Inherent requirements – Law

This relates to the understanding and ability to comply with Australian and Victorian law and professional accreditation regulations.

Examples include:

• child protection and safety legislation (including the ability to pass a Working with Children Check)
• criminal history / police checks
• occupational health and safety
• anti-discrimination legislation.

Rationale

Knowledge, understanding, and compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements are necessary for participation in academic and practice-based settings.

Examples

• Respond to the requirements for admission as a legal practitioner which involves disclosing any academic or disciplinary findings.
• Comply with VU Student Conduct Policy.
• Adhere to OHS protocols during legal placements.

This relates to the student's ability to understand and adhere to standards, codes, guidelines and policies that facilitates safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and the people they engage with. 

Examples include:

• complying with academic and non-academic conduct codes and policies, including academic integrity policies
• understanding and complying with professional standards, codes of practice, and guidelines.

Rationale

Compliance with standards, codes, guidelines, and policies that facilitate safe, competent interactions and relationships for students and those they engage with is essential in all academic and practice-based environments.

Example

Comply with VU academic integrity policies, professional conduct rules and confidentiality obligations.

Where relevant, this relates to considerations of current scope of practice, workplace health and safety, and any other matter related to safety.

Examples include the ability to:

• understand and comply with all relevant workplace health and safety policies and practices
• identify and respond to alarm systems
• understand and demonstrate compliance with current scope of practice
• manage one's own health in a manner that promotes the ability to fulfil the requirements of study, placements, and the role/s for which the study typically equips the graduate.

Rationale

Compliance with current scope of practice in academic and practice-based settings. Adhere to workplace health and safety requirements in placement settings.

Examples

• Adapt behaviour during a demanding legal placement by managing stress while interviewing clients under supervision.
• Limit task performance to activities within the scope of a law student, such as research, drafting, and client interaction under supervision.
• Respond appropriately to building alarms or emergency procedures in university and legal placement settings. 
   

This relates to the student's capacity for knowledge acquisition, utilisation and retention. It also includes metacognitive capacity such as awareness of one's own thinking, and the ability to reflect, evaluate, adapt and implement new cognitive strategies. 

Examples include:

• focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical deliberation and practical functioning sufficient to meet the course objectives
• ability to reflect and take personal responsibility
• ability to apply knowledge in practical and theoretical assessment.

Knowledge & cognitive

Knowledge acquisition, utilisation and retention spanning and drawing together all coursework subjects. Cognitive skills for focus, memory, attention to detail, theoretical deliberation and practical functioning.

Rationale

Understanding and retention of complex legal principles across all prescribed areas of study, and effective processing of this information, are essential for accurate interpretation and application of law.

Examples

• Formulate accurate and appropriate legal reasonings from retained knowledge of the prescribed areas of knowledge under the Legal Profession Uniform Admission Rules 2015, including:
  • contracts
  • torts
  • property
  • equity
  • criminal law
  • civil procedure
  • evidence
  • corporations
  • constitutional and administrative law
  • ethics
  • other relevant legal areas.
• Apply these principles to analyse complex scenarios, research case law and respond effectively to changes in legislation or instructions.

Metacognition

Awareness of own thinking and skills to reflect, evaluate, adapt and implement new cognitive strategies for improved learning.

Rationale

Understanding and ongoing learning about oneself as a thinker and decision-maker is required for effective and ethical participation in legal study and practice. 

Examples

• Review the outcome of assessments and adapt learning strategies for future tasks.
• Reflect on personal reasoning and assumptions when approaching complex legal problems, and develop objective, professional approaches.
• Manage and proactively learn from academic setbacks through self-evaluation and feedback.
• Take responsibility for own role in collaborative projects and continuously refine study methods to improve performance.
   

This includes both writing and reading, and is also linked to English language proficiency (literacy requirements are always established in terms of English). Please note: For VE, literacy requirements are based on the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).  

Examples include:

• capacity to comprehend, summarise and reference a range of literature in accordance with appropriate academic conventions in written assignments
• producing clear, accurate documentation relating to practical tasks.

Rationale

English literacy skills are essential for law students to comprehend complex legislation, case law, and academic texts, and to produce clear, accurate written work. 

Example

Comprehend, summarise, analyse, and reference sources using appropriate legal academic referencing style and communicate effectively in professional contexts.

This includes any form of numeracy required to complete the course successfully. For many courses, this will be basic functional numeracy. Please note: For VE, numeracy requirements are based on the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).

Examples include:

• competent reasoning and reliable accuracy with numerical concepts
• ability to perform basic mathematical tasks.

Rationale

Competent reasoning and reliable accuracy with numerical concepts are essential for effective legal study and practice.

