Lawyers, Justice and Ethics (LJE) builds on the learning outcomes of LAWS1201 Foundations of Law in three significant ways. First, within the framework of the Australian legal system studied in LAWS1201, LJE examines the role and ethical obligations of lawyers as the principal representatives and interpreters of the legal system. Secondly, LJE analyses perceptions of justice in and through law. Finally, building on the skills component of LAWS1201, LJE teaches further skills necessary for effective legal study: critical analysis, essay writing, and well-reasoned argument.

This course meets the requirements of the Law Admissions Consultative Committee Prescribed Academic Areas of Knowledge for Ethics and Professional Responsibility.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. reflect critically on the roles of lawyers, the legal system and limitations on access to justice in our society.  
2. explore the ethical dimensions of legal practice and evaluate the various forms of regulation of professional conduct.
3. identify and apply substantive rules and principles governing professional conduct in respect of lawyers’ duties to: the law, the administration of justice, clients, fellow practitioners and others.
4. develop strategies to respond ethically to challenges that arise for practising lawyers in seeking to discharge their professional obligations.
5. critically analyse different conceptions of justice, including an exploration of the perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
6. undertake legal research and present findings to a variety of audiences, both orally and in writing which uses academic structure and expression and is supported by accurate referencing.

Research-Led Teaching

This course draws on legal scholarship concerning the legal profession, professional ethics, access to justice, Indigenous justice, climate-conscious lawyering, behavioural legal ethics, and lawyer wellbeing.

Required Resources

Required readings will be made available on the course Canvas site.

Recommended Resources

Whether you are on campus or studying online, there are a variety of online platforms you will use to participate in your study program. These could include videos for lectures and other instruction, two-way video conferencing for interactive learning, email and other messaging tools for communication, interactive web apps for formative and collaborative activities, print and/or photo/scan for handwritten work and drawings, and home-based assessment.

ANU outlines recommended student system requirements to ensure you are able to participate fully in your learning. Other information is also available about the various Learning Platforms you may use.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments

• verbal comments

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Task submission times refer to Canberra time (AEST/AEDT).

Extensions, late submission and penalties: https://law.anu.edu.au/extensions-late-submission-and-penalties

Extenuating circumstances: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/extenuating-circumstances-application

Deferred examination: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/deferred-examinations

Penalties for excess word length: https://law.anu.edu.au/word-length-and-excess-word-penalties

Distribution of grades policy: https://law.anu.edu.au/grading

Assessment Reviews and Appeals: https://law.anu.edu.au/assessment-review-and-appeals

Further information about the course: is available from the course Canvas page. Students are required to access the Canvas site regularly throughout the course for any announcements relating to the course.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The ANU Academic Integrity website (https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/academic-integrity) provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as providing clear guidance on the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies.

The following resources may also be useful:

• The ANU Library's Libguide (https://libguides.anu.edu.au/generative-ai) is a valuable resource for gaining a comprehensive understanding of AI's role in academia.

• The ANU Academic Skills site (https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills) provides useful information to ensure that you leverage AI responsibly and effectively.

• The ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy Academic Integrity and Misconduct site (https://law.anu.edu.au/academic-integrity-and-misconduct) provides content related to legal implications, ethical guidelines, and considerations when dealing with AI in the context of law.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Intro to LJE and the Legal Profession What is the legal profession and what is the relationship between lawyers and the rule of law? Professional Values and Approaches to Ethical Lawyering (Parker's Critical Morality) Regulation of the Profession Indigenous Perspectives and Ethical Lawyering Outline of classes and assessments	In line with the University’s recording policy, lectures will be recorded and made available for students on Echo360.However, lecture recordings are only an additional resource and they should not be taken as a substitute for regular attendance. If a recording does fail, there is no guarantee a replacement recording will be provided.Sign up for tutorial group presentation in Canvas.Throughout the first six weeks the lectures and tutorials will include instruction and materials about legal research and legal scholarship.
2	History of Lawyers and Professional Responsibility and Ethics I History of the Legal Profession A Heterogeneous Legal Profession Admission to Practice Conduct Rules Fundamental Duties (to court and client)
3	Professional Responsibility & Ethics II Confidentiality Client Legal Privilege Lawyers and Generative AI Legal Trust Accounting
4	Lawyers and Indigenous Justice
5	Climate Conscious Lawyering
6	Behavioural Legal Ethics Ethical Decision-making and Ethical Action Impacts of Organisational Cultures on Ethics Asserting Values and Ethics
7	Justice Who becomes a lawyer and how does this impact on the practice of law and administration of justice? Diversity and Bias in the Profession
8	Access to Justice Legal Need in Australia The Role of Lawyers in Access to Justice Government Lawyers
9	Professional Responsibility & Ethics III Conflicts of Interest
10	Professional Responsibility & Ethics IV (Professional Discipline) Disciplinary Proceedings Professional Misconduct, Unsatisfactory Professional Conduct and Professional Negligence.
11	Wellbeing and Mental Health in the Legal Profession Therapeutic Jurisprudence Trauma-Informed Lawyering Lawyer Wellbeing Bullying and Sexual Harassment
12	Exam Revision Why study ethics in law school? Summary of Course. Exam Prep and Revision

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials / seminars so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the My Timetable webpage.(Hyperlink: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/timetabling )

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Formative Tutorial Reading Reflection	0 %	13/08/2026	28/08/2026	1,2
Summative Tutorial Reading Reflection	10 %	07/09/2026	24/09/2026	1,2
Legal Research Project Design	40 %	01/10/2026	22/10/2026	1,2,6
Examination	50 %	*	*	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

For all courses taught in any mode (whether face to face or online), the ANU College of Law, Governance and Policy considers participation in the classes offered to be an important part of the educational experience of the program. Students are expected to attend all classes.

