LLAW1005 & LLAW1006
General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW1005 and LAW1006 |
| Course name: | Law of Tort I & II |
| Programme offered under: | LLB Programme |
| Semester: | Full year |
| Designated research course: | Not applicable |
| Specialization: | Not applicable |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value: | 6 credits + 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
This course introduces students to the tort law system and the general and particularized principles of tort liability. The course begins with a critical examination of the social and economic functions of the tort system. It then proceeds to an examination of the leading case law and principles in the main tort actions, beginning with a detailed analysis of the predominant tort, negligence. Important negligence-related concepts such as vicarious liability, joint and several liability, contribution and limitation of action are considered, as well as the principle remedy for negligence, that of damages for personal injury and death. Torts closely related to negligence such as occupiers liability and breach of statutory duty are also studied, as are the tort-related no-fault accident compensation schemes for work-related injury and disease. The course then proceeds to a study of trespassory torts, those torts that cause injury or interference through intentional conduct, and the remedies available. Torts causing damage to or interference with property and their remedies are then considered, including trespass to land, nuisance and Rylands v. Fletcher. The course concludes with an examination of and the remedies for the torts that protect reputation, principally, defamation.
This course aims to provide a solid grounding in the functions and principles of tort law, the ability to think critically about tort law, and the ability to conduct independent legal research and provide meaningful legal analysis of tort law problems. Through carefully designed learning activities, the course aims to nurture in students the ability to identify tort law issues in the unflagged tort-related events of daily life, and to engage in the independent legal analysis of such unflagged tort-related events.
Students interested in finding out more about the course are free to contact Professor Rick Glofcheski (rick.glofcheski@hku.hk) or Dr David Kwok (davkwok@hku.hk).
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor (first and second semester) / tutor (first semester) | Rick Glofcheski | rick.glofcheski@hku.hk | CCT 305 | By email |
| Course convenor / tutor (second semester) | Evan Rosevear | evanr@hku.hk | CCT 814 | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Bennett Au Yeung | bauyeung@connect.hku.hk | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Jacky Chan | heiching@gmail.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Tessa Chan | tessachantc@gmail.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Catherine Hau | catherinehau@siroswald.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Adrian Lo | adrianyylo@gmail.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first and second semester) | Christy Wong | christywong@siroswald.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (first semester) | Thomas Leung | yhlt@connect.hku.hk | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (second semester) | Abel Lam | abel@siroswald.com | N/A | By email |
| Course tutor (second semester) | Jerry Tam | jerrytam@connect.hku.hk | N/A | By email |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Explain the most important and commonly litigated torts, their constituent elements and the function they perform within the legal system.
CLO 2 Explain basic tort theory and criticism, the functions of tort law, what it is that tort law seeks to achieve in the context of society and its institutions, including the economic system, and be able to assess it against possible alternatives.
CLO 3 Conduct basic legal research, analysis and argument such that, when presented with a legal fact problem, possibly involving a tort you have never studied, you can, independently and without supervision, provide a legal opinion based on appropriate and cogent legal analysis.
CLO 4 See the relevance of tort law in the events of daily life such that, on reading or hearing of current events in the popular media that have tort law relevance, you can identify and explain the tort law implications in simple and clear terms.
CLO 5 Think critically about tort law as it is currently formulated, and about its role and function in Hong Kong society.
2.2 LLB Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Please refer to the following link: https://course.law.hku.hk/llb-plo/
2.3 Programme Learning Outcomes to be achieved in this course
| PLO A | PLO B | PLO C | PLO D | PLO E | PLO F | |
| CLO 1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 4 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 5 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Due date | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Test | TBC | 20% | 1, 3, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Reflective media diary | Part A due: 31 Jan 2023
Part B due: 2 Mar 2022 |
30% | 2 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Final in-hall exam | 16 May 2023 | 50% | 1, 3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| *Feedback method (to be determined by course teacher) | |
| 1 | A general course report to be disseminated through Moodle |
| 2 | Individual feedback to be disseminated by email / through Moodle |
| 3 | Individual review meeting upon appointment |
| 4 | Group review meeting |
| 5 | In-class verbal feedback |
3.2 Assessment Detail
To be advised by course convenor(s).
3.3 Grading Criteria
Please refer to the following link: https://www.law.hku.hk/_files/law_programme_grade_descriptors.pdf
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
4.1 Learning Activity Plan
| Lecture: | 2 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Tutorial: | 1 hour / week for 12 teaching weeks |
| Private study time: | 9.5 hours / week for 12 teaching weeks |
Remarks: the normative student study load per credit unit is 25 ± 5 hours (ie. 150 ± 30 hours for a 6-credit course), which includes all learning activities and experiences within and outside of classroom, and any assessment task and examinations and associated preparations.
4.2 Details of Learning Activities
- Assigned Readings
- Lectures
- Tutorials: preparation by reading and preparing provisional analysis; discussion and debate in tutorials
- Keeping a media diary on tort law throughout the course preparation of a photographic tort essay; or a legal analysis of a tort-related media report
LEARNING RESOURCES
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | Tort Law in Hong Kong 4th edn |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/