Thursday, 20 June 2013

NEW JOURNAL TO ASSIST LAW STUDENTS HONE WRITING SKILLS

 
 
The Law Review Team:
Pic 1 Howard College Team from left - right, top: Londiwe Goba, Tafadzwa Chiposi, Musa Kika; bottom, Ntokozo Qwabe, Aidean Ross, Lavanya Pillay
Pic 2 Pietermaritzburg Team (left - right); Tafadzwa Dhlakama, Carol Maseka, Ntokozo Mamela, Phumla Tom, Amin Matola.
 
Law students have created a vehicle to sharpen their academic writing skills following the recent launch of a journal titled: The UKZN Student Law Review.
 
The journal will feature articles, case notes and book reviews written by undergraduate and postgraduate law students from both the Pietermaritzburg and Howard College campuses.
The articles will focus on various aspects of the law including developments in law and analyses of landmark decisions which substantially impact on the implementation and enforcement of the Constitution, adherence to the rule of law and the promotion of social change through amendments to the law.
 
The team of students driving this innovative idea are Mr Ntokozo Qwabe, Mr Musa Kika, Ms Tafadzwa Chiposi, Ms Londiwe Goba, Ms Aideen Ross, Mr Tafadzwa Dhlakama, Ms Carole Maseka, Ms Phumla Tom, Mr Amin Matola, Ms Ntokozo Memela and Ms Lavanya Pillay.
Kika, a third year LLB student, said the development of the journal was motivated by the need for students to have an outlet for their contribution to legal debates which shape their constitutional democracy and South Africa’s legal system.
 
‘We have noted the absence in our Law School of a platform which allows our students exposure to academic writing outside the classroom, yet law itself is a writing profession and sound writing skills are vital. We aim to develop independent research and writing skills among students - essential aspects which have been criticised for being inadequate in the LLB programme in its current structure,’ said Kika.
 
Mr Qwabe reiterated the call for students to submit papers saying: ‘Not only will this enrich their research and writing skills, it will also make them marketable for employment and other exciting opportunities available to law students.’
 
Law academic, Ms Lee Stone, said the journal would be a useful tool to develop and groom the students as legal professionals, scholars and academics.
 
‘The journal articles that are received from students will be published on the School of Law website. We envisage that we will eventually move towards publishing print copies of the Law Review once we have secured funding for this. Students are invited and encouraged to submit contributions to the Law Review through the Call for Papers which has been distributed by e-mail to each student and is also contained on the Law Review webpage,’ she said.
 
To view the call for papers and articles follow this link: http://law.ukzn.ac.za/Student-Law-Review.aspx