Land Law (AJ)

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• adeptly identify and locate primary and secondary (including electronic) legal sources relevant to land law;
• identify, from a given factual scenario, the relevant legal issues raised and provide appropriately detailed legal advice by critically applying the relevant law comprehensively supported by relevant authority;
• analyse and assess legal materials in depth by way of statutory interpretation, case analysis and review of secondary materials to identify, comprehend and evaluate fundamental legal principles and their impact upon contemporary issues;
• produce well reasoned and structured responses to a given statement or proposition, which are comprehensively supported by reference to legal authority;
• Expertly communicate in writing an understanding of land law, its application to the solution of legal problems and the formulation of effective argument with clear and accurate use of language and legal terminology.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• formulate an effectively reasoned and structured argument
• analyse, interpret and evaluate complex material
• communicate and present written arguments supported by comprehensive evidence demonstrating an appreciation of academic integrity.
• effectively apply knowledge to solve practical problems

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• legal and equitable formalities for the creation and disposition of estates and interests in land;
• priority of interests in registered land;
• commercial interests including mortgages, easements and covenants.
• freehold and leasehold estates and legal and equitable interests in land;
• Trusts of Land with particular reference to co-ownership of the family home including the holding and management of co-owned land;
• the distinction between proprietary and personal interests and its relevance to land;

The following is an indicative list of topics that will be covered during the module:

• What is Land Law About?
• Ownership
• Co-ownership
• Formality – acquisition and disposal of interests in land
• Priority
• Commercial Interests

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include

• Lectures to provide you with knowledge, information and critique of land law within a structured context.
• Tutorials focused on developing your problem solving skills.

Learning activities include

• Directed reading assisted by reading lists.
• Accessing electronic resources in the form of legislation, journals and case materials;
• Reviewing and critically evaluating complex material;
• Tackling and solving factual legal problems;
• Constructive participation in group discussions and exercises;
• Managing tasks within a given timeframe.

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Blackboard. These are supplemented by detailed reading lists for lectures and seminars, all available on Blackboard. Primary sources including cases and statutes, and some secondary sources, primarily journal articles, are available in paper and electronic form, the latter through electronic books and legal databases, provided by the Library or otherwise publicly accessible via the worldwide web.

Textbooks

McFarlane, Hopkins and Nield. Land Law – Text, Cases and Materials. OUP.

Blackstone’s Property Statutes. OUP.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External