legal practice course ('lpc') programme handbook 2016-2017, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Law

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LEGAL PRACTICE

COURSE (‘LPC’)

PROGRAMME

HANDBOOK

Contents

1. Programme outcomes and overview
2. Programme content, structure and teaching methods
3. Assessments
4. The Award
5. Pastoral care

Appendices

I. Solicitors Regulation Authority Legal Practice Course Outcomes II. LPC Programme Regulations III. LPC Learning and Teaching Strategy IV. Study guide – how to prepare for your sessions V. Study planners for each mode VI. Staff Contact Details VII. Further Assessment information a. Overview b. Assessment strategy c. Assessment dates for each mode d. Assessment map VIII. Further Module Information a. Curriculum map b. Module outlines for  Core Practice Areas  Course Skills  Other modules  Electives  Practice Ready (non-credit bearing) modules

1. LPC Programme Outcomes

The LPC prepares you for work-based learning and helps you to develop the core cognitive, professional and general transferable skills necessary for modern legal practice.

At BPP we have designed our LPC within the Masters framework as prescribed by Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (the ‘QAA’). The majority of the LPC programme is accordingly taught at ‘Masters’ level.

The BPP LPC programme outcomes are set out below. This sets out what you should be able to do by the time you complete the programme.

The Legal Practice Course is governed by the requirements of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (the ‘SRA’), which has outlined the minimum outcomes for the content of any provider’s Legal Practice Course. These are set out in Appendix 1 to this Programme Handbook. The programme outcomes for BPP’s LPC, as set out below, incorporate these requirements.

The SRA also sets specific outcomes for the different elements of the course. How these are met in BPP’s LPC is more specifically set out in the relevant module outlines (in Appendix VIII to this Programme Handbook).

Knowledge and Understanding

Ref A. Students should be able to:

K1 Demonstrate^ a^ systematic^ understanding^ of^ the^ principles,^ transactions^ and procedures in prescribed areas of law and their application in current professional legal practice.

K2 Demonstrate critical awareness of current issues and developments in substantive law and practice in prescribed areas of law and how these impact on advising a client.

K3 Demonstrate awareness and the application of the ethical principles and professional codes that inform behaviours within prescribed areas of legal practice.

K 4 Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the techniques appropriate for a range of professional skills including legal research, writing, drafting, advocacy and Interviewing & Advising and apply those skills in a range of commercial and client facing contexts.

Cognitive Skills

Ref A. Students should be able to: C1 Analyse and synthesise a wide range of information, documentation and data relevant to a client’s case in order to resolve complex legal issues, advance transactions and deliver effective legal advice demonstrating an awareness of both legal and non-legal factors. C2 Evaluate critically the application of precedents and authorities in the context of a client’s case and the strengths and weaknesses that this reveals.

2. Programme Content, structure and teaching methods

2.1 What will I study on the LPC?

The LPC is composed of 2 distinct but interconnected stages, Stage 1 and Stage 2. Together, these two stages comprise 13 modules in total. The modules are benchmarked against the National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications set by the QAA. As mentioned previously, the majority of BPP’s LPC modules are accordingly taught at level 7 (i.e. Masters level).

Detailed module outlines can be found in Appendix VIII to this Programme Handbook. Here you will find the aims, learning outcomes, detailed curriculum and assessment information for each module. You will also find the module outlines together with module materials on the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) so you can access your materials wherever you have an internet connection.

This section of the Programme Handbook aims to provide you with general information about what and how you will be taught. A copy of the full teaching and learning strategy for the programme can be found in Appendix III.

2.2 Stage 1 Modules

The LPC is regulated by the SRA. The SRA stipulates certain areas of the law which must be covered in Stage 1 of the programme. You must accordingly study the following modules:

Core Practice Areas (‘CPAs’)

 Business Law and Practice;

 Property Law and Practice; and

 Litigation (Civil and Criminal).

These are the core modules you study during Stage 1 and you will have regular classroom sessions in these modules during Stage 1 of the programme. You will also study the pervasive topic of Taxation within some of these modules.

Course Skills

As the LPC is a vocational programme, you also study the necessary skills designed to prepare you for legal practice. These comprise:

 Advocacy;

 Interviewing & Advising;

 Drafting;

 Writing; and

 Practical Legal Research.

The skills are integrated into the CPAs as well as being taught discretely where appropriate.

Other Stage 1 modules

The programme also contains modules designed to prepare you to practice within the regulatory and professional frameworks that solicitors operate within, namely:

 Professional Conduct;

 Financial Services; and

 Solicitors’ Accounts.

