Undergraduate Law 2024-2025

This course is a compulsory course on the LLB degree introducing students to Scottish Criminal Law including its sources and current law.   It examines various aspects of substantive law including crimes against the person, crimes of dishonesty, crimes against property and criminal defences enabling students to understand and apply the law in these areas.  The course also develops student’s written, verbal and analytical skills utilising written course work and problem solving exercises in tutorial groups.  

The course provides firstly a map of private law as drawn from the institutional scheme. It then progresses to an equivalent of the medical student’s study of anatomy in the sense that, concentrating on the law of property and obligations, it examines the main concepts of private law and how they operate together as a system to solve everyday legal problems.

This course introduces the fundamental components and characteristics of the Scottish legal system. It includes a study skills programme which covers different facets of the study of law along with a series of practical workshops which introduce key legal information sources (both electronic and paper) and appropriate search strategies. Lectures and tutorials will cover topics such as the Scottish legal tradition, formal sources of Scots law, the legislative process, organisation of the courts, judicial precedent, civil procedure, alternative dispute resolution, the European legal order, legal services and access to justice.

This course presents legal history over several millennia and from many different original cultures. This course carries the student through a legal adventure, exploring a wide range of legal systems around the globe and throughout human history.

The course covers the origins of law from Africa, South Asia, East Asia and beyond. From those beginnings, it traces how legal cultures emerged, evolved, or transformed. The course will explore the interplay of law and religion over the centuries. The goal of the course is to enable students to become aware of the wonderful diversity of legal systems before the Era of Exploration.

Contract is one of the central subjects of private law and is one of the main branches of the law of obligations, the other being Delict and Unjustified Enrichment. Contract Law covers obligations which are voluntary in nature. Every day we make contracts from buying a newspaper to buying a house. Contract Law is an area where Scots law and English law are very similar, and this course will cover Scots contract law but also highlight where English law differs with the aim of giving students a working knowledge of contract in both countries.

The common law tradition is one of the major legal traditions of the world. This course briefly introduces students to the conceptual and institutional structures of the common law tradition. This in turn introduces the fundamentals of the modern English legal system and its practical operation. A large section of the course then turns to the practical operation of English law through study of English Criminal Law.

This course introduces students to two of the key branches of the Scots law of obligations, namely delict (which governs legal liability for situations such as the negligent infliction of harm upon others and defamation) and unjustified enrichment (which is concerned with questions such as, if I pay you money in error, am I entitled to demand that you return it?). 

This course is an introduction to the laws and rules of the UK Constitution.  Major topics include the institutions of state, parliamentary sovereignty, the rule of law, the separation of powers, and devolution.  This area of law is fast-moving, and an effort is made to address current issues.

This course examines the law of the European Union and its relationship with the legal systems of the United Kingdom. Lecture topics include the composition and function of the EU Institutions, sources and effects of EU Law, state liability and judicial review. Other topics covered include human rights in the EU, the fundamental freedoms, and competition law. Each lecture topic includes consideration of the evolving relationship between the legal systems of the United Kingdom and the European Union.

This compulsory LLB course is all about things. What items can you own? How do you become owner of property? What can you do as an owner of property? What can you do with the property of other people? And so on. An understanding of Scots property law is crucial to markets, commerce and domestic life. This course will give students a broad overview of the regulation of land, moveable items and incorporeal rights like intellectual property in Scotland.

The course aims to systematically and critically introduce the foundations of Public International Law (PIL). The history, nature, legal personality, statehood and recognition, sources, the law of treaties and how PIL interacts with domestic law are considered in-depth. These are followed by topics such as jurisdiction, sovereignty, the role of the United Nations, the law of state responsibility and peaceful settlement of disputes between states. The contents of the course are designed to enable students to understand why and how international law regulates the behaviour of its actors with respect to some specific subject areas.

This course will examine in detail both administrative law and civil liberties under the constitution of the United Kingdom.  Major topics include judicial review (scope, standing and grounds), the European Convention on Human Rights, the Human Rights Act 1998, voting rights, and common law rights.  This area is fast-moving, and an effort is made to address current issues.

This course will introduce students to the main points of Scottish legal history from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries. In weeks one to eight, lectures and tutorials will provide a general overview as well as more detailed coverage on particular topics e.g. the legal literature and notable jurists, the development of the courts and procedure, and periods of flux and reform of the law. Workshops held in weeks nine and ten allow students to work on a (non-counting) group project charting the history of a legal rule.

This course is compulsory for LLB students. It consists of various elements split broadly into three parts: (1) the law of agency and the law of partnership; (2) company law; and (3) debt and insolvency law. The lectures will focus on the creation of agency, partnership and companies of different types; the rules that enable these commercial organisations to function; and the law concerning the termination of these commercial organisations, particularly due to insolvency.

Family Law is a compulsory course for LLB students  During this course, students will be introduced to the key facets of the law governing the formation of adult relationships, including the constitution of marriage and civil partnership, legal rights and duties of spouses and civil partners, same sex marriage, the grounds for divorce and the financial aspects of breakdown of marriage and relationships of cohabitation.  This course also focuses on the relationship between children and adults and the legal rights of children, including parental rights and responsibilities, court orders relating to children and the welfare principle.

