Unlocking the English Legal System

Unlocking the English Legal System will help you grasp the main concepts of the legal system in England and Wales with ease. Containing accessible explanations in clear and precise terms that are easy to understand, it provides an excellent foundation for learning and revising.

This new edition offers a brand-new chapter on ‘Ethics and Law’ which details the duties and responsibilities of lawyers and introduces law students to the kinds of ethical dilemmas that they may encounter when they are lawyers. The up-to-date ongoing debates surrounding UK law are discussed, such as the impact Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic have, and continue to have, upon the English Legal System. Further detail on the devolution settlements in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales is provided as well as looking at the question of Scottish independence. Learn how to read cases and statutes, about career skills and interview preparation, and find out further information on how the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) will operate and the reaction it’s received from law schools. There is also focus on the impact of racism in the criminal justice system, the new Sentencing Code introduced in 2020, and how technology is changing the way the English Legal System operates.

The books in the Unlocking the Law series get straight to the point and offer clear and concise coverage of the law, broken down into bite-size sections with regular recaps to boost your confidence. They provide complete coverage of both core and popular optional law modules, presented in an innovative and visual format.

Tom Frost is Lecturer in Law at the University of Leicester.

Rebecca (Becky) Huxley-Binns is Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the University of Hull, having previously held the role of Vice-Provost, Academic Enhancement, at the University of Law. She was Law Teacher of the Year in 2010. Becky became a National Teaching Fellow in 2012 and Principal Fellow of the HEA in 2017.

Jacqueline Martin practised as a barrister for ten years before becoming a law lecturer. She was also chief examiner for a major awarding body for ten years, and has written and edited many law textbooks.

Shaneez Mithani holds degrees in law from University College London and the University of Sussex and in human biology from the University of Birmingham. She has experience in project management and has worked as a paralegal and a research assistant for several years. She is currently working in a legal role at the Ministry of Justice and is pursuing a career as a barrister.