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Insight is offered on how to analyse the merits of a claim and navigate the issues a client and their legal advisors will need to address when preparing to bring a dispute to the other party. The overriding objective that dispute resolution is efficient, timely and kept at reasonable cost pervades the entire process and underlies a consistent search for settlement or resolution via various ADR processes that are explained and compared with litigation through the courts.

For claims that mature to the point of seeing resolution through the courts, the course will offer a summary of the pre-trial and trial stages in the courts of England and Wales and introduce the process of claim and case management as well as the core trial and post-trial processes. In addition, the course introduces the laws of evidence as they relate to the court process, with reference to ADR where the powers of the court may be needed to ensure the process runs smoothly. Particular attention is paid to witness and expert evidence.

Module A:  Claims and defences in civil litigation

LWM88A

• Civil litigation in context
• Analysis of merits of claim

Module B: Stages of a trial in the courts of England and Wales

LWM88B

• Preparing for trial
• At trial
• Post trial

Module C: The law of evidence

LWM88C

• Evidence in litigation
• Types of evidence
• Evidence in arbitration

Module D: Alternative dispute resolution

LWM88D

• Forms of alternative dispute resolution
• Arbitration
• Integration of ADR in civil justice

Assessment

Each module is assessed by a 45-minute unseen written exam.

Sequence

It is strongly recommended that you attempt Module A before Module B.

How to apply

You can apply to study a module individually as a standalone unit or as part of a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Laws qualification. 

These modules also contribute towards the following specialist pathways for Laws:

• Common law
• Procedural law