The course provides students with an introduction to some of the topical issues of legal theory combining theoretical discussion with practical examples. The course aims to give students an accessible introduction to some important theoretical concepts and help them to develop their skills in critical thinking. The modular structure of the course makes sure that students will be exposed to a wide range of theoretical concepts and approaches. Theoretical concepts will be discussed in the context of practical issues helping students to see the relevance of those concepts. The course consists of four modules and each module consists of three lectures and one tutorial. At present, the four modules are as follows: (Judicial decision-making, Feminist legal theory, Law and technology, Truth in law and science.)

Students studying for the Aberdeen LLB are required to take this course if they wish to use their degree to enter the Scottish legal profession. The course will examine both testate and intestate succession, in the context of the general principles of the law of succession, including legal rights. Furthermore, it will introduce the functions of trusts, the rights of beneficiaries and the powers and duties of trustees. The course is available only to LLB students in Programme year 2 or above and graduates on the 2 year degree.

This course introduces the student to the three core questions of Private International Law:

1) Jurisdiction: when do the Scottish courts have jurisdiction over a dispute that has one or more cross-border elements?

2) Applicable law: which country’s law is applicable to cross-border legal relations and disputes?

3) Recognition and enforcement of judgments: what are the effects of foreign judgments in Scotland?

Throughout the course, students will develop an understanding of how Scots Private International Law deals with legal relations that are not exclusively contained within Scotland. It helps students develop a skillset that will enable them to resolve the questions that arise due to a legal relation or dispute having a cross-border element.

Moreover, the course enables students to appreciate the role Private International Law plays in a broad swath of scenarios, ranging from litigation involving the civil liability of Scottish corporations for wrongdoings committed overseas (such as violations of labour standards), to consumer protection disputes, international child abduction cases, and cross-border inheritance, to give but a few examples.

This is an exempting course for the Faculty of Advocates exam on Private International Law.

This course is designed to provide non-LLB students with an understanding of the main issues in business law. Topics will cover elements of the Scottish law and legal system concerning Company Law, Partnership, Employment Law, Agency, Contract Law, Delict, Bribery Act and Intellectual Property Law.

This foundational course  introduces students to the basic ideas, themes and insights of comparative law. The first part of the course focuses on the various concepts and methods that legal and other scholars have used to analyse differences and similarities between legal rules across nations and cultures. It also introduces students to various efforts to map and explain legal diversity across the globe (legal families and traditions, including the civil, common, mixed and other traditions). The second half of the course includes a range of case studies to showcase how the comparative method can be used in different areas of the law and across nations and regions. 

The aim of this course, open to students who have already studied the Scots law of delict (and compulsory for those on the ‘Law with English Law’ programme), is to extend their knowledge of the law governing civil liability. More particularly, it aims to provide knowledge and understanding of the conceptual structure of the English law of torts in comparison with the corresponding branch of Scots law, and deals in detail with a few specific areas of tort liability, such as trespass, occupiers’ liability and nuisance.

This course will introduce students to key criminological theories and perspectives to understand e.g. why some people are more likely to commit or be victims of crime than others and examine the learning and insight to be taken from those theories.

This course deals with the rules of evidence as they apply in the courtroom. The rules in both criminal and civil cases will be analysed. The legal requirements for leading real evidence, documentary evidence and witness testimony are considered. Topics include: relevancy, the corroboration rule, hearsay evidence, expert evidence, confession evidence and search evidence. The subject is highly topical and practically important to all lawyers

This course considers Equity and Trusts, which in its content, teaching, and nature of its development makes clear key differences between Scots law and English law.  We will consider the history of Equity and its relationship with the common law; the meaning, creation and practical impact of trusts (express, implied, resulting and constructive) with both family disputes and commercial issues having a key role; charitable and non-charitable purpose trusts; rights of beneficiaries; appointment and responsibilities of trustees; fiduciary relationships, and equitable remedies (in particular injunctions, and freezing and search and seize orders).

This course examines, through a series of lectures and tutorials, a number of important areas of Scots commercial and consumer law, including the sale and supply of goods and services, consumer protection,  cautionary obligations, insurance, and  consumer credit and It also, through lectures,  and a presentation, introduces students to the skills and techniques of advocacy in the context of a commercial and/or consumer dispute.

Jurisprudence is a course in legal theory. The course looks into three major theoretical traditions that shaped legal thinking (especially in the 20th century): legal positivism, the natural law doctrine, and pragmatism. It is designed to help students develop a self-conscious and reflective attitude to some of the hotly contested issues of modern law. The course specifically focuses on conceptual issues related to the concept of law, the nature of lega normativity, and the relationship between law and morality.

This course will explore and critically evaluate the concepts of land and property in the law of England and Wales; estates and interests in land (freehold, leasehold, licence, mortgage and easement); freehold covenants; registered and unregistered land and conveyancing of registered land; trusts in land (including co-ownership); adverse possession; landlord and tenant relationships, leasehold covenants, leasehold enfranchisement, and commonhold. 

The energy industry is a particularly important sector of the economy. Fossil fuel sources provide a state with a source of financial revenue and potential to secure energy supplies. This comes at a cost: health and safety risk or environmental degradation.  A regulatory and commercial framework has to be provided to facilitate and control these developments. Alternatives to fossil fuels exist, such as hydropower, wind, solar and nuclear. These are preferable from a climate change perspective but these, too, present legal and regulatory challenges, as does the process of providing a secure and affordable energy supply to end-point consumers.

