The central importance of co-curricular activities as an authentic assessment mechanism within modern legal education

The School of Law’s range of accredited eight co-curricular activities lead to a separate certificate or diploma in professional development alongside a student’s academic achievement. This authentic approach is unique in the sector and offers a response to the ever-evolving demands of employers and professional bodies, who concentrate increasingly on ‘Day One’ outcomes. Each of the co-curricular activities is attuned to specific practical aspects of legal education, usually the preserve of the vocational stage of training (i.e. LPC/BPTC). For example, advocacy is developed through mooting, WOW and mock trials, whilst both interviewing & advising and mediation focus on the development and refinement of other core inter-personal skills. Another unique aspect of these co-curricular activities is that they follow the course of interaction that any law student will face in the real world, commencing with visiting and interviewing a client in custody, to mediation and/or representation of a client in court. This type of authentic assessment not only ensures that our students are effectively prepared to enter the legal services sector, but also enables them to make informed decisions and hone the necessary skills to pursue their chosen career path. Following the recent review of legal education, providers are being challenged to develop integrated programmes of study and authentic assessment, embed core skills alongside legal theory, and to focus on the goal of preparing students effectively for ‘Day One’ outcomes. The presentation will outline the way in which the School of Law has chosen to rise to this challenge.