Law and Ethics Portfolio of Tasks Assignment

Learning Outcomes

As part of the formal assessment for the programme you are required to submit a Law and Ethics portfolio of tasks assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.

After completing the module, you should be able to:

1. Explain the relationship between morality and law

2. Identify the values underpinning the legal system

3. Evaluate the institutions, professional roles and ethics of the judiciary and legal professions

4. Appraise the ethical responsibilities of lawyers

1. “Justice reflects our values about what is fair”. Do you agree with this statement?

In your answer you should refer to the literature dealing with the relationship between justice and rights/fairness, as well as other sources that inform our ideas about justice.

2. Lusanda is a Solicitor who was successful in representing Mr Korey Wise in a criminal case. Lusanda was successful in achieving an acquittal for his client. The case has been widely reported in the media and Mr Wise has since moved out of the UK to avoid publicity. Lusanda has no means of reaching him as she does not have his new address or contact details. Mr Wise’s case has since gained some notoriety and Lusanda is rather pleased with the good publicity that this has brought her.

Lusanda has decided to amend her profile on her Law Firm’s website, to include information about Mr Wise’s case, as well as identifying him by name; she lists a made-up award for ‘Solicitor of The Year’. She has also developed a leaflet that she hands out in the high street to potential customers.

Mr Wise hears about the website; he looks it up and discovers that he may have been overcharged. He contacts Lusanda to complain. She says she is very busy but promises to email him information about making a complaint, and says she would see if anyone is available to be assigned the matter. It has been 9 weeks and Mr Wisehas not received any form of correspondence from Lusanda.

Identify the professional and ethical issues arising from the scenario above with reference to the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors and other relevant sources; and giving reasons in support, explain whether;-

(a) Lusanda’s course of action about publicising Mr Wise’s name is permissible.

(b) Lusanda’s handling of Mr Wise’s complaint is appropriate

You have the opportunity to submit a plan of your tasks to receive formative

The feedback is designed to help you develop areas of your work and it helps you develop your skills as an independent learner.

If you are a distance learning student, you should submit your work, by email, to your tutor, no later than 2 weeks before the actual submission deadline. If you are a blended learning student, your tutor will give you a deadline for formative feedback and further details.

Formative feedback will not be given to work submitted after the above date or the date specified by your tutor - if a blended learning student.