pre-trial hearings (including disclosure of evidence), evidential principles and procedures, trial procedure in the magistrates’ court and Crown Court, youth court procedure, sentencing and appeals.

This module will therefore support you in preparing for the SQE1 assessment in criminal law and practice.

The content of this module will be in line with the SRA Assessment Specification for SQE1:

1. The validity of a will and interpretation of the contents of a will. The distribution of testate, intestate and partially intestate estates.

2. The law and practice in connection with an application for a grant of representation.

3. The law and practice of Inheritance Tax in the context of lifetime gifts and transfers on death.

4. The planning, management and progression of the administration of an estate including claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.

5. The law and practice relating to personal representatives and trustees in the administration of estates and consequent trusts.

The rights, powers and remedies of beneficiaries of wills and consequent trusts.

On completion of this module you will be able to apply relevant core legal principles and rules appropriately and effectively to realistic client-based and ethical problems and situations in the area of wills and the administration of estates. The module takes you through how wills are created, executed and revoked. You will learn the rules of intestacy and how to distribute and administer an estate. You will learn about Inheritance Tax and the impact on lifetime gifts and on an estate on death. You will learn about valuing an estate for inheritance tax purposes, how to prepare estate accounts and about claims against the estate.

This module will support you in preparing for the SQE1 assessment in wills and the administration of estates.

This module provides you with an introduction to advanced legal research methods. It has been designed to ensure that you feel confident in embarking upon the research for your dissertation, and to support you in developing your proposal for your Masters dissertation. During this module you will undertake a range of tasks which aim to develop your understanding of effective academic legal research, critical legal thinking and writing.

This module is an opportunity for you to devise, develop and complete a substantial piece of independent research at Master’s level, in dissertation form, in an area of your choice linked to your study.

You will work under the guidance of a project supervisor, utilising the knowledge and understanding you have gained on the LLM in Professional Legal Practice and the legal knowledge that you have.

The LLM Project module focuses on the development of skills in three key areas: problem identification and analysis, research and information gathering and the written presentation of results. You will develop your ability to undertake legal research, addressing complex and current issues in your subject area. You will also engage critically with research material and analyse your current skills and practice. The LLM Project module will also develop your skill in effectively formulating, communicating and presenting a sustained argument in writing to both a specialist and non-specialist audience.