LAWS76-106: Legal Skills

Description

Legal Skills is a compulsory subject in the Juris Doctor Online. It develops the core methods, reasoning processes, and communication practices used in professional legal work. Students learn how to research, interpret, and apply statutes and cases; analyse legal problems; and select appropriate dispute-resolution strategies. The subject emphasises professional written and oral communication, ethical decision-making, and applied problem-solving through structured exercises and simulated practice contexts. It provides an essential bridge between foundational legal knowledge and advanced doctrinal and practice-oriented subjects.

Subject details

Type: Postgraduate Subject
Code: LAWS76-106
EFTSL: 0.125
Faculty: Faculty of Law
Credit: 10
Study areas:
  • Law
Subject fees:
  • Commencing in 2026: $5,630.00
  • Commencing in 2026: $6,150.00

Learning outcomes

  1. Apply statutory and case law to generate legally defensible interpretations in problem based scenarios using digital and AI-assisted legal research tools.
  2. Resolve legal problems by selecting and justifying doctrinal and dispute resolution strategies.
  3. Draft professional written legal communications that apply authority with accuracy and audience awareness.
  4. Deliver persuasive oral legal communications in simulated professional contexts.
  5. Justify ethical and professional decisions in simulated legal practice environments.

Enrolment requirements

Requisites:

Pre-requisites:

There are no pre-requisites

Co-requisites:

Assumed knowledge:

Assumed knowledge is the minimum level of knowledge of a subject area that students are assumed to have acquired through previous study. It is the responsibility of students to ensure they meet the assumed knowledge expectations of the subject. Students who do not possess this prior knowledge are strongly recommended against enrolling and do so at their own risk. No concessions will be made for students’ lack of prior knowledge.

Restrictions: This subject is not available to
  • Study Abroad Students
  • This subject is not available to students on US Financial Aid.
  • Students on a Student Visa may be restricted from enrolment due to the mode of delivery in the chosen semester. Check the subject outline for further details.

This subject is not available as a general elective. To be eligible for enrolment, the subject must be specified in the students’ program structure.

Subject outlines