 

The course is designed to introduce students to understanding and knowledge and to develop critical awareness across  areas of criminology and policing, and specifically the complex interface between policing and contemporary society.

This course examines the law of sales in both a Scottish and international context. Seminar topics will give students a good working knowledge of issues that occur when a difficulty arises (e.g., non-conformity of goods, passing of risk, damages, exemption, avoidance) and the role of important European law as well as international treaties and conventions. The precise focus of the course varies from year to year and depending on the teaching staff involved there may be a greater or lesser focus on Scots law, and in some instances, the students will be asked to analyse and compare the legal solutions in English law as well.   

This course looks in depth at the main aspects of the Scottish criminal justice process, focussing upon its mainly adversarial nature. Topics addressed include: prosecution systems; the position of the accused; the status of the victim; plea-bargaining; the trial process; and appeals. The emphasis is not so much on ‘black-letter law’ but on the principles and policies, often clashing, which underlie the detailed legal rules and regulations governing the relevant institutions and processes.

The issue of how gender impacts upon and interrelates with law and legal processes is topical and socially important, with questions relating to gender equality and gender-based violence currently attracting a high degree of academic, media and government attention. Through examining topics connected to the themes of criminal justice and family law, this course will introduce students to current legal dilemmas and legal responses in the area of gender and the law, in addition to sociolegal and feminist approaches to law.

The course explores patents (right to control an invention) and trade marks (right to control the use of a sign, commonly, but not necessarily, a logo).  We will consider  theoretical arguments for and against them, thresholds which must be met for them to exist and be infringed, the relevant international, regional and UK frameworks and limits on the rights conferred. Particular attention will be paid to contemporary controversies.  We will also consider the various avenues by which these registered rights can be obtained and the relevance of other legal fields to the power conferred.  Assessment is by essay and MCT exam. The course has a strong focus on advanced preparation and enjoyable, supportive and interactive discussion.   

The course is intended to offer insights into the dynamics of the development of international human rights law. It provides advanced instruction in several key aspects of international human rights law (freedom from torture, freedom of religion, social rights, right to self-determination, etc.) in order to develop a critical understanding of the protection of human rights at the global level. It also seeks to shed light on the way the forces of globalisation and global civil society activism shape the conditions under which human rights law can be created and maintained.

This course considers a number of important topics in contemporary Scots family law. An underlying theme is whether the law in these areas is satisfactory or in need of reform, and what shape reform might take. Topics include: adoption, domestic abuse and child protection, divorce law reform, financial consequences of divorce, international family relocation, and surrogacy and legal parenthood. There is a comparative element to some of the seminar topics as relevant Scots law is compared with the position in England and/or other jurisdictions. The effects on Scots family law of the European Convention of Human Rights are also explored.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to American constitutional law through the study of landmark Supreme Court decisions on controversial moral issues. The material on the course will be organised in relation to broad themes that will enable students to develop and refine their understanding of major issues in American Constitutional Law. The themes include abortion; homosexuality and same-sex marriage; freedom of religion; affirmative action. The course will also help students to familiarise themselves with the main approaches to constitutional interpretation.  

This course, taken over both half sessions by final year honours students, and available only to those students, allows you to write a 10,000 word piece on an aspect of law that you choose with the help of a consultee. Once your topic and plan are approved by the law school you work independently and hand in the dissertation shortly before the Easter Break.

This course seeks to guide students through the core aspects of company law and corporate governance including, inter alia, corporate legal personality, directors’ duties, the protection of minority shareholders, and the basics of corporate finance. The legal study will be combined with commercial and strategical scenarios such as private equity deals, initial public offerings (IPOs), and corporate control battles   Major policy debates will also be engaged. There are numerous career opportunities associated with this course.

This course offers an introduction to study of the civil law tradition and may be taken by students with no prior knowledge of the subject.  The two seminars in the first part of the course examine the sources and literature through which the tradition has taken shape.  The two seminars in the second part examine selected topics from the law of property, and the two seminars in the third part selected topics from the law of obligations.  In each part some attention is paid to the relationship between Scots law and the civil law tradition.

The course aims to introduce students to the core aspects of privacy and data protection law, exploring its international, European, and national dimension.

The course addresses, in particular, the role of data privacy regulation in the digital environment, critically discussing key global challenges, such as: international data transfers; artificial intelligence and its impact on data subject’s rights; the balance between the right to data protection and other fundamental freedoms (e.g. freedom of expression).

The course aims to introduce students to the legal challenges raised by Artificial Intelligence. It aims at offering an overview of the applicable legal framework, critically discussing its potential shortcomings in concrete case scenarios. The course will focus on the UK context, but – given the cross-border nature of the topics involved - it will be open to a comparative perspective.

This course invites students to engage with the law from an economic perspective. Why and when should property be privately, communally, or publicly owned? How can a legal system minimise the social costs of accidents? Why and to what extent do we need to regulate contracts? These are some of the questions that the course will address. Each seminar will focus on a legal topic that will be analysed through an economic lens. No prior knowledge of economics is needed.

