Introduction to Australian Law & Statutory Interpretation
Unit Code:LAW10010
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other materials, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, the fundamentals of the Australian legal system and the principles of statutory interpretation. This unit introduces students to the study of law. It examines the Australian legal system, the doctrine of precedent, the interpretation of legislation, legal research methods and writing skills.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate the fundamental aspects of the Australian legal system.
- Explain the fundamental principles of common law and use them to evaluate the relative importance of judicial decisions
- Describe and apply the law relating to statutory interpretation to solve a legal issue
- Locate, interpret and select appropriate legal sources.
Contract Law
Unit Code:LAW10011
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other materials, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, Australian contract law. Students are introduced to the law relating to contractual agreements including formation, scope, content, avoidance, performance, discharge and remedies. Its focus is on the underlying principles and rules of law that apply to all contracts, unless otherwise provided by statute or the common law. As such, its study is a prelude to embarking upon those areas of law that have contractual agreement at their core.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate Australian contract law and related policies
- Identify relevant contract law principles in cases and statues
- Apply those contract law principles to particular factual situations and effectively advise and communicate with clients and others about their contractual rights and obligations
- Locate and interpret domestic legislation applicable to contract law
- Conduct contract law related research independently and in groups and use the results of that research to reach well-reasoned conclusions.
Commercial Law
Unit Code:LAW10013
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This unit builds on the foundation knowledge and skills acquired in contract law, to understand more specialised applications of contract law. These include bailment, agency, creation and regulation of security interests over personal property, commercial sale of goods and services, consumer credit, insurance, and guarantees. Students will also practise drafting advice and legal agreements in these areas, to discuss the legal implications in commercial practice and to provide advice in problem scenarios.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Locate and describe the common law and statutory provisions governing selected topics in the law of commerce
- Apply these areas of law to factual situations and develop problem solving skills to analyse and determine a likely outcome
- Apply the knowledge learnt in these topic areas to draft clauses in commercial agreements in relevant topic areas..
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Torts 1
Unit Code:LAW10014
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other materials, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, analysing a range of non-contractual civil wrongs. Its principal focus is on the law of negligence including the duty it imposes, breach of that duty, defences and remedies. The unit also introduces students to the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and to statutory compensation schemes in operation in Australia.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Identify the core principles of intentional torts, negligence and their overlap with the Australian Consumer Law (ACL)
- Demonstrate an ability to develop a sustained legal argument both orally and in writing in a logical and effective manner
- Locate and apply relevant case law and legislative provisions to solve factual legal problems relating to the law of torts
- Analyse judgments from the High Court of Australia and other superior courts that deal with tortious causes of action.
Torts 2
Unit Code:LAW10025
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
The aim of this unit is to enable students, through the study of cases, statutes and other materials, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in Australian Tort Law and in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) as it relates to intentional and economic torts, thereby building on the knowledge and skills already acquired in LAW10014.
Content
After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to:
- Identify the core principles of economic torts and their overlap with the Australian Consumer Law to resolve legal and policy issues
- Demonstrate an ability to develop a sustained legal argument and counter-argument both orally and in writing in a logical and effective way
- Research relevant case law and legislative provisions to solve factual legal problems relating to the law of torts
- Analyse and critique judgments from the High Court of Australia and other superior courts that deal with tortious causes of action.
Criminal Law & Procedure
Unit Code:LAW10015
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit introduces students to criminal law and procedure. It commences with a discussion of the key principles of criminal law and then examines a variety of substantive offences including homicide and defences, non-fatal offences against the person, property offences, inchoate offences and participatory liability. This is followed by a broad discussion of defences. The second half of the unit explores the procedure relating to the criminal justice system including commencement of criminal proceedings, search, seizure, forensic procedures, police questioning, bail, the machinery of the prosecution, trial and sentencing.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply common law and statutory rules of criminal liability to advise people of their criminal liability
- Evaluate, from a jurisprudential and normative perspective, the considerations which underpin criminal liability
- Examine the operation and effectiveness of the criminal law system
- Examine the criminal justice system, including defences to crime, and the extent to which it shapes individual behaviour and societal norms.
Legal Writing
Unit Code:LAW10026
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
The aim of this unit is to introduce students to the different styles of legal writing and will develop skills in communicating to both a legal and non-legal audience. Students will also develop skills and gain experience in the review and critique of legal writing, general legal
editing, conducting reference checks and ensuring conformity with legal referencing style guides, with students given the opportunity to apply these skills practically in the context of scholarly peer-reviewed legal journals.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Develop knowledge of the different kinds and styles of legal writing
- Demonstrate an ability to communicate to both a legal and non-legal audience through the different kinds of legal writing
- Develop and apply skills in legal research including in conducting reference checks and ensuring conformity with legal referencing style guides
- Develop and demonstrate the skills of assessment and evaluation of legal writing through the review and critique of different kinds of legal writing.
