PRIVATE LAW

MODULE FRAMEWORK

PRACTICAL LEGAL TRAINING

(PLT) 414 / 444

2025

NQF level 8
12 Credits
Module code: 53886
Notional hours: 120

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 Table of contents
1. Word of welcome
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Aims of the module
1.3 Prerequisites

2. Contact details and communication policy

2.1 Lecturer: Contact details and consultation hours
2.2 Clinical Training Coordinators: Contact details and consultation hours
2.3 Clinic Secretary: Contact details
2.4 Faculty Departmental Assistant: Contact details and consultation hours
2.5 Faculty Departmental Secretary: Contact details
2.6 Communication with parents

3. Module structure and contact sessions

3.1 Student teams, firms, and groups
3.2 Lectures: dates, times, venue
3.3 Tutorials (Supervisor meetings)
3.4 Clinical duties (Practicals)
3.5 Notional hours
3.6 Class and assessment timetable clashes and attendance / participation
3.7 Medical certificates
3.8 Special Needs / Concessions for assessments / classroom environment

4. Teaching and learning approach

4.1 Active learning (learning-by-doing) methodology
4.2 Service-learning methodology
4.3 Collaborative learning
4.4 Importance of reflection

5. Outcomes of the module

6. Resources

7. Assessment
7.1 Assessment strategy
7.2 Assessment opportunities
7.3 Assessment queries
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8. Testimonials

9. Language policy

10. Plagiarism and copyright

11. Writing Guide and writing assistance in the Faculty

12. Study hints

13. Weekly program (Module content)

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1. Word of welcome

Welcome to Practical Legal Training (PLT) 414 / 444, a compulsory clinical legal education (CLE)
module in either the first semester (PLT 414) or second semester (PLT 444) of the final year of
the LLB programme. The module structure and content for PLT 414 and PLT 444 are identical,
with students being allocated to one of these modules by the Faculty of Law.

We trust that students will find this module interesting and fulfilling, but even more, that they will
be able to implement the principles learnt in this module in their future career in legal practice
or elsewhere, and as a responsible member of society.

1.1 Introduction

As a CLE module, PLT is essentially intended to develop and refine the theoretical foundational
underpinnings of legal education through the training of professional skills and dispositions. While
the module will focus on those skills required for successful legal practice, most of these skills
are equally important and relevant to any professional work environment. The module is
presented at the Faculty of Law as well as at the Stellenbosch University Law Clinic (the Clinic).1
PLT utilises a combination of live-client and simulated models of experiential service-learning to
teach practice under the supervision of qualified attorneys and support staff. This laboratory
function of the Faculty’s CLE programme allows it to produce students who are ready to enter
professional practice and who are able to apply knowledge and skills to benefit others and serve
the public good.

PLT’s training focus requires students to actively participate in clinical duty sessions and tutorials
in addition to intellectually attending more formal lectures. In fact, regular and faithful
attendance and participation in all these contact sessions is a prerequisite for the
successful completion of the module (see paragraph 3.6 below).

1.2 Aims of the module

The PLT module aims to teach students how to apply and think about the law in practice. Solving
actual legal problems involves a combination of knowledge, skills and values. The module aims to
establish, refresh and consolidate the students’ knowledge of selected substantive law and
procedure and to teach certain essential practical skills. This training mainly occurs in the
environment of the Clinic, a professional attorney’s office dedicated to assisting the poor and
vulnerable in our community. In the process of assisting the destitute and marginalised in society,
students will be sensitised to social justice concerns and taught a set of values required of well-

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For more information on the Clinic see www.sulawclinic.co.za and https://www.facebook.com/sulawclinic.
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rounded practitioners. Although a theoretical background to the topics discussed in this module
will be of crucial importance, the aim will be to enable students to gain practical experience.
Ultimately, the purpose of the module is to prepare students, intellectually, emotionally, and
professionally, for the challenges they will face in legal practice and also in professional life in
general.

"No book will produce a genius; no tome is a substitute for hard work, and no words will ever convey all
that can be learned from personal experience." - Eric Morris, SC in Technique in Litigation.

1.3 Prerequisites

This module is subject to prerequisite pass, prerequisite and co-requisite requirements. Students
are advised to consult The University’s General Calendar 2025 Part 8 (Faculty of Law Academic
programmes and Faculty Information) for more information regarding these requirements.

Students must have obtained a class mark of at least 40 in Law of Contract 378, Law of Delict
314, and Civil Procedure 314 before they can take this module, as these are prerequisite modules
for this course (P).

Note that a student can only register for one of the PLT modules in any specific
academic year. Students who discontinue or fail PLT414 will therefore not be
permitted to register for PLT444 in the same academic year.

