We are delighted to invite you to the University of Bradford’s, “Creating Future Lawyers” virtual programme. This programme has been designed and will be delivered by leading academics in our School of Law. Our aim is to engage, inspire, and inform students about Law, the developments and changes taking place in this fast-paced world, and give you an insight for future studies.
The programme has been developed in response to this era of unprecedented change we live through. Technology is revolutionising the world, all industries, and sectors, including Law. Globalisation has led to a shrinking of space, and interconnections in ways that were previously unimaginable. And then there are unforeseen events! For instance, attempts to address the COVID pandemic has led to states using almost unlimited executive powers. Concerns have been raised by Government officials about the role of ‘activist lawyers’, and equally there are concerns that the Government should not employ such rhetoric. The rule of Law itself is being challenged in many wealthy nations, and key concerns such as refugee and migrant flows, climate change, the role of technology in society, and human rights, need level heads in order to develop the solutions society needs.
Meanwhile, the Law as a profession is also changing. Women now make up the majority of all solicitors on the roll. 21% of all lawyers are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, drawn from a population which makes up 14% of the wider UK population according to the last census. A professional career is increasingly becoming open and available to anyone who can prove their worth, and the University of Bradford Law School is committed to and takes its role in creating these future lawyers very seriously.
The programme is tailored to be accessible to a wide audience with no requirement of prior study of Law as a subject. We intend to use developments in the wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic to make a number of the sessions familiar and accessible to pupils. All participants who complete the full programme will receive 8 points towards their UCAS tariff for future study at the University of Bradford as an Undergraduate Law student.
The programme will be launched on November 18th, wit
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Session |
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What will the session include? |
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1: Wednesday 18th November 1:30pm – 3pm |
Opening remarks and welcome message from Prof. Engobo Emeseh, Head of the University of Bradford School of Law: The 21st Century Lawyer: Law in a Rapidly Changing World.
Why Law needs you!
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Why the Law Needs You. The importance of the Law cannot be overstated. In a world where executive power is changing society dramatically as it hopes to cope with the pandemic, where the rule of law is threatened, and where human rights abuses occur with grim regularity, the world needs lawyers. The profession itself is changing, becoming more open and more diverse. Studying law requires students to think and write logically and clearly. It enables students to engage in the critical examination of the law and other academic subjects. Also, it is practically interesting and intellectually stimulating. This presentation will highlight the employability and transferrable skills that students who choose to study law at the University of Bradford School of Law would acquire in readiness for successful local, national and international legal practice, and a range of non-law jobs. This session will be delivered by Dr. Prince Olokotor, Lecturer in Law at the University of Bradford School of Law. |
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2: Wednesday 25th November 1:30pm – 2:30pm |
Understanding Criminal Laws; a Deep Dive into the Coronavirus Regulations
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Measures in the Coronavirus Act 2020 and The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 have given public officials sweeping powers to fundamentally interrupt daily life in the United Kingdom. We have been asked to give up many ancient and basic freedoms. The police now have the power, without requiring a judge’s approval, to detain people who are suspected of being infectious, have them tested, and placed in quarantine for an indefinite period of time. Fines are used to enforce the lockdown, which has seen public gatherings and non-essential travel banned or severely restricted. These rules have been interpreted differently across our forty-five police forces, resulting in inconsistent implementation of the rules, and incidents where officers have been accused of acting unreasonably or unlawfully. While there may be general agreement that such powers are necessary as we deal with the unprecedented impact of COVID-19, the expansion in executive power and the encroachment on civil liberties is similarly unprecedented in modern times. This Webinar session will consider these powers and look at some examples of the policing of the 2020 Act and Regulations. The speaker will also be keen to hear your view on the appropriateness of the measures and the response. This session will be delivered by Edward Mowlam, Lecturer in Law at the University of Bradford School of Law. |
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3: Wednesday 2nd December 1:30pm – 2:30pm |
An Introduction to the Legal Profession; ‘What is an Advocate?’
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What is advocacy and what is it to be an advocate? The art of the advocate is for many surrounded by mystique and myth; the stuff of film and TV where grand advocates give word perfect and impassioned speeches and blistering cross-examinations with a classic ‘gotcha’ question that resolves the entire case. The reality is that good advocacy is rather more mundane – and indeed much easier to master than you might think. By understanding the purpose of advocacy and following a few simple rules, anyone can become an advocate. Ian Miller, a practising barrister with 20 years of experience will guide you through some of the key arts of the advocate and show you that effective advocacy can be as easy as 1,2,3. This session will be delivered by Ian Miller, Barrister and Lecturer in Law at the University of Bradford Law School. |
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4: Wednesday 9th December 1:30pm – 2:30pm |
Technology and the Law
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This session will discuss how technology is being used to support law enforcement and the operation of justice. The session will discuss various examples from the deployment of advanced technologies based on artificial intelligence, robotics including robot lawyers and judges, law chatbots, facial recognition to identify criminals, biometrics, and e-justice. This session will be delivered by Dr. Ilias Kapsis, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Bradford Law School. |
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5: Wednesday 16th December 1:30pm – 3pm |
Contracts, Carbolic Smokeballs and COVID.
Closing remarks and thank you from Prof. Emeseh.
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Influenza had an incidental impact on the development of contract law with the decision in Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Company [1892]. The effects of this decision are significant and form the basis for many rights consumers enjoy today. This session will take you through the development of consumer rights, and how events can affect the law in unforeseen and surprising ways. This session will be delivered by Julia Cressey, Director of Studies of the LLB Course at the University of Bradford Law School. |
Students will also be offered a bonus session at the end of the programme to bring all aspects of the series together. This final session will explore Personal Branding; how to write an effective UCAS Personal Statement; and tips on preparing for a successful admissions interview. This will be a 2-hour session.
If you are a current Year 13 student and wish to be part of this unique offering, please register by clicking here.
Once you have registered, you will receive an email with a link to each session a few days before the session is due to commence and a reminder email for each session. If you have any questions regarding the “Creating Future Lawyers” programme, please do email me.
We look forward to engaging with you on this exciting and enriching programme.
