INTRO TO LAW MODULE
Lisa de Ronde
INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LAW - At THUAS
,Inhoudsopgave
Workshop 1: Fundamental concepts of Law ..................................................................................................... 3
Fundamental aspects pertaining to the historical development of law ........................................................ 3
The definition of Law ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Law and morality ........................................................................................................................................... 3
The Hart-Fuller debate................................................................................................................................... 4
Legal subjects................................................................................................................................................. 4
Content of legal rules (some examples) ........................................................................................................ 5
Notes intro to Law book ............................................................................................................................... 5
Workshop 2: Branches of Law .......................................................................................................................... 8
The branches of law:...................................................................................................................................... 8
Notes during Workshop 2: ............................................................................................................................. 9
Notes intro to Law book: .............................................................................................................................. 9
Workshop 3: Legal Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 11
Notes during Workshop 3: ........................................................................................................................... 11
Case-solving exercise (an example) ............................................................................................................. 11
Workshop 4: Common law vs Civil law ........................................................................................................... 13
Civil law ........................................................................................................................................................ 13
Common Law ............................................................................................................................................... 14
Main differences between Civil Law and Common Law .............................................................................. 14
Adversarial system and Inquisitorial system ................................................................................................ 15
Notes during workshop 4: ........................................................................................................................... 15
Workshop 5: Legal sources, Hierarchy, and Norm Conflicts ............................................................................. 17
The separation of powers ............................................................................................................................ 17
Sources of law .............................................................................................................................................. 17
Rules/norms conflict .................................................................................................................................... 19
Notes during workshop 5 ............................................................................................................................ 19
Workshop 6: Legal Research methods and referencing. .................................................................................. 21
OSCOLA Explanation (citation) ..................................................................................................................... 21
Notes during the lecture .............................................................................................................................. 21
Workshop 7: Developing a legal argument. .................................................................................................... 22
Basic structure of a legal argument ............................................................................................................. 22
How to: the introduction ............................................................................................................................. 22
The body of your legal argument................................................................................................................. 24
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 24
Final tips: ..................................................................................................................................................... 25
Notes during workshop 7: ........................................................................................................................... 25
Workshop 8: Legal writing skills ..................................................................................................................... 26
Legal memorandum template ..................................................................................................................... 26
Format instructions ..................................................................................................................................... 27
Tips for success: Clarity, precision and brevity ............................................................................................ 27
Tips for success: Rewrite Cycles, Edits and Grammarly ............................................................................... 28
Notes during workshop 8: ........................................................................................................................... 28
1
,Workshop 9: University- level study methods ................................................................................................ 29
Some key study skills ................................................................................................................................... 29
Notes during workshop 9: ........................................................................................................................... 31
2
, Workshop 1: Fundamental concepts of Law
Fundamental aspects pertaining to the historical development of law
Code of Hammurabi → 1760 BC
One of the first legal written codes that we know of. It contains a collection of around 282
rules.
Napoleonic civil code. → 1804
Also known as the French civil code. This code started as “the twelve tables” (Corpus Juris
Civilis. 449 BC – 529/534 AC). This law was exported to other regions in Europe and Latin
America.
The Nuremberg trials → 1945 – 1946
A serie of military trials conducted by the great allied forces (Russia, US, UK and French).
Prosecution of prominent Nazi leaders for their roles in the Holocaust. This case was a key
point in the development of cases on wat crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression.
The definition of Law
Definition 1: A set of universal moral principles in accordance with nature (Morality).
Definition 2: A collection of valid rules, commands or norms that may lack any moral content
(Law).
Purpose of law is creating a system to regulate human conduct by establishing standards,
maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights
The law is believed to represent a key characteristic of modern democratic society.
Law and morality
This picture defines the differences between Law and Morality:
3
Lisa de Ronde
INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LAW - At THUAS
,Inhoudsopgave
Workshop 1: Fundamental concepts of Law ..................................................................................................... 3
Fundamental aspects pertaining to the historical development of law ........................................................ 3
The definition of Law ..................................................................................................................................... 3
Law and morality ........................................................................................................................................... 3
The Hart-Fuller debate................................................................................................................................... 4
Legal subjects................................................................................................................................................. 4
Content of legal rules (some examples) ........................................................................................................ 5
Notes intro to Law book ............................................................................................................................... 5
Workshop 2: Branches of Law .......................................................................................................................... 8
The branches of law:...................................................................................................................................... 8
Notes during Workshop 2: ............................................................................................................................. 9
Notes intro to Law book: .............................................................................................................................. 9
Workshop 3: Legal Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 11
Notes during Workshop 3: ........................................................................................................................... 11
Case-solving exercise (an example) ............................................................................................................. 11
Workshop 4: Common law vs Civil law ........................................................................................................... 13
Civil law ........................................................................................................................................................ 13
Common Law ............................................................................................................................................... 14
Main differences between Civil Law and Common Law .............................................................................. 14
Adversarial system and Inquisitorial system ................................................................................................ 15
Notes during workshop 4: ........................................................................................................................... 15
Workshop 5: Legal sources, Hierarchy, and Norm Conflicts ............................................................................. 17
The separation of powers ............................................................................................................................ 17
Sources of law .............................................................................................................................................. 17
Rules/norms conflict .................................................................................................................................... 19
Notes during workshop 5 ............................................................................................................................ 19
Workshop 6: Legal Research methods and referencing. .................................................................................. 21
OSCOLA Explanation (citation) ..................................................................................................................... 21
Notes during the lecture .............................................................................................................................. 21
Workshop 7: Developing a legal argument. .................................................................................................... 22
Basic structure of a legal argument ............................................................................................................. 22
How to: the introduction ............................................................................................................................. 22
The body of your legal argument................................................................................................................. 24
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 24
Final tips: ..................................................................................................................................................... 25
Notes during workshop 7: ........................................................................................................................... 25
Workshop 8: Legal writing skills ..................................................................................................................... 26
Legal memorandum template ..................................................................................................................... 26
Format instructions ..................................................................................................................................... 27
Tips for success: Clarity, precision and brevity ............................................................................................ 27
Tips for success: Rewrite Cycles, Edits and Grammarly ............................................................................... 28
Notes during workshop 8: ........................................................................................................................... 28
1
,Workshop 9: University- level study methods ................................................................................................ 29
Some key study skills ................................................................................................................................... 29
Notes during workshop 9: ........................................................................................................................... 31
2
, Workshop 1: Fundamental concepts of Law
Fundamental aspects pertaining to the historical development of law
Code of Hammurabi → 1760 BC
One of the first legal written codes that we know of. It contains a collection of around 282
rules.
Napoleonic civil code. → 1804
Also known as the French civil code. This code started as “the twelve tables” (Corpus Juris
Civilis. 449 BC – 529/534 AC). This law was exported to other regions in Europe and Latin
America.
The Nuremberg trials → 1945 – 1946
A serie of military trials conducted by the great allied forces (Russia, US, UK and French).
Prosecution of prominent Nazi leaders for their roles in the Holocaust. This case was a key
point in the development of cases on wat crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression.
The definition of Law
Definition 1: A set of universal moral principles in accordance with nature (Morality).
Definition 2: A collection of valid rules, commands or norms that may lack any moral content
(Law).
Purpose of law is creating a system to regulate human conduct by establishing standards,
maintaining order, resolving disputes and protecting liberties and rights
The law is believed to represent a key characteristic of modern democratic society.
Law and morality
This picture defines the differences between Law and Morality:
3