Again these areas are integrated into the CPA modules as well as being taught discretely where appropriate.

In addition to the above, the SRA requires you to study a short module on ‘Wills & the Administration of Estates’. This is an online self-study module on BPP’s LPC.

2.3 Stage 2 Modules

To complete Stage 2 of your LPC, you must pass three elective modules. You may select three modules from a range of vocational elective modules at BPP in order to complete Stage 2 of the LPC. The full range of choices is contained in Appendix VIII. You can choose from a very wide range modules designed to prepare you for practice in diverse legal sectors. Guidance is given during Stage 1 of the LPC about which modules are appropriate for your chosen career path.

2.4 Additional Practice Ready modules (optional non-credit bearing)

During your LPC you can take part in many activities to enhance your employability and skill set but will not count towards your final LPC assessments. You may, for example, opt to work though the online materials for a fourth vocational elective to broaden your range of legal practice knowledge or take part in one of the employer-led workshops in Employability Week. Alternatively, you may wish to take our ‘Law Firm as a Business’ module, developing the range of skills and knowledge you will be expected to demonstrate as a fee-earner in any law firm. These modules are available to you at no extra cost and will really make a difference to your CV. Details will be sent to you by your Programme Leader. Module outlines for Law Firm as a Business and a sample outline of the activities available in Employability Week are contained in Appendix VIII.

2.5 Programme structure /modes of study

Detailed week by week study planners are provided to each student on commencement of the programme. Copies of these are contained in Appendix V. Below is simply an overview of the programme structure for each mode.

Part time September start Assessments

Stage 1 (^) September to August with breaks for Christmas and Easter.

The main assessments take place in January, May and August with final Stage 1 results released at the end of July

Stage 2 Students can study vocational electives in:

September to February March to June

The vocational elective assessments take place three times per year:

Late February / early March June August / September

Free masters top up

Students studying the LPC with BPP have the opportunity to convert their vocational qualification into either an MA (LPC) with Business or an LLM in Professional Legal Practice.

If you successfully complete the LPC programme only and choose neither of the top up programmes then you will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, subject to passing each LPC assessment within 3 attempts.

LLM in Professional Legal Practice (‘LLM PLP’).

Students enrolling on this top up programme can choose whether to either:

1. complete two pieces of research ('practice based negotiated study', or ‘PBNS’); or
2. complete one research project and - in addition - to attend one of the taught modules chosen from the other LLM programmes offered by BPP.

Including your ‘usual’ studying time on the LPC, the LLM in PLP takes a minimum of 1 calendar year. Each PBNS study requires 15 weeks of study. Where available, taught modules are also taught over 15 weeks. Students can choose whether to:

 complete two projects at the same time;

 complete one project whilst attending a taught module;

 complete one element (for example, the project) first and then complete the second element (for example either a second project or a taught module) later.

The minimum time in which the LLM PLP can be completed is 15 weeks and this would be possible where a student completes two PBNS projects concurrently or chooses to complete a PBNS project while simultaneously attending a taught module.

A student normally has three years after passing the LPC to convert the vocational qualification into an LLM in PLP. It is generally not possible to start the LLM in PLP if a student has outstanding re-sit assessments still to take.

MA (LPC with Business)

This is a programme that has been developed by BPP to offer you the opportunity to study the LPC alongside two business focused modules, being: (i) strategy and (ii) finance (together, ‘the MA Business Modules’) and a business intelligence project (‘BIP’).

If you successfully complete the LPC (by passing all LPC assessments within 3 attempts), the MA Business Modules and the BIP, you will be awarded an MA (LPC with Business).

The MA programme comprises two components which must be completed within a maximum five year period:

(i) the LPC; and

(ii) the MA Business Modules and the BIP.

On the full time LPC, the MA Business Modules can be taught alongside the CPAs (i.e. alongside Business Law and Practice, Litigation and Property Law and Practice) or in the electives term. There are a variety of ways of scheduling the studying for the MA Business Modules so that all students, including those on the Fast Track LPC, can have the opportunity of face to face teaching.

The MA Business Modules build progressively on the content of the LPC covered during the CPA term to create a combined platform for developing technically competent legal practitioners who can interpret their role as lawyers ‘through the client’s eyes’ and frame their advice with a clear appreciation of the commercial context. The MA Business Modules are designed to develop an advanced understanding of the business and strategic environment in which clients and law firms operate and the skill to use this knowledge within legal practice.

You must complete one 2,500 word assignment for each of the two MA Business Modules. The assignments are usually case study based and require you to apply the principles learned from the MA Business Modules.

