LAW4160: Negotiations and Conflict Resolution

Review #1 - written in winter sem 2020

RECORDED LECTURES: 

No.

PLEASE COMMENT ON THE CONTENT OF THIS UNIT.

This unit is one of the most outstanding offerings across the entire law faculty. It will enhance your communication skills, develop your confidence, and will train you to negotiate in a structured, practical, and effective way. There is no substantive law at all – it is entirely skills focused. Just bear in mind that due to bell-curving with a small cohort, it may be tough to get top marks. The unit is run over a two-week intensive period from 9am to 2pm or so each day. Each day will commence with you and a designated partner/group engaging in a practice negotiation which you had the night before to prepare. After the negotiation, you usually watch some pre-recorded videos on new negotiation tactics.

You’ll then rejoin the entire class and share your experience of the practice negotiation highlighting things that worked well/things that didn’t, and things you found interesting. The chief examiner then presents some information on a new negotiation strategy. He will then direct you to a few readings which might be of use for the next day. After class each day you are emailed out facts for a new practice negotiation which you prepare for the following day. The assessments are split-up and may change each semester. When I took the unit there was a 5% participation component, a 20% online quiz based on content covered in class and also in some of the readings, a 40% final assessed (recorded) negotiation between yourself and a designated partner, and a 35% post-negotiation piece. My biggest tip would be to take the practice negotiations seriously, prepare in advance, and contribute to group feedback sessions as they really allow you to build up your skills during the course.

WHAT WORKED WELL IN THIS UNIT, AND WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED?

The switch to online learning was effective, within the circumstances. If I could change anything about the unit, it would be to increase the participation component of the assessment slightly, in order to encourage a diversity of contributions.

IS THERE A PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK? 

The prescribed text is available free online – just google it. There’s no need to read it but it’s interesting. Make sure you complete the suggested readings from each day though as that content forms a big basis of the online test.

WHAT UNITS SHARES THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THE UNIT YOU ARE REVIEWING?

Clinical Placements, which are heavily skills focused, such as LAW4803.

ANY UNITS THAT WOULD PAIR WELL WITH THIS UNIT?

Due to the intensive teaching, I wouldn’t complete other units on top of Negotiation. You also cannot miss a session as the content moves quite fast.

HOW INTERESTING WAS THE UNIT CONTENT OUT OF 5?

5.

TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS: 

This is not an “easy” HD/D so do take it seriously. Have a go and get involved and you’ll get a lot out of it.