This course builds upon the introduction to Delict provided in LS2025 and LS1536 examines a number of aspects of the law of delict in greater detail.  Topics will be discussed in a comparative, historical and/or theoretical context.  The specific topics covered will vary on a year-by-year basis as the course aims to examine issues of topical interest.  Some of the topics covered in previous years include: causation; product liability; liability for breach of privacy; liability for pure economic loss; psychiatric injury; advocates' immunity and the liability of the police for negligently-conducted investigations.

The course examines in detail complex areas of the law of succession and trusts with an emphasis being placed on discursive reasoning. The topics considered will include vesting in an executor and beneficiary, the absence of beneficiaries, the nature and roles of an executor and trustee, survivorship of beneficiaries and common calamities, formal and essential validity of wills (including the issue of execution of wills by adults with incapacity), updating out of date wills by means of the various conditiones applied by Scots law and similar rules in other legal systems, limitations on testamentary freedom, forfeiture and unworthiness of heirs.

The course builds upon the basic understanding of criminal law acquired in LS1020 although it is very important to understand that the topics are approached from a much more theoretical perspective. The course examines in detail selected principles of criminal liability, including the role and limits of the criminal law, the defence of mental disorder, murder, rape, provocation and the limits of excusability. Comparative material from a variety of jurisdictions is included. 

This course examines the way in which the law regulates the treatment of animals in Britain. Topics include: historical development; legal and moral status of animals; the basis and nature of regulation; the legal and political framework, including the impact of the WTO and the EU; the legal meaning of unnecessary suffering; the scientific concept of animal welfare; enforcement; and legislation relating to animals in specific contexts. Consideration is also given to relevant political, scientific, ethical and commercial issues which influence the substantive law. Students are expected to undertake significant personal research under the guidance of the course coordinator.

While self-evident from the Course Description, students should be aware that this course includes consideration of the ill-treatment of animals.

 

This course offers students the opportunity to engage with the history and nature of international criminal law, to develop their understanding of the core crimes, how these offences have evolved, and the road to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Through traditional seminar discussions, students can discuss their informed views on issues as varied as the role of international cooperation to suppress international crimes, how this has worked (and where it has failed) and to research their ideas on contemporary problems in the area, from a critical perspective.

The ocean provides us with oxygen, freshwater and food and is crucial for sustaining life yet is under increasing pressure from human activities. These include including climate change, overfishing,  pollution, and potentially deep-seabed mineral exploitation. This course focuses on the international legal framework for the ocean, based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other legal instruments.

This course engages with the overarching question of the appropriate limits on freedom of expression in liberal democracies in the digital age. It does so through a comparative constitutional approach to the regulation of extreme speech in different jurisdictions, including the US, Canada, the EU, and the UK (among others), with a particular focus on the regulation of online speech. It examines existing constitutional frameworks for the regulation of extreme speech as well as proposals for reform.

This course examines the legal dimensions of sustainable and equitable global commerce. The course introduces students to varying conceptions of development, ranging from economic development to sustainable and human development, while situating development within the legacy of colonialism and the ensuing barriers to development. Students then focus in on the role of trade in promoting development and legal drivers of sustainable and equitable trade, including responsible business conduct, mandatory human rights diligence, model contract clauses, and business and human rights litigation.

This course considers selected key current and emerging issues in energy law, both domestically and internationally. It does so, recognising that the overarching state requirement to achieve energy security must be in the context of the simultaneous requirement to address climate change, energy equity, and social acceptance concerns. Seminars will therefore consider the legal and regulatory challenges raised by the need to transition rapidly away from fossil fuels, and to implement renewable or low greenhouse gas emission alternatives.

The course builds upon the basic understanding of contract law acquired in Contract (LS1520), although it is  important to understand that the topics are approached from a more theoretical perspective, and will critically evaluate at an advanced level, a number of themes introduced in LS1520. The course approaches a selection of current problems in contract law doctrine from the theoretical, comparative and philosophical perspectives. The topics  will vary annually but will include the philosophical basis of contract law, contractual formation, good faith, promise,  contractual remedies, factors vitiating consent, contractual interpretation and risk management through contract (exclusion clauses, penalty clauses etc).

This course considers various aspects of copyright law including subject matter, the term of protection, criteria for protection, infringement and defences, and the moral rights of authors. Copyright is of importance given the value of the digital economy and the significance of the cultural industries. In terms of career opportunities, students may practice in large intellectual property firms or provide advice to large entertainment companies etc.

Many students will be members of clubs and societies, and will go on to become board members for clubs and charities, or community organisation chairpersons and secretaries. This course is for them.

Scottish Charities are regulated by OSCR. Rights of local communities to acquire land are enshrined in statute. Clubs flourish and community empowerment has been the subject of legislation in the Scottish Parliament. However, private clubs can exclude women members, and the law accepts this. The range of business model available to community organisations may seem bewildering. The legal status of unincorporated associations is unclear. These are our topics.

The course will provide a clear overview of the successful family law conventions made at the Hague Conference on Private International Law, as well as an analysis of the working methods of the Hague Conference in making, reviewing and helping to ensure uniform interpretation of Conventions. Students will acquire a thorough knowledge of the Hague Conventions on child abduction (1980), intercountry adoption (1993) and child protection (1996); a good understanding of private international law relating to surrogacy with an international element, and an appreciation of the options for the legal regulation of family agreements at the global level.

