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By Amanda Hamilton, Patron of NALP (National Association of Licensed Paralegals) The role of the paralegal—both actual and perceived—has changed;
“AI AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION”, By Robin Ghurbhurun, Governing Board, NALP AI is impacting us all, and paralegals are no
In today’s hyper-connected world, law firms are entrusted with safeguarding a treasure trove of sensitive information. From intellectual property and
Excellent new article kindly provided by Sid Madge, founder of Meee, and author of the ‘Meee in a Minute’ books.
The gig economy has opened doors for countless people looking to earn extra income, and platforms like DoorDash have become
With more than 1 million sign-ups per day, Bluesky is emerging as a refreshing alternative to former social media networks,
Separating a dissertation into manageable chunks from the initial stages of structural planning gives you freedom to start afresh to write about a different but related topic once concluding another section. Access to a court, for instance, is a separate right from the right for a trial to be heard and decided within a reasonable time. It, thus, merits a separate chapter with its own introduction, subsections and conclusions.
A certain English teacher, Sandra MacCallum, at Kyle Academy once taught that, sometimes, “you’ve got to put your foot into the icy water”. Don’t be afraid to come to powerful conclusions.
As noted in the previous post, one of the most important breakthroughs in writing your dissertation can come from spotting a gap where something has not yet been discussed. Once writing to fill that gap, it may be helpful to ask yourself what other angles there are to the debate. Or think about if the matter went to an official debate or, for law dissertations, to court. Think about creative arguments that an advocate might run and try to develop them yourself. Such development can lead to your getting a first rather than a 2:1.
Another thing that truly separates a first class dissertation from a second class one is discussion of ideas and issues that have never before been discussed. The following is an example of such a proposition and discussion, all of which stemmed from one footnote in an academic article that said a certain proposition “had never been discussed before in the courts of the UK”. Finding this loophole was essential to the dissertation’s success.
Tip: Suggest Improvements for the Future It may be that, in the course of the research for your dissertation, you
The Supreme Court has on Tuesday 26 October 2010 held that Scots law breaches the right to a fair trial under Art 6 ECHR by not allowing lawyers to advise detainees in Police stations. The case, on appeal, is called Cadder. This is a big day for Scots law.
Having set the scene, it is time to delve straight into comment and opinion, drawing on relevant facts and law where required. Where possible, suggest ways in which events or decisions could have been improved and do not be afraid to say that commentators, judges or even powerful institutions, like the ECJ, got it wrong.
Comment on writing the first main chunk of your first class dissertation
Chapter 1: Setting the scene Depending on the nature of your dissertation, you may need to set the scene further.
Together with the conclusion, the introduction is one of the most significant pieces of a dissertation that you have to get right. A well-written introduction can make all the difference between a first class and an upper second.
How to write a first class dissertation: Content and Structure Three tips can be suggested to get you started on
Centred on a narrow topic of international private law and human rights, this dissertation received a first class honours award from the University of Glasgow in 2007 under Dr Janeen Carruthers and Professor Elizabeth Crawford, and was verified externally by Professor Richard Fentiman of Cambridge University.
Each year across the world, each university demands that its students submit essays and dissertations electronically. But very little of that work is published online for the world to read. If it was so published, the knowledge contained within would be shared with billions of people around the planet. It follows that students would gain greater incentive to make their work of better quality. So, why not publish worldwide? Below are outlined the current trends towards emphasis on virtual learning and information dissemination through social media, followed by suggested reasons for universities not publishing students’ work more for free, concluding with a recommended course of action for all universities throughout the world to consider.
Will we see more traineeships being opened up? Will equity partners earn even more than their hundreds of thousands or millions of pounds each year? Or will equity partners be more likely to sell their stake and escape the practice of law? What effect for management decisions? Will we see greater outsourcing? Will cloud computing be more fully embraced? Will Lawsoft’s stranglehold on legal software be broken up? Will Scots law merge into English law, or will it flourish more by itself?