Lahore University of Management Sciences
LAW [101] – Introduction to Legal Reasoning
Spring 2025
To understand how to navigate course outlines, consult: How to Use a Course Outline (http://surl.li/gpvuw )
Instructor Dr Faiza Ismail
Room No. 1 -22
Office Hours TBA
Email
[email protected]Telephone -
Secretary/TA TBA
TA Office Hours -
Course URL (if any) -
Support Services LUMS offers a range of academic and other services to support students. These are mentioned below, and you are
encouraged to use these in addition to in-class assistance from course staff. For a complete list of campus support services
available for you click here (https://advising.lums.edu.pk/#supportservices)
Course Basics
Credit Hours 4
Lecture(s) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week 2 Duration 1 hour 50 minutes
Recitation/Lab (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week - Duration -
Tutorial (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per Week - Duration -
Course Distribution
Core Yes
Elective BA/LLB
Open for Student Category All
Close for Student Category Non
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Introduction to Legal Reasoning is an introductory course to help participants recognise and appreciate the legal reasoning as judges and lawyers
apply to resolve disputes in courts of law. This course will develop legal reasoning skills among the participants. Legal reasoning skill is essential to
become a successful lawyer.
COURSE PREREQUISITE(S)
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course aims to train participants into understanding fundamental legal principles as well as legal reasoning as applied within
various areas of law i.e. Contracts, Tort, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Property Law and International Law.
This course also requires participants to engage in debates on variety of topics. It includes legal debate from virtues of contemporary
legal profession to issues of Cybercrime will equip students with the skills of argument and reasoning.
Lahore University of Management Sciences
Learning Outcomes
Participants would be able to discuss fundamental principles of various areas of law particularly emerging fields of law such as
Cyber Law and International Investment Arbitration.
This course will familiarize the participants to modern debates on global cybercrime as well as state of commercial arbitration in
Pakistan.
Finally, on the completion of this course, course participants will be able to identify various components of a judgment i.e.
Facts
Issues
Legal Principles
Holding
Grading Breakup and Policy
Assignment(s):
Home Work:
Quiz(s): 20% announced quizzes (open book/ open notes)
Class Participation: 20%
Attendance: 5%
Midterm Examination: 25% In-house exam (opened book/open notes)
Project:
Final Examination: 30% In-house exam (open book/ open notes)
Examination Detail
Yes/No: Yes
Combine Separate:
Midterm
Duration: Two hours
Exam
Preferred Date:
Exam Specifications: In-house exam (open book/open notes)
Yes/No:
Combine Separate:
Final Exam
Duration:
Exam Specifications: In-house exam (open book/open notes)
Campus supports & Key university policies
Campus Supports
Students are strongly encouraged to meet course instructors and TA’s during office hours for assistance in course-content, understand the
course’s expectations from enrolled students, etc. Beyond the course, students are also encouraged to use a variety of other resources.
(Instructors are also encouraged to refer students to these resources when needed.) These resources include Counseling and Psychological
Services/CAPS (for mental health), LUMS Medical Center/LMC (for physical health), Office of Accessibility & Inclusion/ OAI (for long-term
disabilities), advising staff dedicated to supporting and guiding students in each school, online resources (https://advising.lums.edu.pk/advising-
resources), etc. To view all support services, their specific role as well as contact information click here
(https://advising.lums.edu.pk/#supportservices).
Lahore University of Management Sciences
Academic Honesty/Plagiarism
LUMS has zero tolerance for academic dishonesty. Students are responsible for upholding academic integrity. If unsure, refer to the student
handbook and consult with instructors/teaching assistants. To check for plagiarism before essay submission, use [email protected].
Consult the following resources: 1) Academic and Intellectual Integrity (http://surl.li/gpvwb), and 2) Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism
(http://surl.li/gpvwo).