2. Contact details and communication policy

2.1 Lecturer

Name: Dr Stephan van der Merwe

Office: Office 1002, Law Clinic, 22 Crozier Street (opposite the Law Faculty)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (021) 808-3600

Consultation hours

Due to the demands of Dr van der Merwe’s legal practice at the Clinic, he does not keep regular
consultation timeslots. When necessary, consultations (apart from the various normal contact
sessions described below) can be arranged at mutually convenient times via email (see below).

Consultation and email communication policy

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Aside from scheduled contact sessions, consultations with the lecturer are only to be scheduled
via email by contacting the lecturer directly. Students must please include various days and times
they are available, subject to their class timetable, within the email body. Students must not attach
a scan/copy of their schedule as an attachment to their email.

Other than for emergency situations, consultations are only permitted during the timeslots
arranged with the lecturer.

The lecturer may, at his discretion, address appropriate substantive queries regarding the
module content through email correspondence or schedule an appointment with a student per
the procedure outlined above. Always allow 48 – 72 hours for email responses, unless an
‘Out of Office’ notice indicates alternative timeframes.

The Lecturer, Training Coordinators, Module Assistant, or Secretaries will NOT

answer emails seeking information where the information is already contained in
either the course framework, the University's general rules and policies, announced
in class, or posted on SUNLearn. If a student does not receive a reply to an email, they
should please consult these information sources.

Any rude, abusive, or threatening behaviour or emails will not be tolerated, and the Faculty will
not hesitate to institute disciplinary action in such circumstances. Furthermore, students are
requested to use the appropriate style guidelines and register expected in written communication
within a professional context.

Students are reminded to include, at the very least, the following in all email correspondence
with their lecturer/faculty staff:

• Their full name and student number.

• The specific module to which their correspondence applies.

2.2 Clinical Training Coordinators

Name: Ms Emily Anderson

Office: Law Clinic, 18-24 Crozier Street, House 22, Room 1001.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (021) 808-4023 / 3600

Name: Ms Carla Bester

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Office: Law Clinic, 18-24 Crozier Street, House 22, Room 1001.
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (021) 808-4023 / 3600

Consultation hours:

Students are welcome to schedule consultations with Ms Anderson and Ms Bester any weekday
between 08:00 and 16:00 (15:00 on Fridays).

NB: All queries regarding the module should first be directed to the Training
Coordinators, then to the Faculty Departmental Assistant, and not the Clinic or
Departmental Secretaries.

2.3 Clinic Secretary

Name: Ms Priscilla Khoaene

Office: Law Clinic, 18-24 Crozier Street
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (021) 808-3600

2.4 Faculty Departmental Assistant

Name: Ms Ilse Barnard

Office: Old Main Building, Room 1029
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (021) 808-2990

Consultation hours

Students are welcome to contact the module assistant during the following consultation times:

Tuesdays 09:00-13:00
Wednesdays 09:00-16:00
Fridays 09:00-13:00

2.5 Departmental Secretary

Name: Ms Tamryn Davids

Office: Room 2013, Old Main Building

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Email: [email protected]
Tel: (021) 808-3184

2.6 Communication with parents:

SU respects students' privacy. Furthermore, SU recognises that students' personal information

(including academic results) belongs to students and not to their parents. There are no legal
grounds on which SU may give the parent information, including in personal conversations,
without the student's written consent.

We recognise with great appreciation parents' interest in their children. As a goodwill gesture,
we will discuss students' study matters with their parents, but only with the written consent of
the student concerned.

3. Module structure and contact sessions

3.1 Student teams, firms, and groups

The PLT class will be divided into student firms consisting of approximately 6 partners each.
Within each student firm, students will be conducting most clinical duties in teams of
approximately 3. Student firms will therefore (ideally) consist of 2 teams of 3 students working
together. To some extent, every member of a firm will be involved and responsible for the work
of the entire firm (see paragraph 7 below). As a result, individual students will not only be
accountable for their own work, but also for their work within their teams (of 3) and the
collective work of the firm (of 6) of which they are a partner. The ability to collaborate with
others is therefore a crucial requirement for successful completion of the module. The topic of
professional collaboration will receive attention in the module content, outcomes, and
assessment.

Students can request placement in a specific team and / or firm during the firm registration
process, or a team and / or firm will be allocated to them. Students are advised to form teams
and firms consisting of students who have similar lecture schedules, since they will be required
to attend mandatory weekly tutorials and practicals together. When allocating students,
preference will be given to students’ choices, but in the event that this is not possible or practical,
students will be placed in the module administrators’ discretion. The latter’s decision in this
regard is final.

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Firms will be allocated a number (determined chronologically, starting from 1) and arranged into
two bigger groups for purposes of clinical and tutorial duties. Group A will consist of the firms
allocated the first half of the numbers and Group B of the firms allocated the second half.

