LEGAL TRAINING (CRIMINAL)

The course is designed to develop the methodological and drafting skills required to successfully complete written assessments in the field of criminal law. Through practical exercises and a workshop-based approach, students will acquire a structured methodology for identifying legal issues, analysing and resolving criminal law cases, and developing clear, coherent, and persuasive legal arguments. The course will also enable students to understand how the principles and techniques of legal writing presented during the lectures are applied in legal practice, both in the legal profession and within the judiciary.

Knowledge of criminal law and criminal Pprocedure.

Knowledge and understanding: students will acquire knowledge of the principal forms of legal writing in criminal law, their structure, and their respective purposes. They will understand how to analyse legal assignments, identify the relevant legal issues, apply the main methods of statutory and case-law interpretation, and elaborate sound legal arguments in the field of criminal law. Applying knowledge and understanding: students will be able to analyse legal assignments, identify and prioritise the relevant legal issues, and select the appropriate statutory and case-law sources. They will be capable of producing written work consistent with the required format, critically comparing alternative interpretative approaches, and developing well-reasoned legal arguments. They will also be able to draft legal opinions, procedural documents, and essays in criminal law, as well as critically revise their own written work with regard to structure, language, and legal reasoning. Making judgements: students will develop the ability to assess legal rules and doctrinal and judicial interpretations independently. They will be able to compare competing legal perspectives and formulate well-reasoned solutions to criminal law problems. Communication skills: students will be able to use appropriate criminal law terminology, clearly explain the reasoning underlying their legal analysis, and produce written work consistent with the requirements of different forms of legal assessment. They will also develop the ability to discuss and defend their interpretative and argumentative choices orally. Learning skills: students will acquire methodological tools enabling them to practise legal writing independently, keep abreast of legislative and judicial developments, critically evaluate their own written work, and adapt their working method to different forms of assessment and professional contexts.

The course is divided into two modules. The first focuses on legal drafting and legal writing techniques in criminal law for lawyers, while the second is devoted to legal drafting and legal reasoning in criminal law from the perspective of the judiciary.

Teaching materials will be made available throughout the course via the MyLuiss platform.

Lectures; discussion of case studies with students; practical simulations; group analysis and discussion of case studies.

Attending students (minimum attendance of 80%): - completion of two written assignments, one for each module; - oral discussion of the written assignments. Non-attending students: - one written assignment corresponding to each of the practical exercises included in the two modules; - oral examination covering the contents of Module I. Non-attending students are required to contact the instructor well in advance in order to receive the written assignments, which must be completed and submitted before the oral examination.

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