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The Diploma is a full-time course delivered during one academic year. It is essential for entry to both the solicitors’ and advocates’ branches of the profession. For a number of years the Law Society and the universities have been working on a major revision of the Diploma as regards both content and methods of delivery. As is fitting for a course designed to bridge the gap between university and the workplace, the aim is to equip you with the necessary practical knowledge and skills, and to introduce you to the values and attitudes of the legal profession in Scotland. This will enable you to work competently during your traineeship. You will find a sharp shift in focus from undergraduate academia, with all its intricate arguments and concepts to skills-based learning and professional training. This can take some getting used to!
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The Law Society of Scotland has produced a set of guidelines for the new Diploma curriculum which forms the framework for the courses in all Diploma centres. Each centre implements the guidelines in ways it thinks appropriate to its students, bearing in mind the expertise of their practitioner tutors and their local resources. Course teaching and assessment methods thus vary rather extensively.
GUIDANCE NOTES FOR ENTRY INTO THE DIPLOMA IN LEGAL PRACTICE
(Please note that details in the above PDF document are subject to change)
THE DIPLOMA AT GGSL
ADMISSIONS
CAREERS
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THE DIPLOMA AT GGSL
In the GGSL we have been working on many innovations to make learning and assessment as practical as possible. Feedback is welcomed and each year this new course improves with constructive suggestions from students.
The GGSL is committed to skills-based learning and the integration of legal knowledge with skills in professional legal education. It is acknowledged to be at the leading edge of the delivery of practical legal skills through its teaching methods, staff training, its use of multimedia, and through use of information and communication technology (ICT), and the resources available in the purpose built learning environment of the GGSL itself. From the start of the Diploma you will become a member of a four-person firm which will simulate aspects of the legal working environment.
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The majority of teaching is carried out in tutorials and workshops where you will be actively encouraged to learn the skills used by practising lawyers through preparation and participation in the tutorials. You will be taught by experienced practitioners who work in offices or in court in their fields of law when not leading Diploma tutorials. As well as learning their skills you will develop strong contacts which may be invaluable to you in your professional career.
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ADMISSIONS
The admission requirements may be summarised as follows:-
1. You require a degree of LL.B from a Scottish University, or at least be “degree worthy” as at the start of the course, and
2. Your degree curriculum must contain passes in:-
Conveyancing
Law and the Legal Process Constitutional Law and History (Public Law I)
Scottish Private Law I (Contract and Delict)
Scottish Private Law II (Family Law and Property Law)
Criminal Law
Mercantile Law
Tax Law
Evidence
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Admissions of persons not so qualified can only be made in exceptional circumstances and in that event no Diploma can be awarded until the missing requirements are made up. In order to be admitted to The Law Society of Scotland and The Faculty of Advocates, a pass in European Law is a pre-requisite for admission to the profession. A pass in European Law is not a requirement for the Diploma although if you have not already passed this class, it is preferable that you study it in the Diploma year.
These notes are intended for guidance only and the University, Law Society and Faculty of Advocates regulations should be consulted in all less straightforward cases.
CLICK HERE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON MORE COMPLEX CASES
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Diploma course tuition fees for 2006/2007 are set at £4,050.
GRANTS
The Students Awards Agency for Scotland grants for the Diploma are now only available on a quota basis, and you will be informed whether you are within that quota or not. It should be clearly understood that the award and payment of grants is outwith the control of the University.
Applicants managing to source SAAS grant funding will normally receive a substantial contribution towards the cost of their Diploma course tuition fees. It is anticipated that the SAAS will in 2005/2006 contribute approximately 300 grants of £3,010 towards each tuition fee, leaving a shortfall of approximately £1,040. Students in receipt of an SAAS grant will be expected to meet this shortfall in tuition fees from their own resources.
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COURSE MATERIALS
Core course materials are produced centrally for all Diploma providers by the Law Society of Scotland. For the past three years they have been published by Greens. They are supplemented by some text books and materials produced by the GGSL. Distribution of materials usually takes place at Diploma enrolment and matriculation at which point payment is required in full. The cost of the materials varies from year to year but this year will be around £300. For this, students will receive all Diploma materials distributed by the Law Society and published by Greens, CD resources published and supplied by the GGSL, and course texts that have been discounted by the publishers and supplied by the GGSL to students at cost price.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT LOANS
FOR INFORMATION ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT LOANS CLICK HERE |
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT LOANS
Students who have received grant funding but need help with the shortfall, or students who are not in receipt of grant funding for their Diploma year may wish to consider preferential Career Development loans. These help you to pay for vocational education or training by offering a bank loan that you can repay when your period of study or training is finished. The loans are available from the Department for Education and Employment in conjunction with four major high street banks - Barclays, The Co-Operative, Clydesdale and The Royal Bank of Scotland.