Group

Firm

Team Team

The module consists of three formal components, namely lectures / workshops, tutorials
(supervisor meetings), and practicals (clinical duties). Faithful attendance of all of these
contact sessions is mandatory (see paragraph 3.6 below). More details about these
contact sessions follow below.

3.2 Lectures: dates, times, venue

There are two formal lectures per week, namely Wednesdays at 13h10 and 14h10 (for
students taking PLT 414 in the first semester) or Wednesdays at 14h10 and 15h10
(for students taking PLT 444 in the second semester).
All lectures will take place in Krotoa 1012, unless indicated otherwise.

During these lectures, you will receive tuition on specific topics related to clinical practice (see
paragraph 13 below). Some of the lectures will follow a workshop format where firms will be
required to put the skills discussed in class into practice through various class exercises and short
assignments. The purpose of the lectures / workshops is to explain the content and skills related
to these topics. They should, therefore, assist you to gain insight into the module and enable you
to put this knowledge into practice at the Clinic. In brief, the lectures enable you to contribute
to the objectives of the module, the Clinic, your firm, and your team.

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Firms will be allocated specific seating within the lecture venue and students will be required to
sit in the same area during every lecture for the duration of the module. Class attendance will
be monitored on a continuous basis.

3.3 Tutorials (Supervisor sessions)

Tutorials and clinical duty sessions (or practicals - see par 3.4 below) will be scheduled to allow
each firm to attend to one of these contact sessions every alternative week. For example, a
specific firm will have a duty session in week 1 and will then have a tutorial in week 2. Student
groups A and B will alternate between tutorials and clinical duties for any specific week of the
module (see paragraph 13 below).

Students are required to schedule (with the relevant supervisor) and attend all 50-minute tutorial
sessions with the rest of the partners of their student firm. The tutorial sessions will be facilitated
by a Clinic supervisor where clinical assignments and all the firms’ case files will be discussed. All
students will be required to participate in these sessions where issues are identified and strategies
developed to solve the clients’ problems (see paragraph 7 below).

3.4 Clinical duties (Practicals)

Students are required to schedule (with the Clinical Training Coordinators) and attend all 2-hour
duty sessions with the rest of the partners of their student firm at the Clinic every second week
(see paragraph 13 below). During these duty sessions, students will primarily work in their
student teams on tasks such as consulting with real-life and simulated clients and tending to case
work resulting from previous consultations.

Student teams and firms are responsible for the files they open even though some tasks on those
files may in appropriate circumstances be allocated to Clinic staff. Students must keep the clients'
files continuously updated by consistently working on them throughout the course of the module.

As with the other PLT contact sessions, attendance at all duty sessions is mandatory.

3.5 Notional hours

Notional hours represent the agreed estimated learning time taken by the average student to
achieve the specified learning outcomes of a module (DHET, 2014; DHET, 2021). This is not a
precise measure but indicates the amount of study time and degree of commitment expected.
This includes, inter alia, consideration of contact time (in lectures and tutorials, if applicable), any
research, completion of assignments, individual learning of the content and all assessments. Each

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credit allocated to a module represents ten notional hours, i.e., a 10-credit module is equal to
100 notional hours and would indicate that the average student would need 100 hours to achieve
the identified outcomes and obtain the necessary knowledge and skills.

Please note the following about the notional hours for PLT:

• PLT is a semester module bearing 12 credits, which means that average students should
spend 120 notional hours working on the module content to achieve its outcomes.
• An academic semester is typically 13 weeks long. Add another week for the assessment
preparation at the end of the semester.
• This division translates to roughly 8,5 hours per week that students should devote to
PLT.
• Students should bear in mind that 2 hours per week will be dedicated to lectures /
workshops. During most weeks, attendance of additional contact sessions (either
tutorials or practicals) will require 1 or 2 hours per week. The remaining time should
be divided between time spent on case work, various assignments (see paragraph 7
below), and time spent on private study to come to terms with the module content.
• It is therefore inevitable that students will be expected to do reading and other
preparatory work outside of the formal contact sessions.

3.6 Class and assessment timetable clashes and attendance / participation

Please note that no student may register for any two modules that may clash on either the class
timetable or assessment schedule. No concession will be made. It is the student's responsibility
to check all timetables and make sure there are no clashes. Students are requested to consult
the University's General Calendar, Part 1 (2025), Admission and Registration, paragraph 4.2.7
(Limitations with regard to registration for modules on the basis of timetable clashed) in regard
to the aforementioned provisions.

