Overview

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.

Requisites

Prerequisites
LAW30015 Legal Practice and Professional Conduct

Rule

150 credit points in Law units

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
Summer
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
06-January-2025
16-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
06-January-2025
Census date
17-January-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
31-January-2025
Results released date
04-March-2025
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

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

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Class
3.00 12 weeks 36
Online
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
8.50 12 weeks 102
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
11.50 12 weeks 138
Live Online
Class
1.00 12 weeks 12
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
ExaminationIndividual 50 - 70% 1,2,3,4 
PortfolioIndividual/Group 30 - 50% 1,2,3,4,5 

Content

  • The ethical framework
  • The concept of professional responsibility
  • The duties of a legal practitioner to clients, the law, the courts and to fellow practitioners
  • The structure and regulation of the legal profession
  • Professional misconduct and disciplinary proceedings
  • The responsibilities associated with holding money on trust and trust accounting 

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.