Professional Conduct
Undergraduate
UNE-LAW320 2025Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Enrol by
- 15 June 2025
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 16 weeks
- Price from
- $2,351
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Professional Conduct
About this subject
Upon completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- use cognitive and creative skills to exercise critical thinking and judgement in demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of the values, principles and standards of practice articulated in the professional codes of ethics, provisions of relevant statutes and case law; the alternative philosophical perspectives on the nature of ethics; and have an understanding of the principles of trust accounting;
- demonstrate a well-developed ability to identify and analyse value conflicts and ethical dilemmas that occur in professional legal practice and apply the relevant regulation and principles to resolve those issues;
- use initiative and judgement to critically analyse, synthesise, and consolidate a persuasive and coherent legal argument that applies the relevant regulation and theoretical insights to both practical issues and theoretical understandings eg, on the role of the lawyer in society; and
- demonstrate a highly-developed ability to act autonomously to present a clear and coherent exposition of the relevant knowledge that evidences legal research, legal reasoning and professional judgment to questions relating to professional responsibility.
- Topics will be available to enrolled students in the subjects Learning Management System site approximately one week prior to the commencement of the teaching period.
The ethics of modern legal professional practice, and the principles relating to the management of trust accounts, is a highly topical area. This subject will help you to understand trust accounting, professionalism and legal ethics as well as the history, structure and regulation of the legal profession. You will also explore and examine admission, discipline, duties of representation, communication and control, conflicts of interest, costs and liens, liability, immunity and indemnity. In doing so, you will gain a well-rounded understanding of professional conduct to apply to your career in a range of legal contexts.
Assignment 1: 1500 words. Relates to Learning Outcomes 1-4;
Open Book Examination: 2000 words. Relates to Learning Outcomes 1-4.
There is a supervised exam at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled. The exam will be offered online with supervision via webcam and screen sharing technology. Coordinated by UNE Exams Unit.
UNE manages supervised exams associated with your UNE subjects. Prior to census date, UNE releases exam timetables. They’ll email important exam information directly to your UNE email address.- Research Assignment/Hypothetical (40%)
- Open Book Invigilated Examination (60%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- UNE-LLB-DEG-2025 - Bachelor of Laws (4 Years)
- UNE-LAW-DEG-2025 - Bachelor of Laws (3 Years)
Prior study
You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject, or currently be enrolled in the following subject(s) in a prior study period; or enrol in the following subject(s) to study prior to this subject:
and one of
- UNE-LAW157-Alternative Dispute Resolution
- UNE-LAW164-Law and First Peoples of Australia
- UNE-LAW270-Interviewing for Advocacy
and one of
- UNE-LAW270-Interviewing for Advocacy
- UNE-LAW157-Alternative Dispute Resolution
- UNE-LAW164-Law and First Peoples of Australia
Please note that your enrolment in this subject is conditional on successful completion of these prerequisite subject(s). If you study the prerequisite subject(s) in the study period immediately prior to studying this subject, your result for the prerequisite subject(s) will not be finalised prior to the close of enrolment. In this situation, should you not complete your prerequisite subject(s) successfully you should not continue with your enrolment in this subject. If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite subject(s) and believe you may not complete these all successfully, it is your responsibility to reschedule your study of this subject to give you time to re-attempt the prerequisite subject(s).
Others
Candidature in Bachelor of Laws.
To enrol in this subject you will need to pass the Prerequisite/s. Please note as UNE results are released after the close of enrolment date, your enrolment into this subject will be withdrawn if you do not pass the prerequisite subject/s.
Additional requirements
- Equipment requirements - Headphones or speakers (required to listen to lectures and other media). Headset, including microphone (highly recommended). Webcam (may be required for participation in virtual classrooms and/or media presentations).
- Software requirements - It is essential for students to have reliable internet access in order to participate in and complete your units, regardless of whether they contain an on campus attendance or intensive school component. For additional information please visit UNE Hardware Requirements: https://www.une.edu.au/current-students/support/it-services/hardware
- Other requirements -
Textbook requirements:
Textbook information is not available until approximately 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the Teaching period.
Students are expected to purchase prescribed material.
Textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Undergraduate
UNE-LLB-DEGUndergraduate
UNE-LAW-DEG