All assessment opportunities (including the various assignments as described in

paragraph 7 below) in the module are compulsory and must be taken. Failure to
adhere to this requirement will result in an ‘insufficient assessments attempted’
(IAA) failing final mark for the module. Furthermore, students must hand in all assignments
and projects timeously. As such, these are the only opportunities that the Faculty will grant. No
further exceptions or special arrangements will be made to accommodate students who either
do not adhere to the rule mentioned earlier or cannot utilise the existing framework to avoid a
test clash.

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Please note the following wording from the University's General Calendar, Part 1 (2025),
University Examinations, (1.) General Provisions, paragraph 2: "A student registered for a degree,
certificate or diploma programme shall not be admitted to the examinations in a module unless
he has attended the curriculum prescribed for such module and has during the semester/year
satisfactorily performed the work prescribed in such module".

Student performance in PLT is considered unsatisfactory, resulting in an IAA, if a

student fails to complete any test, assignment or prescribed exercise (whether on
time or late) and / or fails to attend and participate in all contact sessions as provided
below.

Important: PLT lecture, tutorial, and clinical duty session attendance is compulsory,
as it constitutes an integral part of the module's outcomes and assessment criteria.
It is an inherent requirement of CLE that students consult and serve members of the
public and that students receive proper in-person training to enable them to do so.
Students who fail to attend training and duty sessions jeopardise the best interest of
the Clinic and its clients. Students who fail to attend any combination of two or more
of the module’s scheduled contact sessions (lectures, tutorials, and practicals) for
any reason, without producing the required medical certificate (see paragraph 3.7
below) or another valid excuse (consult the SU Yearbook in this regard), will receive
an IAA for the module (see paragraph 7.1 below). In addition, class attendance records
will be consulted to evaluate any requests for assistance from students in the module.

It is expected that students come to lectures, tutorials, and practicals on time and prepared
to participate in discussions and training sessions. Students who arrive late or depart before the
end of these sessions will be marked absent.

3.7 Medical certificates

Students are requested to consult the University's General Calendar, Part 1 (2025) ["Admission
and Registration"] paragraph 12 ["Absence from classes and / or assessments"], which provides
the overarching framework applicable to this section.

The Faculty of Law wishes to clarify that the following medical certificates will NOT be accepted:

a.) Medical certificates issued later than 24 hours from the time the assessment occurred or
the submission date of an academic assignment; and / or
b.) Medical certificates indicating that a student was not examined by the medical practitioner
in person, i.e., where the medical practitioner uses the phrase "as I was informed" or a
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 similar wording which suggests that the medical practitioner merely confirms the
information provided by the student instead of having examined the student themselves.
The certificate must accordingly indicate that it has been issued as a result of personal
observation of the student by the practitioner (as opposed to merely a telephonic
consultation or communication); and / or
c.) In cases of mental health conditions, only medical certificates issued by psychiatrists,
medical practitioners and registered clinical psychologists will be accepted. Furthermore,
the student had to have been seen by the relevant psychiatrist, medical practitioner, and
registered clinical psychologists at the time of the mental health condition, having
prevented the writing of the assessment in question.

A hard copy of the medical certificate must be handed in to the Faculty Departmental Secretary
on the first weekday following the official assessment date. A scanned copy must be sent
electronically to the Clinical Training Coordinators and Module Assistant before the end of the
first weekday following the official assessment date – before the hard copy is submitted to the
Departmental Secretary. Should a student fail to hand in the medical certificate within this period,
it will constitute the non-completion of the assessment opportunity/test.

Please note that the qualifications and arrangements mentioned above also apply to
a medical certificate that is submitted to excuse an absence from lecture, tutorial,
or clinical duty session.

NOTE: No further concessions will be granted should a student miss the subsequent
concessionary evaluation for whatever reason.

While the Faculty is mindful of the need to accommodate both physical and mental health
conditions, the point of departure remains dependent on issuing a valid medical certificate to
ensure fairness and consistency in applying the procedures mentioned above. Furthermore,
students are reminded of the various university services available, including Campus Health and
the Centre for Student Counselling and Development.

3.8 Special Needs / Concessions for assessments / classroom environment

The Faculty of Law is committed to provide its students with special needs with academic and
related support where reasonably feasible. Students with special needs should timeously engage
and communicate with the relevant institutional structures (e.g. the University’s Disability Unit)
and their lecturers. Students are reminded that the assessment concession process is now
managed within the SUNStudent platform, and are to familiarise themselves (if applicable) with
the functionality of the application process. In respect of these assessment concessions,

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applications must be submitted via the necessary platform mechanism by the applicable deadlines
as set annually by the University.

To be able to support students in the classroom environment (if applicable), students are
requested to inform all of their lecturers of any specific needs and requirements within the first
two weeks of the academic year and/or semester. This is to enable lecturers to consider the
requests for accommodation, and to plan for the provision of reasonable accommodation where
possible.

