Advocacy unit (LAW328)

Introduction

This unit provides a theoretical and practical framework to enable an understanding and application of the skills of advocacy. It provides you with the opportunity to develop a broad range of skills towards all aspects of ethical and effective advocacy as a junior lawyer. Interactive and intended to enhance academic, legal, professional and practical skills, it aims to prepare you as a lawyer in junior civil and criminal practice with the skills and expertise to deal with the type of hearings and situations you will typically encounter in junior practice. The unit combines in an intensive format both formal (courtroom) and informal (including negotiation and dispute resolution) settings, realising that these processes are complementary in modern legal practice and managed concurrently by lawyers. The diverse background of the teaching staff includes the input of members of the Tasmanian legal profession. Students conduct both oral and written advocacy exercises as part of the unit.

Summary

Unit name	Advocacy
Unit code	LAW328
Credit points	12.5
College/School	Arts and Society Faculty of Law
Discipline	Law
Coordinator	Doctor David Plater
Available as an elective?	Yes
Delivered By	University of Tasmania
Level	Advanced

Availability

Specific information on 2027 unit availability will be available in August

Learning Outcomes

• Apply knowledge and critical analysis of the law to advocate on behalf of a client to achieve the best legal outcome
• Make oral submissions on behalf of a client in an ethical manner in keeping with the ethical rules as well as observing legal etiquette
• Use primary and secondary resources to develop legal arguments and conclusions, and present arguments in a coherent and persuasive way on behalf of a client

Fee Information

2027 fee information will be available in August.

Requisites

Prerequisites

LAW218 Criminal Law: Homicide and Other Complex Offences, and LAW229 Criminal Law: Principles and Processes

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	Daily seminar, On-Campus intensive over 7 days (Monday 13 January 2025 to 22 January 2025, average teaching content 6 hours a day and final assessment exercise on 21 or 22 January 2025). Independent Learning, Daily, Online content and activities.
Assessment	Argument Outline (20%)|Advocacy Exercise (30%)|Oral Submissions (50%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required	Required readings will be listed in the unit outline prior to the start of classes.
Recommended	There is one recommended textbook: Tom Gray, Martin Hinton and David Caruso (eds) Essays in Advocacy (Barr Smith Press, 2012). 2 copies are available in the Reserved Collection of the UTAS Law Library or can be ordered online at a discount student rate.

The University reserves the right to amend or remove courses and unit availabilities, as appropriate.