Emily Finch is an experienced law lecturer who teaches Criminal Law, Cybercrime and Legal Systems at the University of Surrey. She has a particular interest in finding innovative ways to help students to develop the skills that they need to study law successfully. Her overarching research interest is in public perceptions of crime and criminality and the impact of technology on criminal activities, especially the criminogenic impact of the internet. She has a particular interest in jury decision-making and has conducted a number of empirical studies that explore the factors that influence jury verdicts in rape, theft and fraud trials. Her current research focus in on dishonesty and the ability of the criminal law to penalise those who cause emotional harm to others.

Stefan Fafinski has been involved in legal education for over 20 years. His current focus areas as a practitioner are public law, prison law and family law. He is a member of the Parole Board for England and Wales where he chairs hearings and determines public law applications for reconsideration and set-aside. He also sits in the Family Court.

• Introduction


• PART I: Getting Started: Sources of Law


• 1: Getting started


• 2: Legislation


• 3: Finding legislation


• 4: Using legislation


• 5: Case law


• 6: Finding cases


• 7: Using cases


• 8: Books, journals, and official publications


• 9: Finding books, journals, and official publications


• PART II: Academic Legal Skills


• 10: Studying


• 11: Writing


• 12: Legal reasoning and ethics


• 13: Referencing and avoiding plagiarism


• 14: Essay writing


• 15: Answering problem questions


• 16: Revision and examination skills


• 17: Dissertations


• PART III: Practical Legal Skills


• 18: Presentation skills


• 19: Mooting skills


• 20: Negotiation skills


• 21: Drafting skills