Legal Systems & Skills

Scott Slorach (consultant editor) is a Professor and Director of Teaching & Learning at York Law School at the University of York, and a qualified solicitor with City experience. He has specialised for over 30 years in the design and delivery of legal education, working with a range of HE institutions, regulators, and law firms in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.Judith Embley recently retired as an Associate Professor at the University of Law. She qualified as a solicitor in 1980, practising in a Lincoln's Inn firm and began teaching law in 1999 as a Visiting Lecturer at Bellerby's College and then Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. She joined the University of Law in 2001, where she has taught contract, commercial, and business financial law. She is joint author of the University of Law's Legal Practice Guide, Commercial and Intellectual Property Law.Peter Goodchild is an Associate Professor and Programme Director for Law Conversion Courses at the University of Law. He read Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at St. Anne's College, Oxford, then attended the University of Law and qualified as a solicitor in 1997, into commercial practice. He joined the University of Law in 2000, where he has taught the English legal system, contract, tort, ethics, commercial, IP, and business structures law. Peter is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In addition to over 20 years of teaching experience, he has wide experience of designing programmes and has been an author of texts on tort, commercial law, IP law, and the English Legal System.Catherine Shephard is a Reader in Practice-Informed Law and Education at Manchester Met. She read law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and practised as a solicitor in corporate law. Catherine’s work centres around the theme of connection across the student journey, from before transition into university, to well beyond the achievement of graduate outcomes and into professional life. Catherine is an experienced lecturer and trainer in corporate law and skills, an accredited civil-commercial mediator, and leads commercial pro bono and outreach work. She enjoys communicating her ideas widely, in writing and in person, working collaboratively with leading practitioners, legal education providers, widening participation charities, professional, statutory and regulatory bodies, and of course her colleagues and students.

One of the most thorough and engagingly written legal systems / skills books out there. I particularly appreciate the emphasis on practical, human and employability skills in this work, at a depth that is lacking in other similar works.

• 1: Successful transition into studying law at university Part I Legal Systems 2: Introduction to law 3: Legal systems and sources of law 4: The court system of England & Wales 5: Legislation 6: Case law 7: Legal services and ethics Part II Legal Skills 8: Reading cases and legislation 9: Research 10: Problem solving and case/matter analysis 11: Persuasive oral communication and presentations 12: Client interviews and meetings 13: Negotiation and mediation 14: Advocacy and mooting 15: Writing and drafting 16: Revision and assessment Part III Employability and Commercial Awareness 17: Making yourself more employable 18: CVs, applications, and interviews 19: Understanding clients: individuals and businesses 20: Businesses and the business environment 21: Essential economics and finance 22: Law firms as businesses