This induction course is designed to introduce you to some basic legal structures, some pervasive legal concepts, and some important legal skills, whilst also giving you a sense of what we, as legal academics, find most stimulating and important about the study of law. Looking at law through a social issue (such as for example climate change or the gig economy), you shall engage in group work, critical and creative thinking, and careful reading of cases, academic articles and legislation.

Laws’ Connections has two elements:

1. Introduction to the Study of Law

Our Introduction to the Study of Law is designed to familiarise you with the basic structures of the English legal system and to introduce you to some basic legal and study skills and methodologies. It is comprised of this pre-course preparation (on which we expect you to spend around 10-15 hours), plus a series of lectures in the first two weeks of term.

The primary purpose of this Introduction to the Study of Law is to help you to prepare for your initial few weeks in the classroom, and you may also want to refer back to this material during your degree.

2. Case studies

You shall each take one case study in your first two weeks at UCL. Case studies will be available in:

Climate Change
 Fake News and Falsehoods
 Home and Family
 Homelessness
 The 2008 Financial Crises
 The Gig Economy
In the case studies, we shall think hard about the role of lawyers and law in addressing significant social problems. The case studies shall introduce you to some important legal ideas and concepts, and also some important legal skills - you shall read your first cases, your first statutes, your first academic articles, as well as policy work and government publications. You shall also start to discuss ideas with other students and tutors in tutorial-type groups. You shall write a short piece of work and contribute to a short presentation. All of these activities are crucial preparation for your time at UCL, and we shall be there to help you find your way through these early days. You shall also of course get to know the people you will be studying with for the coming years.