CLICK HERE FOR CONTACT DETAILS OF THESE BANKS |
You can apply to borrow between £300 and £8000 to pay for 80% of your course fees, plus the full cost of books, materials and other related expenses. If you have been out of work for three months or longer you may be able to borrow 100% of the course fees. You are not required to make any repayments on the loan during the period of study or training and for up to one month afterwards.
Information packs and application forms are sent out automatically by the Diploma office to those students who have not obtained SAAS funding. However if you have received grant funding and need help with the shortfall, Career Development loan packs can be obtained by phoning 0800 585505 from 8am to 10pm Monday to Sunday.
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BANKS THAT OFFER CAREER DEVELOPMENT LOANS
The Clydesdale Bank
30 St Vincent Place
Glasgow G1 2HL
0141 951 7000
The Co-Operative Bank
29 Gordon Street
Glasgow G1 3PF
0141 221 4958
Barclays Bank
90 St Vincent Street
Glasgow G2 5UQ
0845 6000180
The Royal Bank Of Scotland
10 Gordon Street
Glasgow G1 3PL
0141 567 0065 |
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT LOAN PAGE
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The Diploma at the GGSL sets out to equip you with essential practical knowledge, to introduce you to the values and attitudes of the legal profession in Scotland and enable you to practice the skills necessary for your legal career. We are not aiming to transform you into highly capable practitioners at this stage. Our aim is to enable you to practice law as competent trainees – the next step is the training regime.
We place great emphasis upon developing your legal skills as well as knowledge, and so each semester commences with a Foundation Skills Course. The course lasts for two weeks at the start of semester one and one week at the start of semester two, and consists of lecture/demonstrations and workshops on the following areas: effective communications, case analysis and problem solving, interviewing, legal drafting, negotiation, advocacy and legal ethics.
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The skills learned are then further developed and assessed within the core subjects you study and the projects you will complete in the remaining weeks of the course. The core curriculum consists of 8 compulsory courses, plus the option to study one of two electives.
Full details of the structure and content of the diploma can be obtained through the following link:
DIPLOMA STRUCTURE |
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COMPLEX CASES
In cases of complexity reference should be made to
Ms. Elizabeth Campbell,
Director of Education and Training,
The Law Society of Scotland,
26 Drumsheugh Gardens,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7YR,
Tel: 0131 226 7411;
or, for those intending to proceed to the Bar, to the Clerk of the Faculty of Advocates in Parliament House, Edinburgh, Tel: 0131 260 5664.
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FOUNDATION COURSE IN LEGAL SKILLS
Aims
1. To introduce students to skill-based education
2. To enable students to become reflective trainees and practioners
3. To induct students into the process of professional legal learning.
4. To introduce students to:
each other
the campus
it personnel and resources
use of ICT facilities
The aim of the Foundation Course is to bridge the divide between academic and vocational stages of education by introducing students to skills-based training.
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This is achieved by tasks which link the body of knowledge and skills students already possess with the knowledge and skills of legal practice. Taught by experienced practitioners, the Foundation course aims to introduce students to the core values, attitudes and ethics of the Scottish legal profession.
Students will then put into practice a range of skills in a variety of sizes of small groups. Role play, simulations and reflective sessions will form the basis of activities in the small groups.
Above all, the Foundation course provides an invaluable opportunity for students from the different undergraduate universities to get to know one another, their firms and the campus.
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Conveyancing
Aim:
To develop knowledge and understanding of basic domestic and commercial Conveyancing transactions including the purchase, sale and leasing of residential and commercial properties.
Structure:
The course consists of lectures and tutorials. The latter will focus on practical exercises, particularly drafting skills in domestic transactions, and in attaining a comprehensive working knowledge of the role played by each solicitor in a conveyancing transaction and his or her professional and ethical responsibilities to client and other.
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CIVIL COURT PRACTICE
Aim:
To develop skills in relation to the conduct, funding and resolution of civil litigation, and to learn the basic structure of civil procedure.
Structure:
The substantive procedural law is taught via a webcast learning environment which will be issued to students as a CD and will also be available as a web application. Students will also attend weekly tutorials on civil advocacy and pleadings which will cover drafting of court documentation, presenting Motions, preparing for Proof and conduct of Proof.
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CRIMINAL COURT PRACTICE
Aim:
To develop skills and knowledge in criminal advocacy and procedure.
Structure:
The substantive procedural law is taught via a webcast learning environment which will be issued to students as a CD and will also be available as a web application. Students will also attend weekly tutorials on civil advocacy and pleadings which will cover appearance in court hearings including pleading diets, motions and trial diets.
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PRIVATE CLIENT
Aim:
To develop the practical skills of taking instructions, preparing wills, administering executries, trusts and curatories.
Structure:
The course will be taught in tutorials only.
