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Here are some suggestions of reading materials which you may find useful in preparing for your studies.

Textbooks

We are not providing a reading list for each module yet, because many of the publishers are still up-dating existing textbooks and producing new texts. The reading lists for each module will be finalised for the start of the semester. However, you might find it beneficial to do some general background reading. The following books are useful, but there are others available. It is not expected that you will read all of these books, but reading one or two, will be useful preparation for starting your degree.

Study skills:

Finch and Fafinski: Legal Skills, (9th Ed) 2023, OUP – This covers sources of law, academic and practical legal skills e.g. writing essays, mooting skills. Includes self-test questions. Links to a web site providing additional material.

Strong, S: How to write Law Essays and Exams (6th Ed) 2022 OUP

Herring, J: Legal Ethics (2nd Ed) 2017, OUP

Other introductory books:

Bradney et al: How to Study Law, (9th Ed) 2021, Sweet & Maxwell – Outline of the English legal system, sources of law, study skills, and careers in law.

McBride, N Letters to a Law Student: A guide to studying law at university (4th Ed) 2017, Blackwell – Part 1 of the book is not particularly relevant - advice if you are thinking of studying law, rather than advice if you are about to start a degree. The rest of the book is useful though, covering study skills, preparation for essay writing and exams, and careers.

Moore, I and Newbery-Jones, C: The Successful Law Student, (1st Ed) 2018, OUP – A guide offering the inside track on studying law, providing useful tips on how to succeed in your law degree and at university.

Smith, Glanville Williams: Learning the Law, (17th Ed) 2020, Sweet & Maxwell – Quite a traditional book, covering the English legal system, methods and skills for studying law, and careers.

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Follow the official University of Northampton Law School Twitter account for news, articles and updates - @LawNorthampton

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Subscribe to Dr Ed Johnston's 'Criminal Justice Natters' channel on YouTube

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Subscribe to Dr Ed Johnston's 'Criminal Justice Natters' channel on YouTube

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https://www.youtube.com/user/johnst1981

Dr Ed Johnston from UONs Law Team has his own YouTube Channel, dedicated to all things criminal justice and he natters to some very interesting guests!

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Criminal Justice Natters - YouTube

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Welcome to a channel dedicated to all issues regarding criminal justice. If you want to come on the show for a natter, please get in touch.

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    Listen to Radio 4’s Law in Action programme

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    Listen to Radio 4’s Law in Action programme

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Law in Action is a topical radio programme featuring reports and discussion on a range of legal matters. You can listen to episodes relating to Covid penalties, climate change, the International Criminal Court, e-scooters and other current issues affecting the legal profession.

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Check out the Student Law Society's social media pages

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Check out the Student Law Society's social media pages

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Click here to view the University of Northampton Student Law Society's social media pages

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Listen to the ‘More from Law’ podcast by Harry Clark

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Listen to the ‘More from Law’ podcast by Harry Clark

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The 'More from Law' podcast includes interviews with professionals and discussion about the latest developments in the legal industry.

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Subscribe to Ayshea O'Brien's (Senior Lecturer in Law & Law with Criminology Course Leader) 'Truth Be Told' Podcast

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Subscribe to Ayshea O'Brien's (Senior Lecturer in Law & Law with Criminology Course Leader) 'Truth Be Told' Podcast

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https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/truth-be-told-co/id1799606318

Get ready to dive headfirst into the fascinating and often bizarre world, crafted by our very own Ayshea O’Brien (also known as Jazz)! She's serving up an eclectic mix of history, mystery, and gripping legal cases that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

From the chilling final moments of Ruth Ellis, the last woman hanged in Britain, to the perplexing enigma of crop circles, and the enduring mystery of Lord Lucan's disappearance—Ayshea leaves no stone unturned.

Prepare to explore the unsettling reality of hauntings, journey back in time to the brutal conflicts of The Wars of the Roses and confront the unsettling truths surrounding The Long Island Serial Killer.

Whether you're a history buff, a mystery enthusiast, or captivated by the intricacies of legal drama, there's something

Tune into Ayshea's podcast wherever you usually get your podcasts. Subscribe now and prepare to have your mind opened and your curiosity piqued!

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Visit a local county or criminal court and see how the courts deal with the cases before them. This will give you an idea of how the advocates present their case, the language used and of court room etiquette. It will also show you what factors the courts consider when reaching a decision and the penalties or remedies that are ordered.

The Supreme Court streams its cases online, so if you are interested in advocacy and would like to see some law in action, visit the Supreme Court website and watch a case or two!

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You need to be aware of how the British political system works to help you better understand your modules and to be aware of what is going on in the world. A good starting point is to keep up-to-date with the news.

You can visit the websites below to access broadsheet newspapers. These provide a better depth of coverage, comment and analysis on the news than the tabloid press.

The Guardian  - Education section, plus Special Reports on various issues (e.g. Immigration, Asylum and Nationality), plus national and international news.

The Independent - Education section, plus news.

The Times - Law and Student sections, plus news.

The Telegraph - Education section, plus news. The education sections of the newspapers might be useful to look at in August and September, as they normally have features on starting university.

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Read some books on legal cases or watch some law-based films

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Read some books on legal cases or watch some law-based films

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Some suggestions are:

Films: Pride, V for Vendetta, Dredd, In the Loop, Breaker Morant, Michael Clayton, My Cousin Vinny, Legally Blonde / Legally Blonde 2

TV: The Man in the High Castle, House of Cards, Silk

Books: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Letters to a Law Student by Nicholas J McBride, Eve was Framed by Helena Kennedy, Is Eating People Wrong: Great Legal Cases and How They Shaped the World by Allan Hutchinson, The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken by The Secret Barrister.