This module introduces you to the fundamental concepts of the English legal system. This includes the sources of law, the court system and also key legal research skills.

The module will cover:

- Sources of law such as statute, common law, custom and international law
- Categories of law – including public law, private law, civil law and criminal law
- Legal and lay personnel: the qualification, appointment and roles of solicitors, barristers, judges, juries and magistrates
- The structure and operation of both the criminal and civil justice systems, including an introduction to the Criminal Procedure Rules and the Civil Procedure Rules; the roles of different courts; and the normal process of litigation.
- Finding primary and secondary materials using electronic and hard copy resources
- Statutory interpretation and judicial precedent
- Referencing using OSCOLA
- Models of reflection and their application including Gibbs and Driscoll.

1) The presentation will be delivered to an academic audience, requiring you to identify and explain, in depth, a key debate relating to an aspect of the English legal system, demonstrating a solid understanding of the relevant legal concepts and issues. You will apply critical reasoning skills to explore how such issues may affect justice in practice and will respond to questions at the conclusion of the presentation.

2) The assessment will demonstrate research skills in locating a reported case and a relevant journal article which critically discusses the case. You will produce an appropriately referenced summary and analysis of the journal article discussing the judicial reasoning within the case. In the last 250 words of the assessment, you will reflect on the legal and academic skills that you have developed during the module.

The delivery of the module will be via weekly lectures/workshops, together with guided independent study.

Lectures will be designed to provide a focus and context for students. While they will be predominantly tutor led, they will also be in part interactive, with topics being explored by means of questions and answers. Attendance at lectures is compulsory and students will be expected to undertake any specified preparation beforehand.

The workshops will enable students to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the topics introduced in the lectures. As with the lectures, attendance is compulsory and preparation beforehand essential. Preparation will take the form of directed reading and independent research thus allowing the student the ability to take increasing responsibility and ownership of their own learning. Students will be expected to communicate complex legal issues effectively. In this way, students will further develop their inter-personal skills, legal research skills, legal reasoning skills, problem solving and critical analysis skills.

The VLE will specify or contain the materials to be read prior to attending classes.

1. Identify and explain the core principles of the English legal system, including principles of statutory interpretation and the operation of the doctrine of judicial precedent.

Knowledge and understanding

2. Reflect on your academic knowledge and skills and identify areas for further growth.

Reflection
Personal development and entrepreneurship

3. Locate and select relevant primary and secondary materials by effectively employing physical and digital resources.

Digital literacy

4. Effectively communicate legal arguments and research findings to an academic audience.

Communication

As well as relevant reference texts, students will have access to a number of resources via the Library, including:

Databases
Journals
LawTrove

Finch E and Fafinski S, Legal Skills (10th edn, OUP 2025)

Gillespie A and Weare S, The English Legal System (10th edn, OUP 2025)

Embley J and others, Legal Systems & Skills: Learn, Develop, Apply (5th edn, OUP 2023)

Holland J and Webb J, Learning Legal Rules: A Students' Guide to Legal Method and Reasoning (11th edn, OUP 2022)

Partington M, Introduction to the English Legal System 2019-2020 (15th edn, OUP 2021)

In this module, you will explore the key concepts and structure of the English legal system, including where laws come from, how they are created, and the roles of the people who work within the system. You will also gain a clear understanding of how both the civil and criminal justice systems function in practice.

Alongside this, you will develop the key academic and practical skills needed to succeed as a law student and future legal professional. This includes learning how to locate, interpret and apply legal sources, as well as how to reference them accurately in your academic work.