Keele Badge

LAW-30184 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Business, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences

For academic year: 2026/27 Last Updated: 17 March 2026

LAW-30184 - Contemporary Law Reform Project
Coordinator: Bleddyn Davies
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office: 01782 733218

Programme/Approved Electives for 2026/27

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

Law-30178 Clock/Community Legal Outreach
Law-30174 Legal Advice Clinic
Law-30158 Dissertation

Description for 2026/27


Aims
This module allows students to select a topic from a list prepared by tutors on the law programme, investigate the black letter law and literature in that field, critique the existing law and propose well reasoned, evidenced reform to that field of law, both orally and in writing.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Independently identify weaknesses in the legal landscape: 1,2,3
Critically assess a legal source in its appropriate context: 1
Propose workable, meaningful law reforms, evidenced with appropriate secondary sources.: 2,3
Communicate a proposed legal reform both orally and in writing: 2,3

Study hours

Introductory Lecture: 3 hours
Case Commentary Workshop: 2 hours
Law Reform Workshops: 4 hours
Writing retreats: 12 hours
Online Q&A: 12 hours
Independent Study: 267 including research and completing assessments

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 30%
3000 word critical commentary on a legal source
The student should select a relevant case, statute or similar legal source, and critically comment on that source.

2: Report weighted 40%
4000 word Law Reform proposal
Building on the critical legal source analysis, and now looking at the topic area more broadly, the student should produce a report which highlights the weakness that they have identified in the legal area they have investigated, critically assess that weakness using a broader range of legal and academic literature, and propose a reform or set of reforms that usefully addresses that weakness.

3: Presentation weighted 30%
15 minute Presentation
The student should present an oral summary of their proposed law reforms, synthesising and highlighting the key issues and arguments from their critical analysis and reform report.

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: 17 March 2026