LUMS Academic Accommodations/ Petitions policy
Long-term medical conditions are accommodated through the Office of Accessibility & Inclusion (OAI). Short-term emergencies that impact
studies are either handled by the course instructor or Student Support Services (SSS). For more information, please see Missed Instrument or
‘Petition’ FAQs for students and faculty (https://rb.gy/8sj1h )
LUMS Sexual Harassment Policy
LUMS and this class are a harassment-free zone. No behavior that makes someone uncomfortable or negatively impacts the class or
individual's potential will be tolerated.
To report sexual harassment experienced or observed in class, please contact me. For further support or to file a complaint, contact OAI at
[email protected] or
[email protected]. You may choose to file an informal or formal complaint to put an end to the offending behavior.
You can also call their Anti-Harassment helpline at 042-35608877 for advice or concerns. For more information: Harassment, Bullying & Other
Interpersonal Misconduct: Presentation (http://surl.li/gpvwt )
COURSE OVERVIEW
Week/
Recommended Objectives/
Lecture/ Topics
Readings Application
Module
The doctrine of judicial James Holland and Julian Webb This session focuses on drawing a comparison
precedent Learning Legal Rules (2006 Oxford between civil law and common law jurisdictions. It
University Press), p 128-157 shall entail explaining what is meant by, and the
practical implication of case law, judicial precedent
1
and its types (binding, persuasive) in common law
countries.
Why study law? Stepping In It: Start Up Founders
2 Navigate Hidden Legal Pitfalls (2023)
SCG 603
Contact law 1. Introduction and Discussion of fundamental elements of a contract.
2. Fundamental elements of
3
contract
Contract law Hamer v Sidway 124 N.Y. 538, 1891
4
Contract Law Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co, 1893.
5
6 Quiz I
Virtues of today’s lawyers! Anthony T Kronman, The Lost
7 Lawyer, Chapter 3 ‘The Good Lawyer’
(Harvard University Press, 1995)
Law and Economics Richard Posner, Frontiers of Legal
Theory, Chapter 1 ‘The Law and
Economics Movement: From
8
Bentham to Becker’ (Harvard
University Press, 2001)
9 Labour Law Starbucks Responding to Need of labor union
Lahore University of Management Sciences
Unionization Efforts (2023) WDI
Publishing Effectiveness of unionization
Who benefits the most from
unionization?
Tort Law 1- Introduction Basic law of tort to be discussed
10 2- Theory of Negligence
Tort Law Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] UKHL
11 100
Tort Law -Fiduciary Obligations Tarasoff v Regents of the University https://scholar.smu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
12 towards third party of California, 17 Cal. 3d 425, 1976 article=2344&context=smulr
Tort Law Shehla Zia v WAPDA, PLD 1994
13
Supreme Court 693
14 Midterm
Criminal Law Ernesto Miranda v Arizona, 384 U.S.
1- Introduction 436 (1966)
15
2- Right to remain silent
in custody
Criminal Law R v Cato, (1976) 62 Cr App R 4
16
R v. Evans [2009] 1 WLR
Corruption Fighting Corruption at Siemens
17 Harvard Business School (2011) 5-
112-089
Whistleblower Canadian Sponsorship Scandal: The
Whistleblower’s Perspective (2014)
18
IJCSM HEC077
Constitutional Law 1- Introduction https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/
Fundamental Non- Economic Rights abortion/roe-v-wade
19
https://www.britannica.com/event/Roe-v-Wade
Constitutional Law Brown v Board of Education, 347 U.S.
20 483 (1954)
Constitutional Law Roe v Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)
21 Fundamental Non-Economic
Rights
Constitutional Law Zaheer-ud-Din v State 1993 SCMR
22
1718
23 Quiz II
Cybercrime Cyber Crime “United States v. Roman
24 Seleznev”
International Law 1- Introduction A basic introduction to international law in the light
2- Territorial sovereignty of the decisions by international courts. Specific
topics such as territorial integrity, right of self-
25
defence, use of weapons and trial by military
commissions would be discussed.
International Law Israel v Eichmann, Criminal Case No.
26 40/61, 1961
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27 International Law Gaza war
28 Final Exam
Textbook(s)/Supplementary Readings
James Holland and Julian Webb Learning Legal Rules (2006 Oxford University Press)