4. Teaching and learning approach

There are a number of principal ways in which students should learn from their CLE experience.
Knowledge and skills development should occur through lecture / workshop attendance and
participation, clinical duty sessions (including working on live client and simulated files, consulting
with Clinic staff, peer learning, etcetera), tutorial discussions (consulting with supervisors), and
preparing and actioning specific assignments (including the professional readiness oral assessment
at the end of the module – see paragraph 7 below).

4.1 Active learning (learning-by-doing) methodology

PLT adopts the active learning (learning-by-doing) methodology and experiential approach to
student learning. The learning is about the implementation of learning activities through real and
simulated clinical service rather than mere transmission of knowledge. Learning in PLT is mainly
problem-centred rather than content-oriented. Students will be presented with the module
content during interactive lectures based on relevant examples from legal practice. This material
will be followed up with exercises, assignments, and other forms of class participation. Students
will also receive training in file administration, consultation and negotiation skills, drafting
technique, and other disciplines during their tutorials and duty sessions at the Clinic.

Students are expected to assume responsibility for their own learning by completing prescribed
readings and learning activities during contact sessions and on SUNLearn; attending every contact
session; and consolidating their notes afterwards. To derive the most benefit from the module,
students are therefore strongly advised to keep up to date with the material dealt with in lectures;
the prescribed reading material as announced in lectures and / or on SUNLearn and the in-person
and online learning activities. This will enable students to properly participate in contact sessions,
online forum discussions, and to engage in solving problems.

The method of teaching that is followed has been designed to enable students to learn by
intellectually engaging with the topics discussed during the lectures. Although a theoretical

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background to the topics discussed in the module is of crucial importance, the aim is to enable
students to gain insights, skills, and dispositions which would stand them in good stead in their
future legal careers and as responsible citizens in general. Should students make the most of this
module, they will therefore not only acquire the necessary theoretical knowledge, but also attain
very important practical training.

4.2 Service-learning methodology

PLT adopts a service-learning methodology. The module is directed at teaching students to apply
knowledge and skills to benefit others and serve the public good. Service-learning is a pedagogy
that merges learning goals and community needs in scholarly service projects to enhance both
student learning and community development. According to Eyler, it is “a form of experiential
education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection as students…seek to
achieve real objectives for the community and deeper understanding and skills for themselves”.

4.3 Collaborative learning

PLT emphasises the role of collaborative learning. Students should view not only their
supervisors, but also their fellow students as valuable resources to help each other understand
concepts and procedures by discussing issues, reviewing actions, and providing and accepting
constructive peer feedback.

4.4 Importance of reflection

PLT emphasises the importance of reflection as an essential component of the process that
facilitates learning. Students will be required to reflect on the work they do in the module. This
reflection involves thinking about, and across, activities. While students are involved in the various
CLE activities, they should think about what is happening, and why. They should also think back
on the work they did previously to consider whether they understood what they were doing and
what further skills they will need to develop as they enter practice. Students should learn from
the feedback provided by supervisors and peers and should be able to demonstrate this learning
through revision of their own, their team, and their firm’s work.

5. Outcomes of the module

Within the broad aims of the module (see paragraph 1.2 above), in order to reach the expected
exit-level standard, students should achieve the following more specific outcomes by the end of
this module:

• Know and understand the PLT module conventions, including contents, outcomes, and
assessments, and apply applicable arrangements timeously and accurately.

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• Know, understand, and support the role, function, objective, mission, vision, and rules of the
Clinic.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply, in a self-critical manner, learning strategies which effectively
address their professional and ongoing learning needs and the professional and ongoing
learning needs of other students. Students therefore need to manage their own learning while
being accountable and responsible in a group or team setting.
• Demonstrate the ability to operate effectively within a professional legal system and to
manage relevant aspects of the system based on an understanding of the roles and
relationships between elements within the system.
• Demonstrate accountability, in respect of which a student is able to demonstrate the ability
to take full responsibility for their work, decision-making and use of resources (including AI),
and full accountability for the decisions and actions of others (for example team and firm
partners) where appropriate.
• Demonstrate professional responsibility and appreciate the role, context, and constituent of
the legal profession as ethical actors in South Africa.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and address ethical issues based on critical reflection on
the suitability of different ethical value systems to specific contexts.
• Understand and apply the ethical conduct rules of the legal profession within the Clinic
environment.
• Understand the functioning of a general legal practitioner’s office.
• Demonstrate the ability to faithfully manage a typical legal practitioner’s client file.
• Demonstrate the ability to draft a simple bill of costs.
• Demonstrate effective legal interviewing and counselling through the ability to conduct a
proper consultation with a client and foster a client-centred approach to client relations.
• Demonstrate active listening techniques.
• Demonstrate the ability to interrogate and apply multiple sources of knowledge, including
knowledge of procedural and substantive law gained earlier in their studies, in an area of
specialisation and to evaluate knowledge and processes of knowledge production.
• Demonstrate the ability to present and communicate academic, professional or occupational
ideas and texts effectively to a range of audiences, offering creative insights, rigorous
interpretations and solutions to problems and issues appropriate to the context.
• Understand and apply basic principles and techniques of psychology relevant to legal
practitioner interviews.
• Demonstrate a development in legal research skills and draft basic legal opinions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the theories, research methodologies, methods and
techniques relevant to the field or discipline of legal practice; and an understanding of how to
apply such knowledge in a particular context.
• Demonstrate a development in legal drafting skills and draft proper and appropriate forms of
written communication and other documents to a range of audiences.
• Demonstrate the ability to present and communicate complex information reliably and
coherently in written format.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply appropriate methods, procedures, and techniques in
conducting thorough fact investigation processes.

