On 10 and 11 September 2015 delegates from 12 law faculties in South Africa along with representatives from various branches of the legal profession and a number of language experts gathered in Somerset West for the second national workshop on the development of LLB graduates’ writing abilities. The workshop was organised by Theo Broodryk and Chantelle Golombick of the Faculty of Law, Stellenbosch University. Werksmans Attorneys sponsored the event. The aim was to continue conversation between law teachers and other stakeholders at a national level on what can be done to develop law students’ writing abilities.
Mr Theo Broodryk with Prof Laurel Currie Oates, Director of Seattle University’s Legal Writing Program.
Prof Laurel Currie Oates, Director of Seattle University’s Legal Writing Program which has been ranked as the top legal writing program in the United States by U.S. and World Reports, conducted day one of the workshop. Prof Oates dealt with a variety of topics, exposing the workshop attendees to a variety of teaching techniques. This involved dealing with issues such as best practices in teaching legal writing, establishing program objectives and objectives for individual classes, assignment design and providing feedback to students.
Day two commenced with language experts from Stellenbosch University’s Language Centre, Marisca Coetzee and Helga Sykstus, sharing their insights regarding the development of appropriate reading strategies for understanding academic and legal texts. This was followed by a session presented by Gail Kemp, Director of the Law Society’s School for Legal Practice, during which she explained their approach to developing students’ legal writing skills. Thereafter, Professor Salim Nakhjavani and Jean Moore presented on the reconceptualization of the Writing Centre at the Wits School of Law.
Members of the committee elected to establish a new association focusing on legal writing development (from left): Prof Anton Kok, Ms Jean Moore, Dr Karin Chinnian, Mr Theo Broodryk, Mrs Elmarie Fourie and Prof Salim Nakhjavani.
The workshop concluded with a panel discussion on proposed collaboration methods going forward. The panel consisted of Prof Geo Quinot, Vice Dean of the Law Faculty at Stellenbosch University, Advocate Tim Bruinders SC of the General Council of the Bar and Mr Shayne Krige, Director at Werksmans Attorneys. Following this discussion, delegates decided to form an association that can serve as a permanent structure to promote active engagement around the issue of writing development across all stakeholders in legal education. A committee was constituted to guide the initiative under the lead of Prof Nakhjavani. The remaining committee members are Mrs Jean Moore, Prof Anton Kok, Dr Karin Chinnian, Mrs Elmarie Fourie and Mr Theo Broodryk.
The full programme of the event is available here.
TWEEDE NASIONALE LLB SKRYF-ONTWIKKELING WERKSWINKEL
Op 10 en 11 September 2015 het afgevaardigdes van 12 regsfakulteite in Suid-Afrika saam met verteenwoordigers van verskeie vertakkings van die regsprofessie en ʼn aantal taalkundiges in Somerset-Wes byeengekom vir die tweede nasionale werkswinkel in die ontwikkeling van LLB-studente se skryfvaardighede. Die werkswinkel is georganiseer deur Theo Broodryk en Chantelle Golombick van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch se Regsfakulteit. Werksmans Prokureurs het die werkswinkel geborg. Die doel was om die gesprek tussen regsdosente en ander belanghebbendes op nasionale vlak voort te sit oor wat gedoen kan word om regstudente se skryfvaardighede te ontwikkel.
Prof Laurel Currie Oates, Direkteur van Seattle Universiteit se regskryfwerkprogram wat deur die U.S. and World Reports as die top regskryfwerkprogram in die Verenigde State aangewys is, het dag een van die werkswinkel behartig. Prof Oates het ‘n verskeidenheid onderwerpe behandel wat die bywoners van die werkswinkel aan ‘n verskeidenheid van onderrigtegnieke blootgestel het. Dit het kwessies ingesluit soos beste praktyke vir die onderrig van regskryfwerk, die instel van program oogmerke asook oogmerke vir individuele klasse, ontwerp van opdragte en die gee van terugvoer aan studente.
Dag twee het begin met taalkundiges van Stellenbosch Universiteit se Taalsentrum, Marisca Coetzee en Helga Sykstus, wat hulle insigte rakende die ontwikkeling van gepaste leesstrategieë vir die begrip van akademiese- en regstekste met die bywoners gedeel het. Dit is gevolg deur ‘n sessie aangebied deur Gail Kemp, Direkteur van die Wetsgenootskap se Skool vir Regspraktyk, waartydens sy hulle benadering tot die ontwikkeling van studente se regskryfvaardighede verduidelik het. Daarna het Professor Salim Nakhjavani en Jean Moore die kwessie van die her-konseptualisering van die Skryfsentrum by die Wits Regskool aangespreek.
Die werkswinkel het afgesluit met ‘n paneelbespreking rondom toekomstige samewerkingmetodes. Die paneel het bestaan uit Prof Geo Quinot, Visedekaan van die Regsfakulteit, Stellenbosch Universiteit, Advokaat Tim Bruinders SC van die Algemene Balieraad en Mnr Shayne Krige, Direkteur van Werksmans Prokureurs. Na afloop van hierdie gesprek het deelnemers besluit om ‘n liggaam te skep om aktiewe betrokkenheid rondom die kwessie van skryfontwikkeling deur alle belanghebbendes in regsonderrig te bevorder. ‘n Komitee is aangewys onder leiding van Prof Nakhjanvani om die inisiatief verder te voer. Die oorblywende komiteelede is Me Jean Moore, Prof Anton Kok, Dr Karin Chinnian, Me Elmarie Fourie en Mnr Theo Broodryk.
Die volledige program is hier beskikbaar.