- Develop the ability to critically reflect on own writing and the development of writing ability
Evidence
Unit Code:LAW20009
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other material, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, the law of evidence. This unit introduces students to the law governing the collection and use of information that can be placed before courts and other tribunals when they are hearing criminal cases, or adjudicating civil disputes. It also examines the rationale for the rules that comprise the law of evidence and the values they represent. The focus of the unit is the Victorian Evidence Act 2008 which provides a law of evidence that is uniform with the law of the territories, the Commonwealth and NSW.
Content
After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate the law of evidence and related policy debates and reform proposals
- Locate and interpret legislation relevant to the law of evidence
- Apply the law of evidence to factual situations and effectively advise clients and others or their evidentiary position
- Conduct research relating to the law of evidence and procedure and use the results of that research.
Administrative Law
Unit Code:LAW20010
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) - completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australi1
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other material, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and competence in, Australian administrative law. Students learn the legal relationship between the citizen and the state. Administrative law regulates the powers of the state and prescribes the procedures the state must follow when exercising those powers and the remedies available to citizens when it does not do so. Knowledge of administrative law is essential to understanding the law governing the operation of the executive branch government in Australia and the rights and remedies of citizens when dealing with it.
Content
After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate Australian administrative law and related policy debates and reform proposals
- Locate and interpret legislation applicable to administrative law and use Hansard and other extrinsic aids to assist with its interpretation
- Describe the relationship between case law and legislation, and the importance of the history of a statutory provision to its interpretation
- Apply administrative law to factual situations and effectively advise and communicate with clients and others about their rights and obligations Conduct administrative law related research and use the results of that research to develop a legal argument.
- Conduct administrative law related research and use the results of that research to develop a legal argument
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Trade Marks & Related Rights
Unit Code:LAW20011
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other material, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, Australian trade mark law and the related law of passing-off and the statutory prohibition against misleading and deceptive conduct.
Content
After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate Australian statutory and common law trade mark law to support judgments and justify opinions
- Determine the factors relevant to obtaining, maintaining and protecting registered trade marks
- Apply trade mark law toward factual situations to effectively advise and communicate with clients on the appropriate strategy of trade mark protection
- Conduct trade mark law related research and use the results of that research in the practice of obtaining the registration of a trade mark in Australia.
Federal & State Constitutional Law
Unit Code:LAW20012
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other materials, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, Australian constitutional law. This unit introduces students to the Victorian Constitution and the matters covered in the Commonwealth Constitution. Its focus is the Australian federal system; in particular, the composition and legislative powers of the Commonwealth Parliament, the executive and judicial powers of the Commonwealth and the role and position of the states and the laws they make.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Identify the core principles of federal and state constitutional law to solve factual legal problems.
- Demonstrate an ability to develop a sustained legal argument both orally and in writing in a logical and effective way with particular regard to the cultural context and social and political impact of constitutional law.
- Locate and apply relevant case law and legislative provisions to solve factual legal problems relating to the law of torts.
- Analyse judgments from the High Court of Australia and other superior courts that deal with constitutional causes of action.
Property Law
Unit Code:LAW20013
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other materials, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, Australian property law. This unit introduces students to the interests in real and personal property recognised by law, including their acquisition and disposition. As well as examining the concept of ‘property’ itself, the unit considers the distinction between personal and real property, and between ownership and possession. It also deals with the recognition of native title and aspects of environmental law.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate Australian property law and related policy debates and reform proposals
- Locate and interpret legislation and case law applicable to property law
- Apply property law to factual situations and effectively formulate written arguments for a legal audience
- Conduct research to solve problems related to Australian Property Law and communicate the results of that research.
Land Law
Unit Code:LAW20014
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other materials, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, Australian land law. This unit focuses on the nature and creation of interests in land. It provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the Torrens system of land registration, the creation of security and other interests in land including mortgages, easements, restrictive covenants and leases, co-ownership and the transfer of interests in land.
Content
After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate the Australian land law registration system and related policy debates and reform proposals
- Locate and interpret land law applicable to interests in land, including concurrent ownership
- Effectively use legislation and case law to address factual situations and communicate responses about rights and obligations in land
- Conduct land law related research and use the results of that research to develop a legal argument.
Legal Technology and Innovation
Unit Code:LAW20040
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This unit introduces students to the relationship between law and technology from both a practical and theoretical perspective. Legal innovation and technology have become a new focus in the legal industry as technologies of automation slowly transform the nature of legal practice. At the same time, students receive instruction on technology as an object of legal regulation, as well as how technology changes the nature of law itself. This unit offers highly practical lab-based work where students learn the fundamentals of automating legal services and decision support systems, as well as develop skills required for designing new technologies to aid the practice of law.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate new technologies that change, challenge and enable the way that lawyers work
- Represent a legal decision making process as a series of logical steps
- Explain and build a software system intended to automate a legal decision making task
- Design and construct a solution to address a challenge or problem in the area of legal practice, and convey the solution requirements to a non-legal audience.