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• Identify, access, collect, select, analyse, evaluate, and apply information in order to reach
solutions in the contexts of legal fact analysis.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the complexities and uncertainties of selecting, applying or
transferring appropriate standard procedures, processes or techniques to unfamiliar
problems in a specialised field or discipline of legal practice.
• Demonstrate an understanding and application of logic and critical reasoning in solving legal
questions in familiar and new contexts by applying appropriate solutions.
• Demonstrate the ability to critically review information gathering, synthesis of data, evaluation
and management processes in specialised contexts in order to develop creative responses to
problems and issues.
• Demonstrate the ability to use a range of specialised skills to identify, analyse and address
complex or abstract problems drawing systematically on the body of knowledge and methods
appropriate to a field or discipline of legal practice.
• Demonstrate an understanding and basic ability to engage in effective oral communication and
negotiations.
• Understand the various forms of alternative dispute resolution.
• Demonstrate the ability to present and communicate complex information reliably and
coherently in oral format.
• Demonstrate a development in persuasive speaking and arguing skills.
• Understand the basic functioning and process of hearings and trials in the courts.
• Demonstrate an understanding of basic advocacy and litigation skills.

6. Resources

There is no prescribed textbook for the PLT module. However, the book ‘Clinical Law in South
Africa, 3rd Edition, SH Mahomed et al, LexisNexis’ serves as recommended reading.

Students are strongly encouraged to take thorough notes during the lectures / workshops to
ensure that they keep up to date with the module material and that they are able to implement
this material throughout the semester.

The prescribed and optional resources and possible learning activities (such as formative
assessments) will be communicated during contact sessions and on the SUNLearn platform. From
time to time, the lecturer may place additional material on SUNLearn for the students' benefit.
This material may include podcasts, lecture slides, articles, or any other material deemed relevant
by the lecturer. The students will be notified thereof, in class and on SUNLearn, and the students
are urged to familiarise themselves with the material. Class attendance and regular checking
of the SUNLearn announcement page is, therefore, imperative.

SUNLearn

It is expected of students to familiarise themselves with the SUNLearn platform. Notice of any
changes to lecture schedules, deadlines, or any other pertinent information will be communicated

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via SUNLearn. Any additional important announcements and lecture slides will be uploaded onto
SUNLearn. Students are therefore encouraged to check in on the platform regularly.

Student code of conduct and rules

The Clinic is operated as a fully-fledged legal practice in terms of the Legal Practice Act. All its
staff and students are subject to all applicable laws, rules, and codes regulating good legal practice.
Student activities at the Clinic are specifically subject to a Student code of conduct and rules (the
Student Code). Clinical activities are also directed by an Office manual applicable to all staff and
students. Copies of these important documents are available at the Clinic and on SUNLearn.
Students are expected to be informed of, and guided by, these documents. Should there be any
uncertainties, students are encouraged to ask the lecturer or Clinic staff for help.

Important: Any substantial breach of the Student Code will result in failing a
compulsory assessment component of the module (AF) and being awarded an IAA
failing final mark for the module (see paragraph 7.1 below).

7. Assessment

Students are reminded that no assumptions are to be made regarding the assessment strategy or
approach within a particular module, with significant variations being possible within the same
Department, or year group. Please be sure to read through the following paragraphs carefully,
and to stay abreast of any announcements made on SUNLearn or in class by your lecturers, in
order to familiarise yourself with what is required to successfully complete a module.

7.1 Assessment strategy

The assessment of PLT follows the flexible assessment approach, which means that the evaluation
is a process by which students are systematically assessed and weighed through consecutive
opportunities during the semester using various assessment methods. In addition to this section
on assessment in the module framework, also note the general rules regarding assessment in Part
1 of the University’s Calendar and the Undergraduate Assessment Rules of the Faculty of Law.

