Start Date
Saturday 21 January 2023 at 10:00 AM
Assessment
LLM Advanced Legal Practice is assessed by means of a dissertation (100%).
Delivery Method
Online delivery. Also available to view on-demand.
Course Leader
Judith Tedders, Solicitor: J.Tedders@LawSociety.ie
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Application information
Applications for the spring 2023 LLM are now closed. If you are interested in applying for a future offering of the course, please register here for our Interested List.
Uniquely the LLM provides you with the opportunity of using your solicitor qualification as a building block to achieve recognised academic qualifications.
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Programme objectives
On completion of this training programme, participants will be able to:
- Formulate and execute a plan for practice-based legal research in an independently identified topic and investigate a question capable of sustaining a substantial piece of academic writing;
- Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the knowledge and critical thought at the forefront of legal practice and/or scholarship by identifying, evaluating and synthesizing primary and secondary research material relevant to a chosen area of enquiry;
- Evaluate various research methodologies and adopt, with justification, a methodological approach appropriate to the question being investigated by research;
- Through the submission of a dissertation, show originality in the evaluation and synthesis of knowledge and the application of relevant research methods and theory to produce a written piece of work of independent legal scholarship;
- Have an awareness of the various ethical considerations that are involved in the research question.
Programme structure and approach to learning
The Law Society of Ireland’s Diploma Centre offers an innovative LLM Advanced Legal Practice in partnership with the Leeds Law School at Leeds Beckett University.
Building upon the solicitor qualification, the programme provides the ideal opportunity for professional development in a specialised area of law. Candidates undertake in-depth study of an agreed legal topic under individual tutor supervision. The programme starts with an induction day, followed by self-paced, independent research under supervision. Supervisors are drawn from a panel of subject-matter experts, comprising both internal Law Society staff and senior external practitioners/academics. The programme lasts for one year, with early exit points – a timescale designed to allow students the flexibility to complete the LLM in keeping with their work commitments.
The programme focuses on legal research and coherent presentation of legal research in a written form. You will begin by attending a course induction day on-site in the Law Society, during which the dissertation module of the programme will be introduced. This module is not assessed, but is designed to update your writing and research skills. For the remainder of the programme, you will complete a dissertation of 15,000 words.
The dissertation is the sole assessed element of the programme. The topic of study is of your choosing, but generally must relate to an area of Irish law, and there must be an appropriate tutor available to support you. You do not need to have identified your chosen area of research before joining the master’s, as the first two weeks of the course are designed to give you time to consider your research question.
The dissertation module includes the following units of study:
- Finding the research idea,
- Developing the research idea,
- Methods and methodology,
- Literature review.
Assessment
The dissertation is the sole assessed element of the programme. The topic of study is of your choosing, but generally must relate to an area of Irish law and there must be an appropriate tutor available to support you.
The dissertation is an independent research project of 15,000 words. It allows students to develop their ideas on a legal topic which they have chosen to explore in depth. There will be a clear formative component to the student experience. Students receive on-going feedback and guidance as they progress though the various stages of producing the dissertation.
Who should attend?
This course is suitable for the following:
- Qualified as a solicitor in this jurisdiction, or
- Enrolled on the PPC at the same time as they enrol to the LLM Advanced Legal Practice.
Any student enrolled on the PPC at the same time as the LLM must satisfactorily complete the PPC before they can be awarded the LLM.
The award enables students to upgrade their solicitor training to a master’s degree by specialising in a particular area of law and legal practice, with that solicitor training accounting for 120 Master’s level credits and the research-based dissertation making up the remaining 60 credits required.
Fee
Please note: If the programme is not completed within the timeframe an extension fee will apply. Note: Discounts do not apply to Masters and doctoral level programmes offered in partnership with Leeds Beckett University and fees are due in full on registration.
About Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Beckett University is a modern professional university with ambition. With roots dating back to 1824, the university is based in the vibrant city of Leeds, one of the UK’s largest legal hubs. The Leeds Law School at Leeds Beckett is committed to giving students the practical tools to thrive in a legal environment.
As a student of Leeds Law School, you will be able to access a wide range of law textbooks online for free through Law Trove, a subscription-only service offered by Oxford University Press.
As a student of the Diploma Centre, you will also have access to the Law Society’s library facilities, as well as the main legal information databases.
Hear from our graduates
“I would recommend the Law Society of Ireland masters to practitioners who would like to undertake additional studies on a particular area of interest to them and who would like the flexibility to continue to work and maintain a life, outside of their studies. The successful completion of the masters can open doors to the student within their careers and career progression, and to additional studies. From my perspective, the qualification allowed me to commence a PhD in law.”
James Meighan, Graduate LLM Advanced Legal Practice 2018
Thank you for your interest in the LLM. The selection criteria will be based on a combination of when the application was received and whether or not there is sufficient capacity within the Law Society at this time to supervise the proposed topic. Please note the course is in high demand and if your application is not successful for this offering, you will be added to a waiting list for the next offering.
Contact
Judith Tedders, Solicitor: J.Tedders@LawSociety.ie.
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