Examination(s)

Examinations are held during the University's examination period. Students are to consult the exam timetable (link to: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/examination-timetable ) when it has been finalised.

Assessment Task 1

Formative Tutorial Reading Reflection

Details of Task: Analysing and responding to scholarly literature is a core component of writing research essays in law. This task provides you with the opportunity to receive feedback on the way you interpret and respond to a key course reading from week 1 of the course, and incorporate the interpretations and views of others, with a view to strengthening your performance in assessment task 3.

Nature of Task: Optional. This assessment task is designed to give students an opportunity to receive feedback on their progress in the course.

Weighting: 0%

Word Limit: 160 words

Submission Requirement: Your submission must be made in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files will not be accepted.

Due Date: 5 pm, 13 August 2026. Due to the nature of the task, late submission or extension is not permitted.

Return Date: 28 August 2026

Assessment Criteria: A rubric will be made available on the Course Canvas site.

Assessment Task 2

Summative Tutorial Reading Reflection

Details of Task: Analysing and responding to scholarly literature is a core component of writing research essays in law. This task provides you with the opportunity to receive feedback on the way you interpret and respond to three key course readings from weeks 2 to 6, and incorporate the interpretations and views of others, with a view to strengthening your performance in assessment task 3. For this task you should draw on the lessons learnt from the formative exercise.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 10%

Word Limit: 500 words. The ANU Law School excess word penalty policy can be found here: https://law.anu.edu.au/word-length-and-excess-word-penalties.

Submission Requirement: Your submission must be made in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). PDF files will not be accepted.

Due Date: 5pm, 7 September 2026. Due to the nature of the task, late submission or extension is not permitted.

Return Date: 24 September 2026

Assessment Criteria: A rubric will be made available on the Course Canvas site.

Assessment Task 3

Legal Research Project Design

Details of Task:  For this task you will design a legal research project that reflects a deep analysis with the core topics and literature of the course and shows your capacity to locate and synthesise a range of other sources. You will be provided with detailed instructions on what should be included in the design. You will be required to set out a hypothesis and explain how your design responds to what you have learnt in the course and your own independent research. You will also be required to explain your research strategy and proposed methods, theories and key points. You will submit this assignment as a recorded oral presentation which includes PowerPoint slides or equivalent that clearly identifies (and cites appropriately) the scholarly sources for your design.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to submit this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this assessment task.

Weighting: 40%

Time Limit: 16 minutes. The ANU Law School excess word penalty policy can be found here: https://law.anu.edu.au/word-length-and-excess-word-penalties.

Submission Requirement: Your submission must be made in a format compatible with Canvas. Further details will be provided with the assignment instructions.

Due Date: 5pm, Thursday 1 October 2026. Due to the nature of the task, late submission or extension is not permitted.

Return Date: 22 October 2026

Assessment Criteria: A rubric will be made available on the Course Canvas site.

Assessment Task 4

Examination

Details of Task: You will sit an open book invigilated exam during the examination period.

Nature of Task: Compulsory and non-redeemable. Failure to complete this assessment will result in a mark of zero for this task. Students must obtain 50% or better on this assessment to pass the course.Students who do not obtain 50% or better on this assessment, and who fail the course because they have not satisfied this hurdle requirement, will be granted an opportunity to complete a supplementary assessment if they achieve a final result for the course of not less than 45%.

If such a student passes the supplementary assessment, that student's final mark for the course will be 50 PS. If such a student fails the supplementary assessment, that student's final mark for the course will include the mark obtained on this assessment.

Weighting: 50%

Time Limit: 2 hours plus reading time

Due date: The exam will take place during the end-of-semester exam period. Students should consult the ANU Examination Timetable (link to https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/examination-timetable) closer to the examination period to confirm the final time, date and duration of the examination. Because this is a formal examination, late submissions will not be accepted.

If you experience extenuating circumstances and are unable to sit the examination at its scheduled time and date, you should submit an Extenuating Circumstances Application (ECA), via ANUHub, within five working days of the original date of the examination. Your application will be processed by the Examinations Office. If it is approved, they will notify you, via email, of the details of your deferred examination.

Estimated Return Date: Official end-of-semester results release date.

Assessment Criteria: A rubric will be made available on the Course Canvas site.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. You must ensure that you upload the correct document on the specified submission due date and time. Any document modified after the due date and time will either incur a late penalty or will NOT be accepted. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education), submission must be through Turnitin in a word processing file format (.doc, .docx). Electronic copies in .pdf file format are not acceptable.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item.

• Late submission is not accepted for tests or examinations.

• Late submission with an extension. To ensure equity for all students, the 5% penalty per working day for late submission of work does not apply if you have been granted an extension. Where an extension is granted, the revised due date and submission time will be provided in writing. Importantly, any revised due date is inclusive of weekends and public holidays. Regardless of which day of the week the revised due date falls on, students who submit after that date will be penalised by 5% of the possible marks available for the task per 24-hour period.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

All marks and feedback will be provided by the return date listed in the class summary.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

• Maximum Submissions: Students can submit up to three times per assessment.

• Final Submission Counts: Only the last uploaded version will be marked — provided it is uploaded before marking begins.

• Late Submissions: If submitted after the due date, the final version will still be marked, but late penalties will apply (unless an extension has been approved).

• No Submissions After Return Date: Once the return-of-assessment date has passed, NO submissions will be accepted.

• Marking Already Started: If a marker has already begun marking a version, that version will be the one assessed — even if a newer one is uploaded later.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students