There is no formal university examination at the end of the module. The module is concluded
with students presenting at a professional readiness oral assessment. No traditional class mark is
obtained, and only a final mark (“FM”) is entered into the University's central system on the
prescribed date for the final mark. A valid FM of at least 50% must be achieved in order to pass
the module. The FM will be determined based on the quality of the students' work during the
assessment opportunities described in paragraph 7.2 below. A final mark of below 50% will be
awarded to students who have not completed the predetermined number of assessment
opportunities and / or whose performance are below the minimum standard.

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Important: Since satisfactory contact session attendance and participation is a pass
requirement for this module (see paragraph 3.6 above), unsatisfactory attendance
and / or participation will result in a mark of IAA. In addition, students who fail to
submit any prescribed assignment or assessment task and / or breach the Student
Code, will likewise receive an IAA mark. Keep in mind that students who fail PLT414
will not be permitted to register for PLT444 in the same academic year and that
there is no Dean's Concession Assessment (DCA) opportunity available for PLT.

Students will receive continuous feedback on their progress. The module will also offer
appropriate opportunity for self-reflection and diagnostic evaluation and improvement. The
module will therefore make use of a range of diagnostic, formative, and reflective assessments in
preparation for the final summative assessment.

7.2 Assessment opportunities

A FM will be entered into the central system of the University on the prescribed date. The FM
will be determined according to the indicated weights based on a student’s work during the
assessment opportunities as described below.

• Clinical case work (AF) 30%

• Tutorial and workshop participation (A1) 20%
• Assignments (AF) 25%
• Professional readiness oral assessment at end of module (A2) 25%
• FM 100%

Clinical case work

Each team of students (see paragraph 3.1 above) are required to open and manage three client
case files after consulting with real or, alternatively, simulated clients at the Clinic. Student teams
will remain responsible for these files during the course of the module. These files need not be
finalised during the course of the students’ involvement, but evidence of progress resulting from
consistent work is required to achieve the desired outcomes.

Teams will receive a joint mark for their case work in terms of the relevant marking regime.
Inputs from Clinic supervisors, staff, and clients may influence this mark. Peer evaluation,
conducted on a regular basis, will subsequently tailor this joint mark according to the
contributions of each member of the team to determine an individual mark for each student.

Tutorial and workshop participation

During biweekly tutorial meetings with supervisors, student teams will briefly present their
progress on their clinical case files. Students will alternate taking lead on such presentations. The
presentations will be followed by a discussion of the relevant cases and suggested next steps. All
members of the firm, including the members of the other student team in the firm (who did not
attend the relevant consultation), will be expected to contribute to this discussion and will be
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evaluated accordingly. Students should expect to field direct questions from supervisors.
Presentations will be preceded by all students (on an individual basis) completing short, written
quizzes on the content of the firm’s client files and the application of the work discussed during
the weekly lectures / workshops.

Marks will be awarded to students on an individual basis for their written and oral contributions
to these meetings.

Assignments

Students will submit various small projects and assignments during the course of the module.
Details regarding these assignments will be announced in class and published on SUNLearn.
Assignment instructions will include whether a specific assignment should be done on an individual
or in a team / firm context. Peer evaluation will be used to determine individual marks for
assignments undertaken in team / firm context, where a joint mark is initially awarded for the
product.

Important: All of the prescribed assignments must be submitted to avoid failing the
module due to 'IAA'.

Assignments could include any combination of written (drafting) work, oral presentations (e.g.
conducting mock consultations), questionnaires regarding skills and competencies achieved, and
other special projects providing evidence of reflective practice. Assignments include readings and
projects to be completed in and out of class.

Professional readiness oral assessment at end of module

Each student, on an individual basis, will attend a professional readiness oral assessment at the
end of the module to report on their activities and progress during the module. Student
preference will be accommodated as far as reasonably possible to schedule these orals in suitable
timeslots during the examination period.

Important: Note that there is no DCA opportunity for PLT.

7.3. Assessment queries

In the event that a student wishes to discuss or query an assessment result, they are expected to
arrange a consultation via email with the Clinical Training Coordinator not later than one week
after the release of the mark and the memorandum/class/tutorial discussion of the assessment.
Furthermore, the student is expected where relevant to provide written motivation for the
reassessment based on the provided memorandum in the email request for a consultation.

No queries or adjustments of assessment results will be entertained in the absence of the student
having proof of their attempts at arranging said consultation within the timeframe mentioned

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above. The consultation could include the lecturer and / or an internal moderator or another
colleague for the module.