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NEGOTIATION
Taught via lecture/demonstration, multimedia unit and workshops in the Foundation Course. Assessed via an online Personal Injury Project. Firms represent either the pursuer or the defender in a personal injury case. Firm 1 is matched against Firm 2, Firm 3 against Firm 4, and so on. You will be building on skills first introduced during the Foundation Course. Each firm has been given a name and a web page in the virtual town of Ardcalloch, which will effectively be your office. Students use their on-line resources to research the facts of their case as well as research the area of law to improve the negotiating position. Students will be assessed in their firms on a merit/competent/not yet competent basis. See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the INTRANET and the negotiation section of the skills area of the INTRANET for further information.
In addition a Negotiation workshop will be held in semester 2 which will build upon the skills acquired. Attendance is compulsory.
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INTERVIEW SKILLS
During the Foundation course you will have the opportunity to practice legal interview skills. The interviewing assessment will be held in January and involves two students, playing the roles of solicitor and client. Students will interview each other for a maximum of 20 minutes on an unseen scenario. It is videoed and assessed on a merit/competent/not yet competent basis. For more information see the interviewing section of the skills area of the INTRANET.
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LEGAL DRAFTING & WRITING SKILLS
These are taught in the Foundation Course and developed and assessed in Conveyancing, Public Administration, Company and Commercial and Private Client. See the legal writing and drafting sections in the skills area of the INTRANET.
ADVOCACY SKILLS
Taught in the Foundation course then assessed in Criminal and Civil Advocacy and Pleadings assignments (NB it is compulsory to take part in either the Plea in Mitigation or the Forensic Science projects). See the advocacy section of the skills area of the INTRANET.
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LEGAL RESEARCH SKILLS
Taught in the Foundation Course. Assessed in Company and Commercial, and Personal Injury. See the legal research section of the skills area of the INTRANET.
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PROFESSIONAL ETHICS & CONDUCT
Aim:
To develop knowledge and understanding of the ethical principles governing the conduct of lawyers in Scotland and to enable the identification of ethical problems as they arise in everyday legal practice.
Structure:
The course will consist of a large group of sessions and tutorials based on practical examples and case studies.
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FINANCIAL SERVICES AND ACCOUNTANCY
Aim:
To develop knowledge and understanding of (a) the provision and regulation of financial services; and (b) the information contained in accounts.
Structure:
The first part of the course will deal with finance, while the second will focus on accountancy. The course will consist of lectures and tutorials.
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TAX
Aim:
To explore financial planning in the context of an individual’s tax profile, including income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax.
Structure:
The First Semester will deal with Personal Tax and comprises updates on Income tax and Capital gains tax calculations with worked examples and 2 case studies, culminating in a presentation of a Tax and Financial Planning case study. The Second Semester concentrates on Inheritance tax, with students working individually, preparing answers to case studies for discussion in tutorial groups.
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PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Aim:
To develop knowledge and understanding of practice management skills required in professional practice, including financial and accounting issues associated with the running of a law practice; client care; risk management; caseload management, and the role played by IT in a legal practice.
Structure:
The course will consist of tutorials between students ‘firms’ and tutors, with guests lectures.
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ELECTIVE OPTION:
COMPANY & COMMERCIAL
Aim:
To develop skills relating to the formation, management and administration of private companies and the transactions and procedures typically undertaken in the content of their corporate activities.
Structure:
The course will be taught in tutorials only.
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ELECTIVE OPTION:
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Aim:
To develop skills in relation to public administration and an understanding of the role of the in – house solicitor in public service, and to introduce the following subjects: principles of public administration, local authority legal services, and the functions of statutory bodies.
Structure:
The course will be taught in tutorials only.
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CAREERS
ADVOCATES
If you are intending to become an advocate, you should consult:
The Clerk of the Faculty of Advocates, Advocates Library,
Parliament House,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1RF
to obtain a note of their regulations, which are rather different.
The Faculty of Advocates website is - http://www.advocates.org.uk/.
In the past we have received visits from members of the Faculty of Advocates to distribute information and answer student enquiries.
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CAREERS
It is highly unlikely that you have come this far without stumbling across the joys of traineeship hunting. At the very least you will know the theory: to become a solicitor in Scotland you must enter into a training contract with a firm of solicitors for a duration of two years.
The Law Society informs us that in recent years the number of traineeships registered have been in the region of 420 per year although it is as well to remember that, as the Law Society points out, this is ‘no guarantee of future performance: levels could go down as well as up!’ It would be a mistake to become complacent: traineeships don’t come with the Diploma.
Whatever the number of traineeships available, staff in the GGSL will naturally give students as much help as they possibly can in obtaining traineeships. Any information sent to us by solicitor firms is displayed on the noticeboards.
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The Diploma Course staff and the Careers Services of both Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities are ready at all times to give personal advice on employment matters. Careers officers will introduce themselves and the resources they have to offer during the Foundation Course in Professional Legal Skills, and will hold further presentations and workshops for students later in the Diploma.
You should be aware that before you begin your traineeship, all degree results and diploma results must be sent to the Law Society of Scotland together with references in order to apply for membership of the Law Society. It is essential that you do this at least one month in advance of beginning your traineeship.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION IF YOU ARE INTENDING TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE
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