Welcome to your first year in the School of Law
- PODS
- Autumn Seminar Enrolment
- Key contacts
- Prescribed textbook list
- First year law subjects coordinators
UOW Law’s first-year curriculum and support program experience are designed to you the best chance at success.
From your very first session in Autumn, the School of Law introduces a unique learning structure called PODS. Each POD consists of about 25 students, allowing you to attend all your Autumn session classes with the same group. Our research indicates that this system greatly aids in the transition to tertiary law studies. It promotes the development of friendships and study groups, and establishes a supportive network. Please be aware that this applies only to seminar enrolments for the Autumn session. Starting from the Spring session in your first year, students will have the flexibility to enrol in any available seminar class options.
Campuses POD timetables
"In the first year of law we're assigned into POD groups and it's really beneficial because you get to know everybody in your class. It's a really supportive network."
UOW Law student
Students can view the subject timetables before seminar enrolment open date to help plan their studies. See timetable website
Further details about seminar enrolments will be provided to students before the seminar open date.
AskUOW is able to assist with all student enquiries
The Law School Admin team is also able to assist and support first year student enquiries.
Autumn Session 2025
Below is a list of the prescribed textbooks for your first year subjects. In some subjects, there are also suggestions about purchasing additional books that will support your studies. Those suggestions are recommendations, not required purchases. It is also recommended that you buy a law dictionary, such as the Concise Australian Legal Dictionary (LexisNexis, 6th ed, 2020) or the Australian Law Dictionary (Oxford University Press, 3rd ed, 2017).
You will be able to access a full Subject Outline for each subject on the relevant subject Moodle site. Each Subject Outline will contain a list of other recommended readings and resources. Details of the readings you are required to complete for your classes in Week 1 (and following weeks) will also be made available on the Moodle sites. Moodle sites can be accessed via SOLS from the Monday of Orientation week.
Important notes:
- In each case, the texts listed below are the most recent editions. We recommend that you obtain the edition we recommend. This is because there are often important differences between older and newer editions that can be confusing and difficult to follow.
- There are on-campus invigilated exams for LLB1100 Foundations of Law, LLB1120 Law of Contract A and LLB1130 Criminal Law and Procedure A. Students are permitted to bring printed notes and hardcopy textbooks into the exam, but not electronic devices. Please consider this when deciding whether to purchase a hardcopy or electronic text (eBook) for these subjects.
LLB1100 Foundations of Law
The prescribed textbook for LLB1100 is:
- Greaney, Jennifer, Principles and Practice of Australian Law (Thomson Reuters, 4th ed, 2020).
You can also purchase the eBook version from the Thomson Reuters website (see the important note above regarding eBooks and exams). This text is available from a range of retailers, including the UniShop.
You may also wish to purchase a copy of the Australian Constitution. The Constitution can be found on numerous electronic databases or purchased from a range of retailers, including the UniShop. It is also in the back of most legal dictionaries.
LLB1115 Legal Skills
The prescribed textbook for LLB1115 is:
- Australian Guide to Legal Citation (Melbourne University Law Review Association, 4th ed, 2018).
This publication is available online and may be downloaded in pdf format (read only). This text is also available from a range of retailers, including the Unishop.
Given the difficulty of using this 337-page book as a PDF copy only, we advise you to buy a hardcopy. It will serve you throughout your studies. This is the referencing style adopted for all Law School assignments/submissions throughout your degree.
You may also wish to consider obtaining a copy of the following text. This is optional as a guide only and should not be considered essential:
- Kernaghan, Ryan, Quick Reference Card: Legal Referencing (LexisNexis Butterworths, 2nd ed, 2021). This text is available at the Unishop.
Other weekly readings are from a range of sources and will be available online via the UOW Library and the subject Moodle site.
LLB1120 Law of Contract A
The prescribed textbook for LLB1120 is:
- Dilan Thampapillai and Alex Bruce, Contract Law: Text and Cases (Lexis Nexis, 3rd ed, 2021)
You can also purchase the eBook version from the LexisNexis website (see the important note above regarding eBooks and exams).
This book is also the prescribed text for LLB 1170 Law of Contract B in Spring Session.
As well as the prescribed textbook, additional case readings for most weeks will be available electronically through Subject Readings on the Moodle site.
LLB1130 Criminal Law and Procedure A
The prescribed textbook for LLB1130 is:
- Brown, David, Luke McNamara, Alex Steel, Julia Quilter, Melanie Schwartz, Thalia Anthony, Arlie Loughnan, Helen Gibbon, Vicki Sentas, Elyse Methven, Leah Williams, Criminal Laws Materials and Commentary on Criminal Law and Process of New South Wales (The Federation Press, 8th ed, 2025).
Important note: this new 8th edition is due to be published on 6/3/2025 (Week 1 of session). You can pre-order a copy of the text via the UOW Unishop or The Federation Press website. It may also be available for pre-order with other retailers. The publisher will provide the subject coordinator with pdf copies of the first few weeks of readings while we wait for the text to be published. You will be advised of how to access these readings via the subject Moodle site.
An eBook version of the textbook will be available from The Federation Press website once the textbook has been published (see the important note above regarding eBooks and exams).
This book is also the prescribed textbook for LLB 1180 Criminal Law and Procedure B in Spring Session.
As well as the prescribed textbook, additional sources will be available electronically through Subject Readings on the Moodle site.
Resources
Autumn Session 2025
LLB1110 Foundations of Law
Coordinator: Dr Kylie Lingard
Email: kylie_lingard@uow.edu.au
LLB1115 Legal Skills
Coordinator: Dr David Newlyn
Email: david_newlyn@uow.edu.au
LLB1120 Law of Contract A
Coordinator: Professor Dilan Thampapillai
Email: dilan_thampapillai@uow.edu.au
LLB1130 Criminal Law and Procedure A
Coordinator: Melissa Porter
Email: melissa_porter@uow.edu.au