The course seminars will engage students with; understanding the rules of evidence and the regulation of the admissibility of evidence; the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial; issues surrounding evidence from vulnerable witnesses; issues with expert evidence; hearsay evidence and the reverse burdens of proof; corroboration and similar fact evidence.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of the basic provisions of EU and UK competition law, specifically covering anticompetitive agreements, abuses of dominance and merger control. The course aims to provide a legal, economic and market context in which these provisions are applied, especially in relation to business phenomena. Students will gain a thorough understanding of all areas of EU and UK competition law, with a focus on its application in contemporary markets and society though the study and discussion of cases and current issues of competition law and market regulation.

This course will discuss the trajectory of the development of corporate governance over the past three decades, especially in the UK and the US, with a view to understanding the extent to which underlying theoretical assumptions and policy decisions impact legislative, regulatory and self-regulatory arrangements as well as reform options. Students will gain an understanding of why the company as a legal entity has the shape and form that it does; why certain actors are regarded as internal to corporate governance arrangements and others external; and why ongoing (and sometimes apparently futile) reform efforts take the form that they do. 

This course examines the way in which children and young people interact with the justice system, from a domestic, comparative, and international perspective.

The course addresses international legal issues raised by the increasing need to secure information and communication technology. It explores the modalities of international cyberattacks; discusses data protection in the EU and UK; questions the scope of the obligation of States to secure cyberspace; studies the role of private companies in monitoring online content and reacting to international cyberattacks; analyses how cyberoperations can be attributed to States; examines what cyberoperations violate international law and how States could react to unlawful international cyberoperations; and gives a comprehensive map of the governance and standards organisations in the cyberspace ecosystem.

The course examines the regulation of biometric data and profiling in the European Union and the United Kingdom, focusing on striking a balance between technological development and regulatory processes. It begins with an in-depth exploration of biometrics and profiling within the legal framework of data protection and anti-discrimination laws, particularly the EU GDPR and the EU AI Act, and applies a comparative method to analyse the 2018 Data Protection Act (DPA). The course also addresses the ethical, social, and human rights aspects of biometric technology, aiming to foster innovative legal thinking to resolve the "privacy paradox."

The course aims to introduce students to the legal aspects of the digital economy. The course will first explore the historical and economical dimension of the ‘platformisation’ of the digital market, to then dig into the relevant areas of law invested by the “disruptive” intervention of online platforms. The course will have a focus on domestic and European Law.

This course addresses the international legal rules and principles applicable to activities in outer space, including the UN-based space treaties and international customary (space) law, and also the many specialised regimes such as those applicable to the protection of the outer space environment, the regulation of military activities and the peaceful settlement of international space law disputes. 

Storytelling is firmly embedded within the law. Advocates use narrative techniques to present their clients’ stories and to evoke responses from audiences. Histories of our laws and legal institutions are taught to us from an early age. But who has the power to decide which stories get told? Which stories are ignored, forgotten, or marginalised?

The aim of the course is to critically examine the use of legal storytelling in scholarship and practice. Through close readings of texts and other media, it will encourage students to reflect on how legal stories are created and challenged.

The majority of commercial goods are carried by sea. This course examines the law concerning the carriage of those goods by sea in terms of: a) the operation of ships by charterparty; b) the allocation of liabilities between the shipper, carrier, charterer /shipowner for goods carried under a bill of lading (or similar document); and c) the practical operation of a marine cargo claim under the main international carriage of goods by sea conventions.  

The impact of human activity on the environment is indisputable, prompting governments to adopt measures aimed at halting and reversing environmental degradation. This course explores the causes of environmental degradation and how the law is responding to these problems. It introduces the principles of environmental law and their application and effectiveness in protecting the environment. It also considers some of the legal regimes established to address issues such as biodiversity loss, air pollution, land degradation, chemical and plastic pollution, and climate change.

This course introduces students to the basic frameworks, principles, and skills related to tax law. It will also engage students with cutting-edge legal and policy issues in this field. While the primary focus of the course will be on the UK tax system, a comparative and international perspective will also be engaged. The course targets both students aiming to become tax lawyers and those seeking to enhance their tax knowledge and skills as  general commercial lawyers.

This course examines some key aspects of the Scots law of property. We shall build on many of the topics covered at pre-honours level. This subject draws upon a diverse range of sources and a long history. Topics will vary from one year to the next but may include original and derivative acquisition, real securities, title conditions, co-ownership and tenements, land reform and human rights issues in the law of property.

This course provides students with a knowledge and understanding of certain key points in Scottish legal history. Seminar topics have been chosen to show students how to evaluate primary material as well as to engage with academic debate. Students will also in some seminars engage with research projects based at Aberdeen.

The course aims to provide students with knowledge and understanding of the constitutional principles and context relevant to the protection of civil liberties in the UK; and to provide knowledge and understanding of the detailed legal mechanisms relating to selected rights.

This course examines theories that attempt to explain why people act in a deviant or criminal manner. We will consider theories that explain deviance (in whole or in part) as the product of (1) biological features of the deviant; (2) economic forces; (3) environmental conditions; and (4) the 'labels' social groups assign to certain types of conduct. We will also look at the means by which criminal statistics are gathered, and the extent to which they are accurate. The course is taught through six seminars.

Changes in medical technology frequently cause changes in ethical attitudes and in the content of the law. The purpose of this course is to explore the interaction between law, ethics and medicine with an emphasis on the ethical aspects.

