Special Regulations

To search within this page: Press CTRL + F (PC) or APPLE + F (Mac)

1. Candidates will be examined in the following compulsory subjects: Litigation and Advocacy; Conveyancing and Wills; Business Law and Practice; Probate and Administration.
2. Candidates will be examined in two options from the following: Commercial Law; Corporate Finance; Commercial Property; Family Law; Housing Law; Planning and Environmental Law.
3. Examination under cll. 1 and 2 will be by written examination (accounting for 75 per cent of the mark) and coursework (accounting for 25 per cent of the mark).
4. The pass mark in the compulsory subjects and the options shall be 50 per cent. A minimum mark of 50 per cent should normally be obtained in both the examination element and each element of the coursework assessment. However a mark of not less than 45 per cent in one element may be compensated by the mark obtained in the other element, provided the overall mark scored in this subject is 50 per cent or more.
5. The coursework element of each compulsory subject shall consist of two pieces of coursework. The coursework element of each option shall consist of one piece of coursework.
6. Candidates will be assessed on their competence in the following pervasives: Introduction to Revenue Law; Professional Conduct; European Community Law; Financial Services Act.
7. Assessment of the pervasives shall be by means of two assessed exercises in each pervasive. Assessment of the pervasives shall be on a competent/non-competent basis.
8. Candidates will be assessed on their competence in the following skills: Writing and Drafting; Negotiation and Advocacy; Interviewing and Advising; Legal Research.
9. Each skill shall be assessed by means of two practical exercises in that skill. The assessment of each exercise shall be on a competent/non competent basis. If the exercise is oral in form, then the assessment shall be undertaken by two members of staff. The oral exercise will be videotaped, and the tape made available to the external examiners.
10. The Legal Practice Course Committee may, exceptionally, exempt a candidate from taking some or all of the skills assessments or may vary the candidate's assessment programme. Medical evidence of a disability which might prevent or distort a skills assessment must be presented to the Legal Practice Course Committee. The agreement of the external examiners must be obtained for an exemption or variation from any skills assessment.
11. In order to be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice a candidate will normally be required to pass each of the four compulsory subjects, and to pass two of the optional subjects and be judged competent in each skill and in each pervasive subject.
12. A candidate who has satisfied the conditions in cl. 11 above and has achieved an average of 60 per cent or greater over the compulsory subjects and options and a mark of at least 60 per cent in four subjects or more may be recommended for the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice with Commendation.
13. A candidate who has satisfied the conditions in cl. 11 above and has achieved an average of 70 per cent or greater over the compulsory subjects and options and a mark of at least 70 per cent in four subjects or more may be recommended for the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice with Distinction.
14. A candidate who fails to be judged competent in one skills assessment exercise shall be given one further opportunity to pass another similar exercise in the same skill.
15. The Examination Committee may, exceptionally, on medical grounds condone a finding that a candidate is not competent in one legal skill provided that the candidate is competent in all other skills assessments.
16. A candidate who fails to submit coursework by the required date for submission or who fails to attend or submit any skills assessment other than for reason of illness or some other cause considered reasonable by the Legal Practice Course Committee shall be deemed to have failed that component of the assessment.
17. The Legal Practice Course Committee shall have power to refer a candidate who fails to achieve a mark of 45 per cent or more in one coursework assessment only. The Legal Practice Course Committee shall require resubmission of a similar coursework on such terms as it shall determine. Under such circumstances, the Postgraduate Diploma cannot be awarded the Commendation or Distinction.
18. The Examination Committee may allow a candidate's overall performance to compensate for failure in one compulsory subject or one option, provided that the failure is within the range of 45-49 per cent of the total marks available for that subject and provided that the candidate has achieved a minimum of 55 per cent of the total marks available in at least one other subject.
19. A candidate who fails at the first attempt to satisfy the Examination Committee in one subject or one skill may be allowed to repeat the assessment component on one further occasion. The referral will normally be in the September following but must be within two years of the meeting of the Examination Committee at which the decision was made.
20. The Examination Committee has discretion to determine the form, conditions, and time of the referral. If a component is assessed by more than one form of assessment and one form has been passed, then the form that has been passed will not be retaken. The maximum mark attainable for a referred subject is 50 per cent. Under such circumstances, the Postgraduate Diploma cannot be awarded with Commendation or Distinction.
21. A candidate who fails at the first attempt to satisfy the Examination Committee in more than one subject or skill may be permitted to repeat the entire diet of assessments (including skills assessments) on one further occasion within two years. Under such circumstances, the Postgraduate Diploma cannot be awarded with Commendation or Distinction.