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Resources for first year Law students

Welcome to your first year in the School of Law

UOW Law’s first-year curriculum and support program experience is designed to give you the best chance at success.

From your very first session studying Law 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. In the Spring session, students will have the flexibility to enrol in any available seminar class options.

Campuses POD timetables

    Four people sitting and smiling as they look at a laptop

"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

Seminar (PODs) enrolment opens 7.02 pm, Wednesday, 18 February and closes 11.59 pm Friday, 20 February.

Setting up your Law timetable is a two-step process

Step 1: Subject enrolment (SOLS)
Enrol in LLB1100 (and then LLB1115, LLB1120 and LLB1130) in SOLS.

Step 2: Seminar (PODs) enrolment (POD selection)
Choose your POD by enrolling in the LLB1100 seminar that matches your preferred POD number.
This will set your seminar times across all your first-year Law subjects, so you attend classes with the same group (your POD).

Where to view timetables

  • Your PODs timetable (the Law-specific seminar groupings): The PODs timetable will be published on this page and is the key timetable you should use to plan your seminar times. 
  • University subject timetables (general viewing): You can view subject seminar times on the UOW Timetables page. However, your four first-year subjects will be grouped into a pre-set PODs timetable, so use the PODs timetable to organise your seminar times.

The PODs timetable will be published here by Tuesday, 17 February. Detailed enrolment instructions will be emailed to commencing students by Tuesday, 17 February.

Be ready to enrol as soon as PODs enrolment opens at 7.02 pm on Tuesday, 18 February. POD places can fill quickly, so it’s wise to have 2–3 preferred POD options noted in advance.

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 2026

You will be able to access a full Subject Outline for each subject on the relevant subject Moodle site. Moodle sites can be accessed via SOLS from the Monday of Orientation week.

ACCESS SOLS

First semester textbooks list - Autumn 2026

LEGEND

  • Prescribed textbook: mandatory for the subject
  • Recommended support: optional subject resources
  • Readings: weekly subject reading lists (and additional resources) are available via Moodle subject sites (accessible via SOLS from Orientation Week) 

LLB1100: Foundations of Law 

  • PRESCRIBED: Jennifer Greaney, Principles and Practice of Australian Law (Thomson Reuters, 4th ed, 2020). 
  • Hardcopy recommended (invigilated, open-book exam) 
  • Optional: the Australian Constitution (also available online; also included in most legal dictionaries). 

LLB1115:  Legal Skills 

  • PRESCRIBED: Australian Guide to Legal Citation (Melbourne University Law Review Association, 4th ed, 2018)
  • Hardcopy recommended (PDF is difficult to use + openbook quiz)
  • Used for every assessment throughout the degree. 

LLB1120:  Law of Contract A 

  • PRESCRIBED: Dilan Thampapillai and Alex Bruce, Contract Law: Text and Cases (LexisNexis, 3rd ed, 2021). 
  • Hardcopy recommended (invigilated, open-book exam) 
  • Also prescribed for LLB1170 Law of Contract B (Spring). 

LB1130: Criminal Law and Procedure A 

  • PRESCRIBED: David Brown et al, Criminal Laws: Materials and Commentary on Criminal Law and Process of New South Wales (Federation Press, 8th ed, 2025).
  • Hardcopy recommended (invigilated, open-book exam)
  • Also prescribed for LLB1180 Criminal Law and Procedure B (Spring).

RECOMMENDED SUPPORT

Ryan Kernaghan, Quick Reference Card: Legal Referencing (LexisNexis, 2nd ed, 2021). 
A law dictionary: eg Concise Australian Legal Dictionary (LexisNexis, 6th ed, 2020) or Australian Law Dictionary (OUP, 3rd ed, 2017). 

Useful links:

Autumn Session 2026

LLB1100 Foundations of Law

Coordinator: Dr Margherita Feleppa
Email: margherita_feleppa@uow.edu.au 

LLB1115 Legal Skills

Coordinator: Yvonne Apolo
Email: yvonne_apolo@uow.edu.au 

LLB1120 Law of Contract A

Coordinator: Dr David Newlyn
Email: david_newlyn@uow.edu.au 

LLB1130 Criminal Law and Procedure A

Coordinator: Melissa Porter
Email: melissa_porter@uow.edu.au