|
Lecturer(s)
|
-
Madleňáková Lucia, JUDr. Ph.D.
-
Grochová Martina, Mgr. Ph.D.
-
Kopa Martin, JUDr. Ph.D.
|
|
Course content
|
1. Introductory lecture, what is legal writing and why it is useful to learn about it and master it 2. What has to be done before we put the pen to the paper - Madman technique; how to work with ideas; how to make sense of your thoughts; how to define your aim or claim 3. Sources - how to research sources and assess their relevance; appropriate sources for different types of legal texts; how to read legal texts and work with them 4. CRAC and other methods of legal argumentation - how to build an argument; how to effectively convince a reader; argumentative fouls 5. Structure of a text - use of paragraph, chapters, headings; argumentative line 6. Easy to read texts - tips and tricks of those with background in literature; how to find your style 7. Creativity in legal writing - how to engage the reader without overstepping the line; choice of words; use of literature in legal argumentation 8. The most common mistakes - what to pay attention to; how to shorten the text; what to avoid 9. Specifics of legal writing in legal practice 10. Specifics of drafting of decisions 11. Specifics of academic writing 12. Final lecture; colloquium
|
|
Learning activities and teaching methods
|
|
Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Training in job and motor Skils, Activating (Simulations, Games, Dramatization)
|
|
Learning outcomes
|
The course is proposed to students who wish to improve their legal writing skills. The aim is to equip students with useful techniques of working with sources, methods of convincing legal argumentation or methods of working with one's own text. Students will learn how to effectively research sources and read legal texts, they will learn to understand legal texts better and work with them in an efficient manner. They should master the skill of drafting and structuring of a quality legal text. Guest lecturers, legal practitioners, lawyers specialising in legal writing and academics with background in literature - will attend the course. The course will be mainly focused on legal writing for practice; the academic writing will only be a marginal topic. The course may however be useful to those writing their final thesis.
Students will get acquainted with effective techniques of source researching and will improve their legal writing and argumentation.
|
|
Prerequisites
|
B2 Level knowledge of English is required
|
|
Assessment methods and criteria
|
Student performance, Final Report
Student is required to actively participate in lectures and work on writing assignments.
|
|
Recommended literature
|
-
GARNER, Bryan A. (2013). Legal Writing in Plain English, Second Edition. Chicago-The University of Chicago Press.
-
GUBERMAN, Ross. (2014). Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation's Top Advocates. Oxford-Oxford University Press.
-
Guberman, Ross. (2015). Point Taken: How to Write Like the World's Best Judges. Oxford-Oxford University Press.
-
Meyer, Philip N. (2014). Strotelling for Lawyers. Oxford-Oxford University Press.
|