A core course on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice to equip students with the professional skills necessary for practising in the area of private client law in Scotland.

10 x E-Modules

11 X 2 hour tutorials

None

None

Assessment

1.Tutorial preparation, participation and performance. 25%

2.Drafting a Will. 25% 3. Executry Letters 25%

4 Tax Forms 25%

It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.

[No exceptions]

The aims of the course are to:-

■ Develop critical awareness and understanding of the law learned in the undergraduate programme relating to succession, taxation, trusts and adults with incapacity.

■ Simulate real life scenarios and demonstrate the practical application of the law in these areas.

■ Provide the key sources and resources for private client work in practice.

■ Integrate core professional and ethical considerations including client care, organisation and communication of complex information to clients, all in order to meet the standards of an ordinarily competent trainee solicitor.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:-

■ Apply their knowledge and understanding of the law to advise clients on testate and intestate succession.

■ Take instructions, orally and in writing, and draft wills and trusts and advise on taxation implications.

■ Identify the problems that may arise in connection with adults with incapacity and develop responses to these problems; and draft powers of attorney

■ Administer a deceased's estate from the stage of taking initial instructions, through obtaining valuations, drafting Confirmation and associated HMRC documentation, to final accounting to HMRC in IHT, Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax, and to beneficiaries.

■ Evaluate, advise on, and carry out, all procedural aspects of testate and intestate winding up.

■ Develop a sound awareness of the ethical considerations which may arise on the administration of a deceased's estate and how to make informed judgments to deal with such considerations.

■ Critically analyse complex and novel circumstances in order to conceptualise the relevant legal issues; formulate the appropriate advice; identify tax planning opportunities and identify and explain the administrative procedures to follow in each case.

■ Understand the professional relationships which require to be developed in Private Client work.

■ Communicate complex legal information orally and in writing, both to lawyers and to non-specialist audiences, by developing interviewing and drafting skills and the use of technology.