400/500 Law Electives (3 Viewers)

[maka]

I only used the textbook and readers. You were not required to go beyond this and even if I wanted to, I couldnt.

That would have been death in 3hrs too. I dont understand how it could be so bad.

Had the exam been 10 Tues- 5pm Wed, I dont think people would be complaining as much because it allows people to sleep. I think the biggest thing is people are considered about is that the tim frame and amount of work needed to be done, will affect its quality.

Oh well..... I should start Const

 

[maka]

What subjects are people doing next semester?

I have 2 electives to do.

Has anyone done Family Law, Commercial Law and Dispute Resolution or got any idea about the,

Any info would be great,

 

[melsc]

I've heard that Dispute resolution is good.

I am only doing Admin and Equity as I have one subject left for my Arts degree

 

[MaryJane]

Do Dispute!! I cannot recommend it enough. It is by far the best BEST elective I've ever done. Seriously, DO IT!! David Spencer is absolutely fantastic and so is Lise Barry the tutor. Amazing, amazing double team. Amazing, interesting, interactive tutorials AND assessment. If I could do it again, I would.

I've heard family law at mac is pretty poor because its all theoretical - "what is the family unit?", and other feminist-type perspectives. So if you want to do family law, take it up at another uni.

I only have one more elective to do, so I'm tossing up between international human rights or the legal research project unit.

 

[travelfish]

Do Dispute!! I cannot recommend it enough. It is by far the best BEST elective I've ever done. Seriously, DO IT!! David Spencer is absolutely fantastic and so is Lise Barry the tutor. Amazing, amazing double team. Amazing, interesting, interactive tutorials AND assessment. If I could do it again, I would.

I've heard family law at mac is pretty poor because its all theoretical - "what is the family unit?", and other feminist-type perspectives. So if you want to do family law, take it up at another uni.

I only have one more elective to do, so I'm tossing up between international human rights or the legal research project unit.

I think you'll find, unfortunately for Maq, that David Spencer leaves at the end of this semester, so he won't be taking Dispute Resolution in 2008.

 

[MaryJane]

Ooh a new law person! Welcome

I knew David was leaving, but didn't know it was before he did his beloved ADR? Well that sucks.

If thats right, then I'll revise my glowing recommendation depending on who takes it over. if Lise takes it, then definitely still do it because she's great!

 

[maka]

Í have 3 Arts subjects to go to finish my degree butI was sorta thinking about putting it on the backburner. But then again I might just knock them out of the way.

I think I might do Dispute though even if Lise is in charge. She is a great tutor. She took skills in my LAW114 class (Law Lawyers).

What electives would you recommend (and why if you could). I really dont like many of them. 7 to go. Itll be a hassle.

And what are you doing next sem MJ?

 

[MaryJane]

I agree, Lise is amazing and really nice. As long as she is involved somewhere in ADR, I think it would still be worth it for the skills you learn.

I'm tossing up between international human rights and the legal research project unit (depending on whether my GPA is maintained to qualify after doing 16cp this semester!) That said, I'm not sure what exactly I'd write about for 10,000 words... probably the UN or something human rights focused anyway, so either way I'll be doing fun, international stuff without Rafiqul

I was enrolled in commercial law, but withdrew. I only thought about doing it because it involves bankruptcy. But I thought that either of the above would fit more with where I want to be eventually career-wise.

The other electives I've done for second semester are IP (meh) and... what else did I do? Oh yeah, ADR! I think generally that first semester tends to have a better selection of units. Mind you, I did them all when the original convenor was still around (like health law with Cameron was great, but has apparently gone down hill with the new guy).

 

[Tabris]

i'll be doing foundations of commercial law and also family law.....2 subjects gonna be very cruisy for u MJ....

 

[melsc]

I'm really considering taking ADR this year if David Spencer is running it but then I wont graduate Arts till next year... is it really worth it?
I really like David Spencers teaching style and because of him I actually did really well in Contracts...This is sounding good but I don't know if I want to put off my Art's degree that long?

