Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Juristische Fakultät

Englisches Recht

The programme develops the students' ability to understand and discuss complex legal issues in English, the world language of academic, business and professional communication.

It gives students the opportunity to compare and contrast two different legal systems - English common law with the German civil law system, and to expand their awareness and understanding of different legal approaches and cultures both in academia and in practice.

It is the ideal preparation for an exchange studentship, either to an English, Irish or Welsh university, or to a university where English is the medium of instruction. In both cases the students will be a positive reflection of their home university and faculty as they will be well equipped to discuss, present and write on legal topics. In the former situation they will also display a familiarity with important basic concepts, principles and terminology of English law and thus be able to participate fully and successfully in the exchange programme.

The FRS qualification in English (as well as other languages) improves the employability of law graduates. It is thus an important incentive in student recruitment.

An initial qualification in English law is a transferable skill. It provides students with the specific knowledge, language and skills needed to quickly obtain a familiarity with the workings of other common law (or mixed law) jurisdictions.

 

Wintersemester 2023/24

Modul 5:  Criminal Law

This course will familiarise you with a number of aspects of English Criminal Law, including the criminal justice system, the judiciary, magistrates and jury, classification of offences, the Crown Prosecution Service, elements of a crime (actus reus/mens rea), defences, sentencing and mitigation, and appeal routes. We will discuss several criminal offences such as murder/manslaughter, theft and conspiracy, and you will be exposed to legal texts, including statutes and cases. In addition, we will discuss advocacy and put this into practice. Your active participation in class will be required.

Dozentin: A. van der Eijk


Modul 4: Agency, Equity and Truts

Agency law deals with the problems arising when A acts on behalf of B. A normally has a contract with B, but whether he has or not, he will be subject to fiduciary duties developed from the law of equity and trusts. A third party dealing with an agent will normally not know what powers the agent is entitled to exercise- what happens when the agent makes a contract with the third party which he has no authority to make?
Equity is a distinctive feature of common law systems. It operates in parallel to the rules of the common law, adjusting and supplementing them, providing practical and flexible remedies to numerous problems in almost all fields of law.
The trust itself was the first concept in equity. Evolved at the time of the Crusades it still provides vital solutions to problems of ownership- whether pension fund investments or  jointly owned homes. It has been described as “the greatest and most distinctive achievement performed by Englishmen in the field of jurisprudence”.

Dozent: P. Harvey
 

 

 

Die Modulbeschreibung der englischsprachigen Rechtskurse des Sprachenzentrums finden Sie wie die Online-Anmeldung auf der Website des Sprachenzentrums.