General Course Information
1.1 Course details
| Course code: | LLAW3259 |
| Course name: | Innovation, Creativity and Ethics for Globalized Legal Practice |
| Programme offered under: | LLB Programme |
| Semester: | First |
| Designated research course: | Not applicable |
| Specialization: | Not applicable |
| Prerequisites / Co-requisites: | No |
| Course offered to non-law students: | No |
| Credit point value: | 6 credits |
1.2 Course description
In the era of globalization, lawyers face unprecedented legal, ethical and business challenges arising from the fast-changing practice environment. However, globalized legal practice also presents new opportunities for global lawyering. This course brings together global lawyers practicing or having practiced in common law countries (Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand) and civil law countries (China) in class or through ZOOM meetings to share their globalized legal practice and the relevance of innovation, creativity and ethics to their professional careers.
In addition, this course teaches cutting-edge local and overseas developments on (a) how lawyers adopt innovation and creativity to promote legal practice and access to justice and (b) exposes students to the ethical issues that arise from globalized legal practice. The course will also promote immersive learning and experiential learning methodologies in the form of engaging with global lawyers in different countries, as well as collaborative and reflective learning in the form of group projects and reflective essays on issues of innovation, creativity and ethics in globalized legal practice.
What is more, this course teaches mindful ethics to help future lawyers cope with the pressure brought about by globalized legal practice. It shares insights on how legal mindfulness can help them reduce stress and develop ethical decision-making strategies. In particular, it teaches them how to practice mindful communications, mindful actions and mindful livelihood in their daily lives to develop themselves into innovative, creative and ethical lawyers.
The course will include a research project to afford students the opportunity to research innovation, creativity and ethics (including mindful ethics) in globalized legal practice and global lawyering. This course will enhance the learning experience of students through active interactions between students, teachers and guest speakers. Students will learn from innovative, creative and ethical lawyers, including ‘NewLaw’ practitioners, and experts in mindful ethics.
1.3 Course teachers
| Name | E-mail address | Office | Consultation | |
| Course convenor | Richard Wu | richwswu@hku.hk | CCT 810 | By email |
| Course convenor | Seb Ko | sebko@hku.hk | N/A | By email |
1.4 Course Outline
| Please click the link here for the course outline (HKU Portal login required). |
Learning Outcomes
2.1 Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) for this course
CLO 1 Comprehend the development of globalization of legal practice and global lawyering.
CLO 2 Realize the importance of innovation, creativity and ethics in globalized legal practice.
CLO 3 Understand how innovation and creativity can promote legal practice and access to justice.
CLO 4 Reflect critically on issues of innovation, creativity and ethics in legal practice.
CLO 5 Develop innovation, creativity and ethics for their future legal practice.
CLO 6 Appreciate the importance of mindful ethics on improving the well-being of lawyers.
CLO 7 harness the powers of innovation creativity and ethics to promote legal practice and access to justice.
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 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 6 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CLO 7 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Assessment(s)
3.1 Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Weighting | Feedback method* | Course learning outcomes |
| Class participation | 10% | 1, 4, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| Group project | 45% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| Reflective essay | 45% | 1, 2, 3, 5 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
| *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
| Seminar: | 3 hours / 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
To be advised by course convenor(s).
Learning Resources
5.1 Resources
| Reading materials: | Reading materials are posted on Moodle |
| Core reading list: | TBA |
| Recommended reading list: | TBA |
5.2 Links
Please refer to the following link: http://www.law.hku.hk/course/learning-resources/