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Legal Systems and Skills provides students with a practical guide to all the essential knowledge and skills they will need for their law degree and beyond. Divided into three core areas, it forms a foundation for legal studies and for graduate employment.

Essential Legal Systems: Part I delivers a focused and practical guide to the purpose and application of law. Contemporary and holistic in approach, it covers all the essential topics in legal systems, considering social, moral, ethical, and jurisprudential perspectives. Taking learning further, it helps students to critically evaluate legal systems and their implications for individuals, businesses, and commerce.

Essential Legal Skills: Part II demonstrates step-by-step approaches to acquiring and honing the skills needed for the academic study of law and professional practice. Numerous visual aids and learning features help students to become adept researchers, nimble problem-solvers, dexterous writers, and competent communicators. They will acquire the tools they need to analyse, evaluate, and apply the law, and to thrive in their future careers.

Essential Employability and Commercial Awareness: Part III helps students to see how their knowledge and skills can be practically applied in the professions, legal and otherwise. Students are encouraged to reflect on and actively improve their commercial awareness through case studies, practice interview questions, and activities, giving them the skills to thrive in the world of work. Targeted coverage of employability, CV development, and transferable skills helps students to approach their future careers with confidence and communicate their own competencies effectively.

Contents: Part I. Legal Systems. 1. Introduction to law. 2. Sources of law in England and Wales. 3. The court system of England and Wales. 4. Legislation. 5. Case law. 6. Legal services. Part II. Legal skills. 7. Reading and understanding law. 8. Legal research. 9. Problem solving. 10. Advocacy, mooting and professional communication. 11. Writing and drafting. Part III. Employability and commercial awareness. 12. Making yourself more employable. 13. Understanding clients: individuals and businesses. 14. Businesses and the business environment. 15. Essential economics and finance. 16. Law firms as businesses. 17. CVs, applications and interviews.