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LAW-10047 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

LAW-10047 - Lawyers in Society
Coordinator: Diane Blenkiron Tel: +44 1782 7 34160
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 4
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733218

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

This module will introduce you to the different roles that lawyers play in society and reflect on the contemporary challenges facing the profession, from increasing diversity and globalisation to the growing influence of generative Artificial Intelligence and legal technology. You will also meet guest speakers from the profession and ask them questions. This module will give you the opportunity to reflect on your own legal identity, career aspirations and skills development, and be able to evaluate specific case studies.

Aims
Lawyers in Society is an exciting module which introduces the English and Welsh legal profession, including the barristers' and solicitors' professions. It will explore the breadth and diversity of the profession, as well as highlighting some of the contemporary challenges facing lawyers and their clients, such as equality, globalisation, professional ethics and recent changes to legal aid funding.
This module will equip you will a better understanding of the structure of the professions, and an insight into life as a lawyer. You will have the opportunity to engage in legal research and to reflect on your own professional skills development.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Explain the structure of the legal profession and training pathways.: 1,2
Summarise the main challenges facing lawyers in the contemporary legal profession.: 1,2
Identify academic literature relating to the contemporary challenges of the legal profession.: 1,2
Reflect upon the legal and academic skills and personal attributes needed to become an effective lawyer.: 1,2

Study hours

Active Learning Hours
- 10 x 2 hour lectures (20 hours)
- 1 x 2 hour assessment guidance (2 hours)
- 6 x 1 hour tutorials (6 hours)
Drop in session (around assessment preparation) (2 hours)
Independent Study Hours:
Including self directed study, teaching preparation and assessment preparation
- Teaching Preparation and Further Study: 40 hours
- Reading and preparation for assessment 1: 40 hours
- Reading and preparation for assessment 2: 40 hours


School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 50%
Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography of 3 academic sources on a topic connected to a challenge facing the legal profession that has been discussed in the module, such as diversity, globalisation, and legal technology. This will be scaffolded in lectures and tutorials, and students will have regular practice in making annotated bibliographies during the module. Students will be given a template to use, and will be introduced to this at the beginning of the semester. Word count: 1000 words.

2: Portfolio weighted 50%
Reflective Portfolio
A written collection comprising: - A reflection on their development of academic and professional skills during the module. - Development of an action plan mapping SMART targets for their future learning and skills development. This will provide a useful foundation for the reflection assessment in Legal Essentials at the end of semester 2. Word count: 1000 words

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025