MLL427 - Advanced Legal Problem Solving and Persuasion
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Online, Community Based Delivery (CBD)* |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 1: Sven Gallasch Trimester 2: Maria O’Sullivan |
| Cohort rule: | For Bachelor of Laws (including combined Law awards) students only |
| Prerequisite: | Students must have passed MLP334 and MLP391 plus 10 MLL/MLP/MLT coded Law units. Note: Students who have commenced before Trimester 1 2022, and have successfully completed MLL111, are not required to complete MLP219. |
| Corequisite: | MLP235 |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | Online independent and asynchronous collaborative learning up to a maximum of 2 hours per week which includes lecture pre-recordings. In addition there are 4 scheduled on-campus seminars (recordings provided) of 9 hours over the trimester (Week 1: 1.5 hours; Week 3: 3 hours; Week 8: 3 hours; Week 10: 1.5 hours) |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Online independent and asynchronous collaborative learning up to a maximum of 2 hours per week which includes lecture pre-recordings. |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Note:*Community Based Delivery (CBD) is for National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation NIKERI Institute students only. | |
Content
This unit is designed to help students draw together substantive law subject learning in previous studies with opportunities for practical professional and legal skill development. It will extend and refine skills introduced in previous units, most notably MLL113 Legal Writing and Ethical Decision-making.
This unit teaches students how to strategically approach issues faced by clients and to develop (written and oral) techniques to effectively influence the reasoning and behaviour of other individuals in the legal process. Students will develop important oral presentation skills of relevance to communicating, negotiating and persuading audiences in both general business and specific legal practice contexts.
Topics include: receiving instructions from clients; establishing client expectations; dealing with changing case dynamics; mediating and negotiating with lawyers; successful persuasion; understanding when to accept an offer; the considerations that influence judges and other decision makers; the importance of written submissions; the importance of case atmospherics; and persuasive advocacy.
The unit will also allow students to develop capabilities of being a reflective legal practitioner who can appreciate current and future trends in professional legal practice and to use such reflective skills to plan for future satisfying careers.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Synthesise legal knowledge to articulate a clear, coherent, persuasive and reasoned presentation of a preferred legal course of action to both a legal and non-legal audience. | GLO2: Communication |
| ULO2 | Constructively engage with others to agree and work towards mutually beneficial outcomes. | GLO7: Teamwork |
| ULO3 | Acquire and engage with information from relevant sources to substantiate a recommended course of action to solve a legal problem for a client. | GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO4 | Consolidate the skills acquired to date, in the law and new skills needed to function effectively in a law environment. | GLO6: Self-Management |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: (Individual) Interview (live) | 15 minutes | 25% | Week 5 |
| Assessment 2: (Group of 4) Report (Client) | 4000 words | 50% | Week 9 |
| Assessment 3: (Individual) Written Reflection (self) | 1500 words | 25% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for MLL427 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.