The MA Business Modules are combined with a BIP that enables you to engage in substantial research and analysis. You will be required to collect data, look at evidence of the relevant factors, conduct qualitative and, if relevant, quantitative research and produce a report of no more than 5,000 words.

The MA Business Modules can also be undertaken online, as ‘asynchronous’ tutorials. The online version of the MA Business Modules can be undertaken during your LPC year(s) or once you have completed your final LPC exams.

If you undertake the online version of the MA Business Modules, the cost is included in your LPC fees. If you undertake the face to face (i.e. taught) classes, there is an additional cost.

ILSs provide the opportunity to cover a broad range of subjects within the curriculum and to enhance the overall learning experience. They may vary in content depending on the subject matter and can range from a series of short answer questions to drafting legal documents. Where it is appropriate, completed work is submitted to the tutor for informal feedback. On occasion the completed work may also form an integral part of the relevant face to face or online SGS.

Workbooks

There are some areas of the programme (such as Taxation, Business Accounts, Solicitors’ Accounts and Professional Conduct & Regulation (‘PCR’)), where the best method of learning the module contents is through the practice of examples. We have found in the past that students have dealt with these modules at very different speeds and so they are not necessarily always suitable to be covered during a ‘live’ SGS.

In these circumstances, BPP will provide you with workbooks in these areas. These workbooks will allow you the flexibility that you need to cover the module matter at your own pace, whilst at the same time receiving the support of your tutors.

2.7 Attendance

Online lectures, flexible timetabling and e-learning resources have been designed to enable students to study as flexibly as possible. The LPC is, however, a vocational course. Attendance and participation in SGSs is key to success on the programme. Students studying the LPC at BPP are expected to attend all SGSs and regular attendance audits take place. Students who have less than satisfactory attendance are contacted in the first instance by their personal tutor and thereafter by the relevant Programme Leader. Further details about the role of your personal tutor and Programme Leaders are contained in paragraph 5.3 of this Programme Handbook.

3. ASSESSMENT

3.1 Overview

The LPC is assessed mainly via unseen, written examinations. There are also two oral assessments, an online multiple choice assessment and a ‘take away’ research paper. The pass mark for all assessments is 50%. You have a maximum of three attempts at each assessment.

For detailed regulations affecting BPP’s LPC assessments you should read the LPC Programme Regulations (at Appendix II) and the University’s General Academic Regulations and Manual of Policies and Procedures (found under the ‘Academic Registry’ tab on the VLE, under Regulatory Framework).

For the overall rationale behind the assessment methods, please consult the Assessment Strategy at Appendix VII. You will also find an overview of the assessments you must take and the award structure in this Appendix.

3.2 Assessment Strategy: Stage 1 Modules

Core Practice Areas (CPAs)

 Business Law and Practice;

 Property Law and Practice; and

 Litigation (Civil and Criminal).

CPA modules are examined by way of unseen, written examinations graded as a percentage mark. You must achieve 50% or more to pass each of them. Your Taxation module is assessed within Business Law and Practice.

Course Skills

 Advocacy;

 Interviewing & Advising;

 Drafting;

 Writing; and

 Practical Legal Research.

The Course Skills are graded on a ‘Competent’ or ‘Not Yet Competent’ basis (C/NYC) and (again) the pass mark is 50%. Advocacy and Interviewing & Advising take the form of oral assessments which are recorded. The Drafting module is assessed by one 2 hour discrete assessment. Practical Legal Research and Writing are combined in one ‘take away’ assessment where you produce and submit a research memorandum.

Professional Conduct & Regulation

You will be assessed on professional conduct and financial services topics within your Core Practice Area assessments and also in a separate, unseen, written examination. You must get 50% or more in the stand alone assessment to pass the PCR module.

Award Aggregate score required

Distinction An overall aggregate of 70% or more in your CPA modules and Vocational Elective Modules at first attempt.* Commendation An overall aggregate of 60%-69% in your CPA modules and Vocational Elective Modules at first attempt.* Pass A pass (50% or more) in all of your Stage 1 and Stage 2 modules *other modules (including skills modules) must be passed (over 50%) within the three attempts available

3.6 What happens if I narrowly miss out on a Distinction or

Commendation?

The Board of Examiners has no compensatory powers in these circumstances. For further details please see the LPC Programme Regulations in Appendix II.

3.7 What happens if I am ill before or during an assessment?

BPP Law School operates a "fit to sit" policy. This means that, if you attend an assessment, you are deemed to be "fit to sit" that assessment and may not later submit an application to the Mitigating Circumstances Officer relating to impaired performance due to (for example) illness or another mitigating factor that existed before the assessment started. You will need to sign an examination sheet immediately before the assessment begins, confirming that you are fit to sit.