Example

Calculate damages, interest, costs, and reconcile trust accounts accurately, as well as interpret financial data in commercial matters.

This includes verbal, non-verbal and written communication. 

Examples include:

• verbal communication in English to a standard that allows fluid, clear, and comprehensible two-way discussions
• ability to recognise, interpret and respond to non-verbal cues, to communicate with congruent and respectful non-verbal behaviour, and to be sensitive to individual and/or cultural variations in non-verbal communication
• ability to produce English text to the expected standard (Please note: This is a skill that may be developed throughout a course, and should be identified as such in any inherent requirements statement).

Verbal

Verbal communication in English to a standard that allows fluid, clear, and comprehensible two-way discussions, tailored to the local English-speaking audiences.

Rationale

Effective verbal communication in English is essential for law students to participate in workshops, moots, mock client interviews, and collaborative tasks. Convey information clearly, respond appropriately, and adapt language for diverse audiences, including peers, academics, and clients. 

Examples

• Present arguments persuasively in a moot court.
• Communicate clearly during client interviews in legal  placements, explaining legal concepts in plain English and confirming understanding.
• Participate in team discussions to develop case strategies in the classroom, in assessment tasks, legal placements and in moots.
• Adapt tone and vocabulary for different audiences, such as clients, supervisors, or peers.

Non-verbal

Non-verbal communication skills that enable respectful communication with others.

Rationale

Recognise, interpret, and respond to non-verbal cues, to communicate with respectful non-verbal behaviour in courts, tribunals and moots.

Demonstrate professional demeanour in moots, client interviews, and collaborative tasks, ensuring that gestures, posture and facial expressions support clear, respectful engagement.

Examples

• Recognise cues in a client’s facial expression or posture during an interview in a placement environment to identify confusion or distress
• Deliver sensitive information—such as adverse legal outcomes—using calm, congruent non-verbal behaviour that matches the seriousness of the discussion
• Maintain professional posture and eye contact in moot activities and teamwork
• Respect cultural differences by adjusting conduct.

Written

Ability to produce English text to a standard that provides clear and professional-level communication, with language usage and style tailored to the targeted recipients.

Rationale

Producing clear, coherent written work in English to academic and professional standards is required to meet course learning outcomes and legal admission to practice requirements.

Examples

• Prepare a legal document for a client scenario using plain English and accurate legal terminology
• Draft a research essay that synthesises case law and legislation, applying correct citation under the Australian Guide to Legal Citation
• Structure arguments logically to meet professional standards.

Ability to interact with auditory inputs sufficiently to manage learning environments.

Rationale

Elements in academic and practice-based settings are delivered by auditory means, including in class workshops, moots, placement- based client interviews, and/or oral instructions in court or clinics.

Examples

• Follow verbal instructions during a moot or oral assessment and respond to questions.
• Comprehend spoken information in placement or mock client interviews and clarify details when necessary.
• Listen to feedback from supervisors in legal placements and adapt performance accordingly.
• Engage in team discussions to develop case strategies.

This includes a person's ability to sustain their performance in a given activity or series of activities over time. Care must be taken to not prescribe sustained performance in a way that allows no room for temporary changes to performance levels due to illness or other factors.

Examples include the ability to sustain a working posture, associated manual tasks, cognitive engagement, performance level and emotional control for the full duration of any task required as part of the course or any placement.

Rationale

Cognitive engagement, professional demeanour and emotional control must be sustained for the full duration of academic and practice-based tasks.

Examples

•    Maintain concentration and professional behaviour during invigilated assessment tasks.
•    Manage client interviews, draft advice, and respond to supervisor feedback with accuracy and professionalism.
•    Sustain emotional control during moots and assessments under time pressure.

This includes the personal flexibility and resilience required to adapt behaviour to different situations, even when they are stressful or difficult. Please note: Care must be taken to allow room in the inherent requirements for the individual to demonstrate behavioural adaptability through withdrawing from activities for a time to undertake medical interventions and self-care measures.

Examples include:

• ability to adjust ways of working to work within teams of varied personal and professional backgrounds
• being receptive and responding appropriately to constructive feedback
• maintaining respectful communication practices in times of increased stressors or workloads
• adjusting to changing circumstances in a way that allows self-care.

Rationale

Behavioural adaptation is required to manage personal responses as an individual and within teams in changing and unpredictable environments, including high-pressure legal and simulated settings and exposure to distressing circumstances.

Examples

• Adapt behaviour during legal placement by managing stress while interviewing clients.
• Maintain respectful communication and professional conduct during moots under time pressure.
• Respond constructively to feedback and implement changes.
• Adjust to unexpected changes, such as rescheduled hearings or urgent tasks, while balancing workload and self-care.