This course examines the relationship between the law and the exercise of public power.  Topics covered include: the nature of public administration and administrative law; mechanisms by which public administrative power is regulated; the development, role and impact of judicial review in both Scotland and England.

Through a series of seminars, this course engages students with a body of ‘media law’ which covers topics such as the freedom of the press, freedom of expression, access to information, open justice principle on the one hand, and on the other hand, the right to fair trial, right to privacy, right of publicity, right against defamation, and the regulation of obscene publications. The focus is on the regulation of media contents. While the course follows the relevant current developments in the law, it also lays the foundation and the broader social and historical contexts within which these developments take place.

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition of the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle; further, what types of arguments States tend to use to “justify” the recourse to force - and how scholars of International Law have addressed this question. The course will also study how the international community has reacted to the most recent cases involving the use of force on the international plane (in particular, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Ukraine, and Syria) and what the implications are for the evolution of International Law in the field of recourse to force.

This course examines the law of sales in both a Scottish and international context. Seminar topics will give students a good working knowledge of issues that occur when a difficulty arises (e.g., non-conformity of goods, passing of risk, damages, exemption, avoidance) and the role of important European law as well as international treaties and conventions. The precise focus of the course varies from year to year and depending on the teaching staff involved there may be a greater or lesser focus on Scots law, and in some instances, the students will be asked to analyse and compare the legal solutions in English law as well.   

This course looks in depth at the main aspects of the Scottish criminal justice process, focussing upon its mainly adversarial nature. Topics addressed include: prosecution systems; the position of the accused; the status of the victim; plea-bargaining; the trial process; and appeals. The emphasis is not so much on ‘black-letter law’ but on the principles and policies, often clashing, which underlie the detailed legal rules and regulations governing the relevant institutions and processes.

The issue of how gender impacts upon and interrelates with law and legal processes is topical and socially important, with questions relating to gender equality and gender-based violence currently attracting a high degree of academic, media and government attention. Through examining topics connected to the themes of criminal justice and family law, this course will introduce students to current legal dilemmas and legal responses in the area of gender and the law, in addition to sociolegal and feminist approaches to law. 

The course explores patents (right to control an invention) and trade marks (right to control the use of a sign, commonly, but not necessarily, a logo).  We will consider  theoretical arguments for and against them, thresholds which must be met for them to exist and be infringed, the relevant international, regional and UK frameworks and limits on the rights conferred. Particular attention will be paid to contemporary controversies.  We will also consider the various avenues by which these registered rights can be obtained and the relevance of other legal fields to the power conferred.  Assessment is by essay and MCT exam. The course has a strong focus on advanced preparation and enjoyable, supportive and interactive discussion.   

The course is intended to offer insights into the dynamics of the development of international human rights law. It provides advanced instruction in several key aspects of international human rights law (freedom from torture, freedom of religion, social rights, right to self-determination, etc.) in order to develop a critical understanding of the protection of human rights at the global level. It also seeks to shed light on the way the forces of globalisation and global civil society activism shape the conditions under which human rights law can be created and maintained.

The aim of this course is to introduce students to American constitutional law through the study of landmark Supreme Court decisions on controversial moral issues. The material on the course will be organised in relation to broad themes that will enable students to develop and refine their understanding of major issues in American Constitutional Law. The themes include abortion; homosexuality and same-sex marriage; freedom of religion; affirmative action. The course will also help students to familiarise themselves with the main approaches to constitutional interpretation.  

This course, that is only available to final year honours students, allows you to write a 10,000 word piece on an aspect of law that you choose with the help of a supervisor. Once your topic and plan are approved by the law school you work independently and hand in the dissertation shortly before the Easter Break.

This course seeks to guide students through the core aspects of company law and corporate governance including, inter alia, corporate legal personality, directors’ duties, the protection of minority shareholders, and the basics of corporate finance. The legal study will be combined with commercial and strategical scenarios such as private equity deals, initial public offerings (IPOs), and corporate control battles. Major policy debates will also be engaged. There are numerous career opportunities associated with this course

This course offers an introduction to study of the civil law tradition and may be taken by students with no prior knowledge of the subject.  The two seminars in the first part of the course examine the sources and literature through which the tradition has taken shape.  The two seminars in the second part examine selected topics from the law of property, and the two seminars in the third part selected topics from the law of obligations.  In each part some attention is paid to the relationship between Scots law and the civil law tradition.

The course aims to introduce students to the core aspects of privacy and data protection law, exploring its international, European, and national dimension.

The course addresses, in particular, the role of data privacy regulation in the digital environment, critically discussing key global challenges, such as: international data transfers; artificial intelligence and its impact on data subject’s rights; the balance between the right to data protection and other fundamental freedoms (e.g. freedom of expression)

The course aims to introduce students to the legal challenges raised by Artificial Intelligence. It aims at offering an overview of the applicable legal framework, critically discussing its potential shortcomings in concrete case scenarios. The course will focus on the UK context, but – given the cross-border nature of the topics involved - it will be open to a comparative perspective.

This course invites students to engage with the law from an economic perspective. Why and when should property be privately, communally, or publicly owned? How can a legal system minimise the social costs of accidents? Why and to what extent do we need to regulate contracts? These are some of the questions that the course will address. Each seminar will focus on a legal topic that will be analysed through an economic lens. No prior knowledge of economics is needed.

