Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Communication Techniques

Communication Techniques
3
14972
1
Second semester
OB
Main language of instruction: Spanish

Other languages of instruction: Catalan

Teaching staff

Introduction

The subject consists of two distinct parts.

On the one hand, sessions relating to written expression for jurists and, on the other, sessions dedicated to negotiation techniques.

The subject is complemented by two legal marketing sessions.

Pre-course requirements

No proceden.

Objectives

Written expression for jurists.

The intention is to teach writing in an effective way. The course is aimed at developing the capacity for persuasion and improving the quality of communication with courts, clients and other lawyers. In the sessions, techniques for writing using simple, clear and accurate language will be explained as well as the composition of appropriate texts for a lawyer.

Negotiation techniques

From the analysis of a case study, an exploration will be made of how to apply different negotiation techniques, what pre-negotiation activities are, how to pre-prepare for a negotiation, how to discuss the arguments of the other party, how to determine the barriers that could prevent or hinder the possibility of reaching an agreement, how to close a negotiation successfully and what fundamental role soft skills play in our field.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • CP02 - Students will be able to conduct professional work within specialised and interdisciplinary teams.
  • CP03 - Students will be able to interact appropriately with citizens, institutions and other professionals.
  • CP04 - The student will respect the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, and the promotion of human rights and the values inherent in a peaceful society of democratic values.
  • HB12 - Students will be able to use conflict resolution techniques most relevant to each situation and context properly and with their own independence of judgement.
  • HB13 - Students will be able to plan the organisational structure of the professional office according to the human resources that integrate it and the type of clients to which it is addressed.
  • HB14 - Students will be able to establish a protocol of economic and fiscal management, compliance and protection of occupational risks and personal data for the professional office.
  • HB15 - Students will be able to use the procedures, protocols, systems, and judicial applications, that communications and cooperation with the administration of justice requires, with special attention to those of electronic, computer and telematic nature.
  • HB16 - Students will be able to implement teamwork techniques aimed at achieving greater efficiency through access to information sources, knowledge of languages, knowledge management and management of applied techniques and tools.
  • HB17 - Students will be able to plan the organisational structure of the professional office according to human resources involved and the type of clients it serves.
  • HB18 - Students will be able to express themselves appropriately to the context and special needs or characteristics of each recipient orally and in writing.

Learning outcomes of the subject

The student will be able to:

Integrate knowledge, skills and competencies, legal and meta juridical, strictly instrumental or auxiliary.

 

Syllabus

• Efficient written communication techniques in law and the legal professions.

• Legal argumentation and speech syntax.

• Negotiation techniques and psychology applied to the resolution of legal conflicts.

• Legal psychology applied to the professional environment of the lawyer

Teaching and learning activities

In person



The training activities are:

  • Lecture (CM): The faculty expounds the most relevant theory of the subject to reinforce knowledge of the bachelor’s degree and ensure a correct performance in other training activities.
  • Case study analysis (ACP): Analysis and discussion of the legal qualification of the facts, permitted procedural alternatives, other alternatives for the balancing of conflicting interests and elaborate procedural briefs related to the matter.
  • Simulation of professional situations (SEP): Supervised recreation of all kinds of professional legal procedures, written and oral, both in the field of legal advice and in forensic practice. Students must prepare the recreations in advance on assumptions and materials extracted from real cases.
  • Case preparation and/or simulations (PCS): Prior to the face-to-face class. Carried out individually or in groups. It will allow the student to participate appropriately in the discussion of the assumption or in the performance of the simulation.
  • Self-study: Students analyse, seek information or solve problems on their own, using the material provided, databases, bibliography and information collected in face-to-face classes and/or during work experience. Necessary work in all modules, aimed at deepening and consolidating knowledge and greater performance of the sessions of case method or simulation of professional scenarios.
  • Directed individual study (EID): Work of individual acquisition of legal knowledge under the guidance, accompaniment and supervision of the teacher-tutor to help with questions and concerns and verifies the progress made by the students.

 

The teaching methodologies are as follows:

  • Theory class (CT): Method with which the faculty provides the most substantial theoretical aspects of the subject to reinforce the knowledge already acquired in the undergraduate degree and ensure a correct performance in the other training activities.
  • Case method (MC):  Allows student deliberation under the guidance and participation of the teachers. They must present a practical case in class in order to analyse and solve it. In some activities the presentation of the case and its resolution are carried out in the same learning unit. However, the case is usually previously worked on by the students individually or in a group in order to take advantage of the performance of the face-to-face sessions appropriately. The activity is always guided by the teachers. Students are encouraged to put the acquired knowledge into practice as they have the opportunity to integrate new knowledge while dealing with the complexity of real situations.
  • Simulation of professional situations (MSEP): The recreation of all kinds of possible situations taken from real cases of professional performance, in legal advice or in forensic practice. After adequate preparation and supervision the student is required to carry out the exercise themselves, individually or collectively, before a teacher who will accompany them during the exercise and then evaluate it.
  • Directed study sessions (SED): Method by which the students acquire legal knowledge individually through study led by a teacher-tutor who can answer questions and concerns of the students and verifies the progress made by them.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



The evaluation systems are:

  • Case study analysis (RCP): The students must demonstrate their capacity to resolve the practical cases presented and will be evaluated according to the legal qualification of the facts, procedural alternatives of defence, the preparation of procedural briefs related to the case in both formal and substantive aspects and written expression, especially with regard to the use of legal language.
  • Simulation of professional situations (RSEP): Students must demonstrate their ability to carry out professional written and oral legal activity, both in the field of legal advice and in forensic practice, and they will be evaluated according to the legal technical rigour and the quality of their simulated professional intervention.
  • Written exam (PE): Objective proof of multiple replies or responses, or of development of theoretical or practical questions on which they must justifiably rule or resolve.
  • Oral exam(PO): Objective evidence of oral presentation of legal topics and issues.
  The evaluation is continuous, with a weighting of 60% for participation/practical cases/classwork and 40% for the exam.

Bibliography and resources

The following bibliography is recommended for the study of negotiation techniques:

AAVV, “Negotiation”, published by the Harvard Business School (USA) 2003, available in the University library.

AAVV, "The Essentials of Negotiation", Harvard Business School Press (USA), 2005.

POWELL, Marcos, "International Negotiations", Cambridge Business Skills, UK, 2012.

 

For written expression for jurists, the following books are recommended reading:

Despacho Garrigues (2014): Libro de estilo Garrigues, Thomson Reuters Aranzadi: Cizur Menor, 2nd edition.

Muñoz Machado, Santiago (dir.) (2017): Libro de estilo de la justicia, Espasa Libros: Barcelona

Jiménez-Yáñez, Ricardo-María (2016): Escribir bien es de justicia, Thomson Reuters Aranzadi: Cizur Menor.

Blog of the lawyer Pablo Franquet, Litigio de Autor.

<http://www.litigiodeautor.com/>