Overview

The aim of this unit is to introduce students to the different styles of legal writing and will develop skills in communicating to both a legal and non-legal audience. Students will also develop skills and gain experience in the review and critique of legal writing, general legal editing, conducting reference checks and ensuring conformity with legal referencing style guides, with students given the opportunity to apply these skills practically in the context of scholarly peer-reviewed legal journals.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date
03-March-2026
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
02-March-2026
31-May-2026
Last self-enrolment date
15-March-2026
Census date
31-March-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
21-April-2026
Results released date
07-July-2026
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
06-July-2026
04-October-2026
Last self-enrolment date
19-July-2026
Census date
04-August-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
25-August-2026
Results released date
27-October-2026
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-August-2026
01-November-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-August-2026
Census date
01-September-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
22-September-2026
Results released date
08-December-2026

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  1. Develop knowledge of the different kinds and styles of legal writing
  2. Demonstrate an ability to communicate to both a legal and non-legal audience through the different kinds of legal writing
  3. Develop and apply skills in legal research including in conducting reference checks and ensuring conformity with legal referencing style guides
  4. Develop and demonstrate the skills of assessment and evaluation of legal writing through the review and critique of different kinds of legal writing
  5. Develop the ability to critically reflect on own writing and the development of writing ability

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Class		3.00 12 weeks 36
Online
Lecture		1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		8.50 12 weeks 102
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Class (synchronous)		 3.00 12 weeks 36
Online
Directed Online Learning 		 1.00 12 weeks 12

Unspecified Activities

Independent Learning

 8.5 12 weeks  102
TOTAL     150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULOs
Final Portfolio Individual  50 - 70%  1,2,3,4,5 
Reflective Essay Individual  20 - 30%  2,4,5 
Written Assignment Individual  10 - 20%  1,2 

Content

  • Legal writing
  • Legal editing
  • Legal citation and style conventions
  • Critique and peer review of legal writing
  • Reflection on own writing
  • Graduate Attribute Communication Skills: Communication using different media

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.