This course builds upon the introduction to Delict provided in LS2025 and LS1536 examines a number of aspects of the law of delict in greater detail.  Topics will be discussed in a comparative, historical and/or theoretical context.  The specific topics covered will vary on a year-by-year basis as the course aims to examine issues of topical interest.  Some of the topics covered in previous years include: causation; product liability; liability for breach of privacy; liability for pure economic loss; psychiatric injury; advocates' immunity and the liability of the police for negligently-conducted investigations.

The course builds upon the basic understanding of criminal law acquired in LS1020 although it is very important to understand that the topics are approached from a much more theoretical perspective. The course examines in detail selected principles of criminal liability, including the role and limits of the criminal law, the defence of mental disorder, murder, rape, provocation and the limits of excusability. Comparative material from a variety of jurisdictions is included. 

This course examines the way in which the law regulates the treatment of animals in Britain. Topics include: historical development; legal and moral status of animals; the basis and nature of regulation; the legal and political framework, including the impact of the WTO and the EU; the legal meaning of unnecessary suffering; the scientific concept of animal welfare; enforcement; and legislation relating to animals in specific contexts. Consideration is also given to relevant political, scientific, ethical and commercial issues which influence the substantive law. Students are expected to undertake significant personal research under the guidance of the course coordinator.

While self-evident from the Course Description, students should be aware that this course includes consideration of the ill-treatment of animals.

This course offers students the opportunity to engage with the history and nature of international criminal law, to develop their understanding of the core crimes, how these offences have evolved, and the road to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Through traditional seminar discussions, students can discuss their informed views on issues as varied as the role of international cooperation to suppress international crimes, how this has worked (and where it has failed) and to research their ideas on contemporary problems in the area, from a critical perspective.

The ocean provides us with oxygen, freshwater and food and is crucial for sustaining life yet is under increasing pressure from human activities. These include including climate change, overfishing,  pollution, and potentially deep-seabed mineral exploitation. This course focuses on the international legal framework for the ocean, based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other legal instruments.

This course engages with the overarching question of the appropriate limits on freedom of expression in liberal democracies in the digital age. It does so through a comparative constitutional approach to the regulation of extreme speech in different jurisdictions, including the US, Canada, the EU, and the UK (among others), with a particular focus on the regulation of online speech. It examines existing constitutional frameworks for the regulation of extreme speech as well as proposals for reform.

This course examines the legal dimensions of sustainable and equitable global commerce. The course introduces students to varying conceptions of development, ranging from economic development to sustainable and human development, while situating development within the legacy of colonialism and the ensuing barriers to development. Students then focus in on the role of trade in promoting development and legal drivers of sustainable and equitable trade, including responsible business conduct, mandatory human rights diligence, model contract clauses, and business and human rights litigation.

This course examines theories that attempt to explain why people act in a deviant or criminal manner. We will consider theories that explain deviance (in whole or in part) as the product of (1) biological features of the deviant; (2) economic forces; (3) environmental conditions; and (4) the 'labels' social groups assign to certain types of conduct. We will also look at the means by which criminal statistics are gathered, and the extent to which they are accurate. The course is taught through six seminars.

This course considers various aspects of copyright law including subject matter, the term of protection, criteria for protection, infringement and defences, and the moral rights of authors. Copyright is of importance given the value of the digital economy and the significance of the cultural industries. In terms of career opportunities, students may practice in large intellectual property firms or provide advice to large entertainment companies etc.

Many students will be members of clubs and societies and will go on to become board members for clubs and charities, or community organisation chairpersons and secretaries.

The aim of this course is to ensure that potential future practising lawyers can develop a good grounding in a commercially and socially important field of law. In this respect it worth noting that the Third Sector is a growing area of specialism in law firms.

The course will provide a clear overview of the successful family law conventions made at the Hague Conference on Private International Law, as well as an analysis of the working methods of the Hague Conference in making, reviewing and helping to ensure uniform interpretation of Conventions. Students will acquire a thorough knowledge of the Hague Conventions on child abduction (1980), intercountry adoption (1993), child protection (1996) and maintenance (2007); a good understanding of private international law relating to surrogacy with an international element, and an appreciation of the options for the legal regulation of family agreements at the global level.

The course seminars will engage students with; understanding the rules of evidence and the regulation of the admissibility of evidence; the presumption of innocence and the right to a fair trial; issues surrounding evidence from vulnerable witnesses; issues with expert evidence; hearsay evidence and the reverse burdens of proof; corroboration and similar fact evidence.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of the basic provisions of EU and UK competition law, specifically covering anticompetitive agreements, abuses of dominance and merger control. The course aims to provide a legal, economic and market context in which these provisions are applied, especially in relation to business phenomena. Students will gain a thorough understanding of all areas of EU and UK competition law, with a focus on its application in contemporary markets and society though the study and discussion of cases and current issues of competition law and market regulation.

This course will discuss the trajectory of the development of corporate governance over the past three decades, especially in the UK and the US, with a view to understanding the extent to which underlying theoretical assumptions and policy decisions impact legislative, regulatory and self-regulatory arrangements as well as reform options. Students will gain an understanding of why the company as a legal entity has the shape and form that it does; why certain actors are regarded as internal to corporate governance arrangements and others external; and why ongoing (and sometimes apparently futile) reform efforts take the form that they do. 

