Synopses & Reviews
When studying law, it is easy to become focused on the substantive aspects of the subject. In order to study and practice law effectively, it is essential not only to understand what the legal rules are, but also why they are as they are, and what consequences they might have.
Learning Legal Rules brings together the theory, structure, and practice of legal reasoning in order for the reader to develop both their knowledge and reasoning skills. The book equips the student with the techniques of legal research, analysis and argument, and explains the operation of precedent as well as effective statutory interpretation. Learning Legal Rules has been used in common law countries around the world as a leading legal method guide for over twenty years.
Online Resource Centre
Learning Legal Rules is accompanied by an online resource centre which provides self-test questions and web links for students. For lecturers, there are downloadable versions of figures and tables from the book as well as an extensive and fully customizable test bank.
About the Author
James Holland,
Professor of Employment Law and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Business and Law, University of the West of England, Bristol,Julian Webb,
Professor of Legal Education, University of WarwickJames Holland is a Barrister, Professor of Employment Law, and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Business and Law at the University of the West of England, Bristol. He is also co-author of Employment Law 2013, LPC Guide (OUP, 2013).
Julian Webb is Professor of Legal Education at the University of Warwick and Senior Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. He is currently leading the research team engaged with the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR). He has published widely on the legal profession and is also co-author of Lawyers' Skills 2011-2012 (OUP, 2011).
Table of Contents
1. Understanding the law
2. Finding the law
3. Reading the law
4. From reading to writing
5. Law, fact, and language
6. The doctrine of judicial precedent
7. How precedent operates: ratio decidendi and obiter dictum
8. Making sense of statutes
9. Interpreting statutes
10. 'Bringing rights home': legal method and convention rights
11. European legal method
12. Exploiting legal reasoning