Can someone tell me what ADR was like with David Spencer, what the assessments and work load was like...?

The other options is 14cp but I did that with two law two arts and that was enough I think ADR + Equity + Admins + Arts might be a bit much?

Tabris are you doing law317 as well?

 

[MaryJane]

Tabris, it will be 2 units plus working full-time, so hopefully it wont atually end up being more stressful than this semester has been with 4 units!

melsc, the assessment was 20% CP, 30% multi-choice take-home, and 50% reflective journal (which required a 2 week on-line negotiation with log). It was a really interesting unit; you actually learnt skills that I've used both in my personal life, and also in other assessments and class discussions. You become quite the little manipulator The on-line negotiation was interesting for me because my partner was really awful and not playing by the rules, which really showed in our respetive reflective journal (she came out with a P; I came out one mark off a HD).

Is the Arts unit a core? Is it maybe offered at summer school? Or can you do one of the law units externally? I've survived 14cp and then 16cp so its doable. You dont get much sleep, but after property you're probably used to that!

 

[melsc]

I am really thinking about it now, because after the shockers (and by that I mean crap academics) I've had in the past I don't want to miss the chance to do it with a good academic and David Spencer can make anything interesting...

The Arts unit isn't core, its my last 300level arts unit so it can wait. I dont know about doing 14cp with the combination of Admin and Equity coz they have a lot of reading.

With ADR how much reading is involved? It does sound really interesting and practical though!

 

[MaryJane]

Not much reading at all. Its his book, plus another one he co-authored with Tom Altobelli (who is now a Federal court judge I think?). So they are really easy to read and make sense. Its usually a chapter or so a week, but if you listen to the lecture, you'll do fine in tutorials. You only need to have the texts for whenit comes to the assessment for footnoting and answering the multi choice.

Yay! Do ADR!

 

[melsc]

If I wait till results are out and pass 314 and 316 then I can enrol automatically without a waiver so I might wait until then. I'm not planning on using my arts degree yet anyway.

 

[maka]

melsc....

I remember you said that you were either on the MULS Borad or contemplating going the MULS Board. Am I thinking right or did the Property exam make me brain dead.

I was just wondering because with all these anticipated changes to faculties and the like; I thought that the Department of Law might be in the process of reviewing its Law degree to review its subjects taught and adding/deleting electives. I thought that MULS may have the opportunity as the student representative to speak on the students behalf.

 

[melsc]

melsc....

I remember you said that you were either on the MULS Borad or contemplating going the MULS Board. Am I thinking right or did the Property exam make me brain dead.

I was just wondering because with all these anticipated changes to faculties and the like; I thought that the Department of Law might be in the process of reviewing its Law degree to review its subjects taught and adding/deleting electives. I thought that MULS may have the opportunity as the student representative to speak on the students behalf.

I Used to be on a sub-committee of MULS which met with the VP(education) periodically to discuss such matters, one has not be started as of yet this year. I ran for the position last year but not being on a ticket and not knowing many people meant I didn't get elected. If you want to talk to the MULS person in charge of that area at the moment its Shaun Star (VP education) he would have being doing LAW316 I believe and his contact details should be on the MULS website

 

[maka]

I dont really have any issues really to promote or not, that I think others wouldnt have addressed previously.

I hope that you do try again to get on the MULS Board. All students get to vote right? Give me the info and I will vote for you. I really think you have what it takes to help the students.

These tickets are quite restrictive to individuals who all have great ideas. They should probably consider handing out a questionare which asks students some generic questions and then gives students the chance to make some suggestions.

Sometimes, the simplest things can have the biggest impact.

 

[melsc]

Oh I agree, I don't like the current system sometimes. It seems the law scholl rarely listens to students and I doubt MULS can do much

 

[maka]

It is a shame because many academics (tutors/lecturers) and students have a first hand understanding of the Law degree. It would good to get some feedback and cater for some changes.

The changes as I said before dont need to be major.

 

[melsc]

Its really frustrating when you see academics like David Spencer who try their best to make their courses interesting leave because the uni is so intent on making it so philosophical.