This course examines the way in which children and young people interact with the justice system, from a domestic, comparative, and international perspective.

The course addresses international legal issues raised by the increasing need to secure information and communication technology. It explores the modalities of international cyberattacks; discusses data protection in the EU and UK; questions the scope of the obligation of States to secure cyberspace; studies the role of private companies in monitoring online content and reacting to international cyberattacks; analyses how cyberoperations can be attributed to States; examines what cyberoperations violate international law and how States could react to unlawful international cyberoperations; and gives a comprehensive map of the governance and standards organisations in the cyberspace ecosystem.

The course examines the regulation of biometric data and profiling in the European Union and the United Kingdom, focusing on striking a balance between technological development and regulatory processes. It begins with an in-depth exploration of biometrics and profiling within the legal framework of data protection and anti-discrimination laws, particularly the EU GDPR and the EU AI Act, and applies a comparative method to analyse the 2018 Data Protection Act (DPA). The course also addresses the ethical, social, and human rights aspects of biometric technology, aiming to foster innovative legal thinking to resolve the "privacy paradox."

The course aims to introduce students to the legal aspects of the digital economy. The course will first explore the historical and economical dimension of the ‘platformisation’ of the digital market, to then dig into the relevant areas of law invested by the “disruptive” intervention of online platforms. The course will have a focus on domestic and European Law.

This course addresses the international legal rules and principles applicable to activities in outer space, including the UN-based space treaties and international customary (space) law, and also the many specialised regimes such as those applicable to the protection of the outer space environment, the regulation of military activities and the peaceful settlement of international space law disputes. 

Storytelling is firmly embedded within the law. Advocates use narrative techniques to present their clients’ stories and to evoke responses from audiences. Histories of our laws and legal institutions are taught to us from an early age. But who has the power to decide which stories get told? Which stories are ignored, forgotten, or marginalised?

The aim of the course is to critically examine the use of legal storytelling in scholarship and practice. Through close readings of texts and other media, it will encourage students to reflect on how legal stories are created and challenged.

The majority of commercial goods are carried by sea. This course examines the law concerning the carriage of those goods by sea in terms of: a) the operation of ships by charterparty; b) the allocation of liabilities between the shipper, carrier, charterer /shipowner for goods carried under a bill of lading (or similar document); and c) the practical operation of a marine cargo claim under the main international carriage of goods by sea conventions.  

The impact of human activity on the environment is indisputable, prompting governments to adopt measures aimed at halting and reversing environmental degradation. This course explores the causes of environmental degradation and how the law is responding to these problems. It introduces the principles of environmental law and their application and effectiveness in protecting the environment. It also considers some of the legal regimes established to address issues such as biodiversity loss, air pollution, land degradation, chemical and plastic pollution, and climate change.

This course introduces students to the basic frameworks, principles, and skills related to tax law. It will also engage students with cutting-edge legal and policy issues in this field. While the primary focus of the course will be on the UK tax system, a comparative and international perspective will also be engaged. The course targets both students aiming to become tax lawyers and those seeking to enhance their tax knowledge and skills as  general commercial lawyers.

This course examines some key aspects of the Scots law of property. We shall build on many of the topics covered at pre-honours level. This subject draws upon a diverse range of sources and a long history. Topics will vary from one year to the next but may include original and derivative acquisition, real securities, title conditions, co-ownership and tenements, land reform and human rights issues in the law of property.

This course provides students with a knowledge and understanding of certain key points in Scottish legal history. Seminar topics have been chosen to show students how to evaluate primary material as well as to engage with academic debate. Students will also in some seminars engage with research projects based at Aberdeen.

This constitutional law course considers how core political freedoms are protected by human rights law in the UK.  The course takes the form of seminar discussion, based on prescribed reading, of civil liberties such as freedom of expression; freedom of thought; freedom to protest; and the right to vote.  Students are encouraged to reflect critically on how the law guarantees those rights. The broader context of class discussion includes the relationship between the law of the ECHR and domestic law on human rights; and the balance of power between courts, Parliament and government to determine the scope of civil liberties.

Changes in medical technology frequently cause changes in ethical attitudes and in the content of the law. The purpose of this course is to explore the interaction between law, ethics and medicine with an emphasis on the ethical aspects.

This course examines the relationship between the law and the exercise of public power.  Topics covered include: the nature of public administration and administrative law; mechanisms by which public administrative power is regulated; the development, role and impact of judicial review in both Scotland and England.

Through a series of seminars, this course engages students with a body of ‘media law’ which covers topics such as the freedom of the press, freedom of expression, access to information, open justice principle on the one hand, and on the other hand, the right to fair trial, right to privacy, right of publicity, right against defamation, and the regulation of obscene publications. The focus is on the regulation of media contents. While the course follows the relevant current developments in the law, it also lays the foundation and the broader social and historical contexts within which these developments take place.

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition of the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle; further, what types of arguments States tend to use to “justify” the recourse to force - and how scholars of International Law have addressed this question. The course will also study how the international community has reacted to the most recent cases involving the use of force on the international plane (in particular, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Ukraine, and Syria) and what the implications are for the evolution of International Law in the field of recourse to force.