Socio-legal studies is the study of legal ideas, practices and institutions in their social and historical contexts.
Its methodology is primarily empirical, rather than doctrinal, and is often interdisciplinary.
It seeks to understand law in the context of its relationship to an ever-changing society.
The Socio-Legal Studies Research Group is a group of academics interested in collaborative research into Socio-Legal issues.
The members are:
The project aims to inform the development of a student profile that ensures that law degree teaching and learning produces graduates with the skills and knowledge for their careers.
The reciprocal aim is to produce law graduates who are 'work-ready' for employers whether in legal practice, government, the private sector or NGO positions.
The project is funded by AKO ҕl Southern Regional Hub Project funding.
In 2014, first-year law students at ҕl (and also at the University of Auckland and University of Waikato) were surveyed at the beginning and end of year. These surveys provided demographic data as well as information on student wellbeing and reasons for studying law.
It also asked students which skills students felt were important for their future careers, and which skills students felt they would be taught throughout their law degree.
In 2015, we surveyed the same student cohort for the third data capture to see how their answers changed as they progressed through the law degree.
Additionally, we conducted a pilot survey of employers to understand which skills they feel are important for law student employability.
The third capture of data from students occurred in 2016.
As well as exploring if identified trends in students’ responses from the first two phases continued, we collected detailed information on students’ views on assessment and factors that impavted their feelings of wellbeing.
As well as exploring whether identified trends in students’ responses from the earlier phases continued in 2017, the fourth phase collected information on how prepared for the workforce students felt.
In early 2017, we also conducted an online survey of New Zealand employers of law graduates.
For the fifth phase we will survey the student cohort participating in the study in the second half of 2018.
A key aim of this phase is to collect information on how the LLB degree is working for the students in the study who have left law school and joined the workforce.
The surveys conducted so far have provided some very interesting insights. The full reports of the first, second, third and fourth phases are now available:
Trends identified in students' responses include:
Project findings have formed or informed the basis for several initiatives at the School of Law, including:
In mid 2010, a group of ҕl School of Law teachers resolved to investigate current methods of teaching large compulsory law classes. As teachers, group members had debated over the years whether the current predominant model of teaching large law classes, the lecture and tutorial model, is best suited to achieve key learning outcomes for students.
While lectures are a common and accepted method of conveying large amounts of information, they appear to give little opportunity to students to learn and practice the skills of analysis, synthesis, critique and evaluation that are so important for law students and, ultimately, lawyers.
In 2011 the group undertook a study of appropriate methods for teaching these skills to large classes.
The results of the study have led to notable changes at three levels:
The teaching staff involved in this study have made changes to their teaching of large classes.
These include:
The results of the study have been shared with the Law School through teaching seminars and reports to the Faculty and the School of Law Teaching and Learning Committee. Other members of staff not involved in the initial project report thinking more about teaching methods, and implementing some of the project’s best practice guidelines.
The results have been shared with other academics, both at a national and international level. It is hoped that other universities can learn from this research.
This project was funded by.