If, however, you are affected by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control during an assessment, then you may have grounds for an application for Mitigating Circumstances. For further information, please consult the LPC Programme Regulations (at Appendix II) and the University’s General Academic Regulations and Manual of Policies and Procedures (found under the Academic Registry tab on the VLE, under Regulatory Framework).

If you are aware of circumstances which may impair your performance prior to an assessment, then you should consider making a deferral application to your Programme Leader. For further information, see the Academic Registry tab on the VLE under ‘Regulatory Framework’.

4. THE AWARD

4.1 Overview

Upon successful completion of the programme (Stage 1 and Stage 2) you will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice graded as outlined in paragraph 3. above. This is a postgraduate certificate at level 7 (masters level).

4.2 Credits

Academic awards in the UK carry a credit allocation. This is generally measured by the ‘notional hours of study’ a programme carries, i.e. the number of hours a typical student would have to devote to study in order to successfully complete the programme. Obviously this is not an exact science. Some students will take a smaller, some a larger amount of time to cover the same material. Nonetheless, this is a useful indicator of the intensity of a course.

The LPC is regulated by the SRA. The SRA requires the LPC to have a minimum of 1400 notional learning hours (the equivalent of 140 credits). BPP’s LPC carries 150 credits in total and 120 credits at level 7 (masters level), as set out in the overview of assessments in Appendix VII.

Given the above, students who pass the LPC can take further modules at level 7 to achieve a master’s level qualification with BPP. See the earlier section on the ‘top up’ masters programmes available.

You may, however, raise any problems (either academic or personal) with the Programme Leader or any member of the programme team if it is not appropriate to discuss it with your assigned personal tutor.

In addition to the above, BPP’s student advisers are on hand to provide guidance and support. The Student Advice service is your first point of contact for non-academic queries. They are a professional and experienced team offering free, confidential and non-judgmental advice on areas of concern both practical and personal.

To contact them, please email advice@bpp.com or internationaladvice@bpp.com and they will be happy to help.

5.4 Mentoring Service

Students also have access to an enhanced mentoring scheme which provides for regular meetings between the student and their mentor allowing the student to identify their strengths and weaknesses and identify appropriate development goals. Please see the “Mentoring” tab on the VLE (on your “Home” page). An announcement will be sent out near the beginning of term for those who want to sign up for the scheme and if you have any specific questions, please e-mail LPCMentoring@bpp.com.

5.5 Careers

The LPC is a vocational programme and our careers service offers one-to-one advice and guidance from specialist advisers, careers tutors (many of whom have worked in practice and sat on recruitment selection panels) and practitioners from all areas of legal practice. Our aim is to help you secure a training contract by providing specialist advice essential for your future career. All of our services, workshops, presentations are delivered live but also recorded and archived so that they can be accessed at any subsequent time.

If you have already obtained a training contract before or during your LPC studies, BPP’s careers service can still assist you by helping you to source vacation work or some other form of (legal) work prior to the commencement of your training contract.

5.6 Pro Bono

The BPP Pro Bono Centre provides opportunities for all BPP law students to undertake pro bono work, either through one of the many projects run from the centre or by assisting you to find work with an outside non-profit organisation. Through these opportunities, BPP law students can gain practical legal experience, develop their legal skills and knowledge and network within the legal profession while providing a valuable service to the community.

Your personal tutor will work with you to identify the projects most suited to you. Many of these projects (e.g. Liberty, Own It, Amnesty International and the Human Rights Unit) provide advice to clients via email/letter and we encourage you to make full use of these opportunities.

In the BPP Legal Advice Clinic, you will be able to provide collaborative advice to clients and provide them with letters of legal advice and some representation in the areas of housing, employment, family and some other law under the supervision of BPP tutors and external supervisors from practice.

For more information and to book an appointment with a member of the team please email probono@bpp.com.

5.7 Staff Student Liaison Committee

Each SGS group will be invited to elect a representative a few weeks after the programme has begun. This representative will attend Staff Student Liaison Committee (‘SSLC’) meetings and act as a conduit for any concerns the SGS group as a whole may have concerning the teaching or administration of the programme.

5.8 What if my circumstances change?

Life is unpredictable, and if something happens that may affect your participation on the LPC, you must let your personal tutor know as soon as possible. Your personal tutor will be able to advise you of the steps you must take to ensure that you do not prejudice your studies, whether that means changing timetable arrangements, deferral or transfer to a different mode of study.