Copyright
Unit Code:LAW20043
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other material, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, Australian copyright law and its broader context. This unit introduces students to the laws relating to copyright in Australia, specifically focusing on the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) and related case law.
Content
After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate Australian copyright law
- Locate and interpret legislation applicable to copyright law
- Apply copyright law to factual situations and effectively advise and communicate with clients and others about their rights and obligations
- Conduct copyright law related research and use the results of that research to develop a legal argument.
Patents & Designs
Unit Code:LAW30011
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This unit introduces students to the legal regimes that protect patents and industrial designs and the rationales for such protection. It considers the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) and related case law including the patent application procedure, patentable subject matter, objections, infringement, defences and remedies, as well as patent ownership and exploitation. It also considers the Designs Act 2003 (Cth) including the design/copyright overlap. International aspects of both patent and design law will be considered, as will the crossover with other areas of law, including competition law, and the law of confidential information. The aim of this unit is to enable students, through the study of cases, statutes and other material, to acquire a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, Australian patent and design law.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate Australian patent law, the law of confidential information and design law and related policy debates and reform proposals
- Apply patent law, the law of confidential information and design law to factual situations and effectively advise and communicate with clients and others about their rights and obligations to those factual situations
- Locate and interpret legislation applicable to patent law, the law of confidential information and design law
- Conduct patent and design law related research and use the results of that research to reach well-reasoned conclusions
Equity & Trusts
Unit Code:LAW30012
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit introduces students to the equity jurisdiction of the unwritten law and the law of trusts. Within the unwritten law, equity developed to modify the rigidity of the law with the objective of achieving, in relation to individual transactions, fairness between parties. It now exists as a body of principles that seeks to produce individual transactional fairness and just outcomes. The concept of a trust is a major emanation of equity; as a result, this unit also examines the nature of trusts and the rights and obligations to which they give rise.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Evaluate Australian equity law and the law of trusts, and related policy debates and reform proposals
- Explain the historical evolution of the equity jurisdiction and the distinction between legal and equitable principles and remedies in your advice to a client in a given set of facts
- Locate and interpret legislation applicable to equity and trusts and apply it in the development of a legal argument
- Conduct research into equity law and the law of trusts and use the results of that research in the development of a legal argument.
Company Law
Unit Code:LAW30013
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit examines the law governing the incorporation, regulation and operation of Australian companies. It includes the rights and obligations of those who operate or deal with companies and those of its members. Students are enabled, through the study of cases, statutes and other material, to acquire an understanding of, and competence in, Australian company law and policy.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Evaluate Australian company law in a broader regulatory, social or economic context
- Locate and interpret relevant legislation and case law and apply it to a given factual scenario
- Communicate with clients and others to advise them about their rights and obligations in terms of identified company law
- Conduct company law related research and use the results of that research in the synthesis of a legal argument.
Legal Practice & Professional Conduct
Unit Code:LAW30015
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit enables students, through the study of cases, statutes and other material, to acquire and demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of, and competence in, legal practice and professional conduct. It immerses students in the concept of professional responsibility and the particular responsibilities lawyers have to their clients, the courts, the profession and to others. It also examines the regulation of the legal profession including the costs lawyers may charge and recover, restrictions on the conduct of legal practice, professional misconduct, disciplinary proceedings and trust accounting.
Content
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate the legal and ethical responsibilities of lawyers to their clients, the courts, the profession and to others and apply it to a factual situation they might encounter in practice
- Locate and interpret statutory provisions relevant to the professional practice of the law and apply it to a factual situation they might encounter in practice
- Outline the complaints and disciplinary procedures applicable to the legal profession
- Describe and apply the requirements and operation of trust account rules
- Collaboratively conduct legal practice and ethics related research and use the results of that research in the development of a legal argument.
Civil Procedure and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Unit Code:LAW30029
Contact Hours:Recommended 10 hours of study per week
Description:
About this unit
This is a (Priestley 11) unit (VLAB required area of study) –
completion is required for eligibility for admission to practice as a legal practitioner in Australia
This unit examines and analyses the law relating to the resolution of civil disputes between two or more parties. It focuses on the role of lawyers, courts and judges in the resolution of civil law disputes and the stages of civil proceedings including the identification of jurisdiction, the initiation of proceedings, service, pleadings, the acquisition and use of evidence, judgement, the right to appeal and costs. The unit examines alternative forms of dispute resolution (ADR) such as arbitration and mediation as well as the science of negotiation and persuasion.
Content
After successfully completing this unit, students will be able to:
- Describe and evaluate civil procedural laws and related policies
- Identify a civil dispute between two or more parties and exercise judgment and responsibility in advising upon the most appropriate avenues for resolving that dispute
- Apply the law of civil procedure and alternative dispute resolution to factual situations and effectively communicate with clients and others about their rights and obligations in those factual situations
- Analyse and critique current perspectives and developments in Australian civil procedure and alternative dispute resolution
- Conduct civil procedure and alternative dispute resolution research independently and in groups and use the results of that research to reach well-reasoned conclusions.
View further information about this unit.
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