8. Testimonials

Students who have successfully completed the PLT module can apply for a written testimonial
from the Clinic. Applications in this regard must be lodged within 6 months of date of successful
completion of the module by sending an email to the Clinic’s office manager, Ms S Smith
([email protected]). Applications must include the relevant student’s details and semester
of study. The module administrators will consider such applications for testimonials on the basis
of a student’s service record at the Clinic. Kindly note that no other / further testimonials will be
made available by the Clinic or its staff.

9. Language policy

Please refer to the University's applicable policy website, the Faculty's website and the Law 101
SUNLearn module for the latest updated information about the University language policy and
Faculty implementation plan, and a detailed explanation of the implications of the language options
below.

The language option of this module is English only.

10. Plagiarism and copyright

Please refer to the University's appropriate policy website, the Faculty's website, and the Faculty's
Legal Writing Blog for the latest updated information about plagiarism and copyright.

You can access the following documents on the relevant website(s):

• SU Policy on Plagiarism;
• Plagiarism guidelines in respect of written assignments, essays, research, papers, and
tutorials completed under the auspices of the Faculty of Law;
• Plagiarism Declaration; and
• Cover page for assignments (with plagiarism declaration).

Copyright Notice

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Material which is made available by way of an electronic database may be subject to certain
licensing conditions. You may only use the material for your own private study and research at
the University and not for any other purpose. Printed material is also only made available for
class discussion, private study and research purposes. Further reproduction or distribution of
such material is prohibited. With regards to lecture recordings, note that all lecture materials,
and lecture and audio recordings (regardless of the platform used) are the intellectual property
of Stellenbosch University. Therefore, any lecture and audio recordings are subject to the
copyright license and may not be reproduced or distributed. For example, these lecture-
recordings may not be uploaded to a student’s personal YouTube channel and made publicly
available. Students may be held liable for copyright infringement. Students may also not record a
lecturer, or any other staff member, without their consent. For further reading, please see the
full Innovus document.

11. Writing Guide and writing assistance in the Faculty

Consult the Faculty’s Writing Guide for referencing and style guidelines. While the SU
Language Guide can be used as a supplementary resource on language usage, the Writing Guide
is considered the Faculty’s official style guide and takes precedence. Thus, should you encounter
any discrepancies between the two, follow the Writing Guide.

Should you encounter problems with the writing, style, or structure of your assignment, make an
appointment with one of the Faculty’s writing consultants. Visit the MS Bookings page to make
an appointment. (Please note that Appointy will no longer be used.)

For more information, please visit the Legal Writing Blog or consult the Booking Rules.
Alternatively, contact the Faculty’s Writing and Media Coordinator, Ms Desiré Maré
([email protected]), if you have any queries.

12. Study hints

Please refer to the Law 101 SUNLearn module and the Faculty’s Legal Writing Blog for
information on study tips specifically aimed at Law students.
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You are furthermore encouraged to arrange a consultation with the Faculty’s Legal Education
and Student Coordinator, Dr Bradley Greenhalgh — should you wish to discuss your approach
to studying law, or have any related academic queries. Appointments with Dr Greenhalgh can be
scheduled using the online Calendly booking system, using the following link:
www.calendly.com/bradleyg

13. Weekly program (Module content)

The module content, aimed at addressing the relevant skills listed below, is delineated and
presented in 9 Topics covered during lectures / workshops in a specific week or weeks of the
semester. The program below also indicates the weeks during which firms belonging to Group
A and Group B will participate in tutorials (supervisor meetings) and practicals (clinical duty
sessions).

Week Topic Tutorials Practicals

Introduction – The module and the Law Clinic

1 (Topic 1)
Professional identity and Groupwork (Topic 2) Group A Clinic
2 visit
Office and file management (Topic 3) Group A Group B Clinic
3 visit
Effective legal interviewing and counselling [1] Group B Group A (No
4 (Topic 4) consultations)
Effective legal interviewing and counselling [2] Group A Group B (No
5 (Topic 4) consultations)

Effective legal interviewing and counselling [3] Group B Group A

6 (Topic 4)
Legal research and drafting [1] (Topic 5) Group A Group B
7

RECESS — NO CONTACT SESSIONS

Legal research and drafting [2] (Topic 5) Group B Group A

8

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Week Topic Tutorials Practicals

Factual investigation (Topic 6) Group A Group B

9

Applied logic and critical reasoning (Topic 7) Group B Group A

10

Effective oral communication and negotiation Group A Group B

11 (Topic 8)
Persuasive speaking and arguing [1] (Topic 9) Group B Group A (No
12 consultations)
Persuasive speaking and arguing [2] (Topic 9) Group B (No
13 consultations)

END OF SEMESTER

PROFESSIONAL READINESS ORAL ASSESSMENT

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