Embedding Real-World Projects in Law: The LEAPS Module and Next Steps
Law degrees have traditionally focused on foundational subjects such as Criminal Law and Contract Law. While these remain essential, the legal profession is dynamic, and graduates need more than knowledge – they need practical experience and the ability to apply their learning in real-world contexts.
Recent programme revalidation at the School of Law gave us the opportunity to strengthen employability within the curriculum. Our aim was clear: to embed real-world applied projects into the student journey from the ground up, ensuring that employability is not an optional extra but a core part of the learning experience. This approach aligns with sector-wide emphasis on graduate outcomes and the expectation that degrees prepare students for successful transitions into work.
The LEAPS Module
My colleague Jen Waterhouse and I led and designed the new Legal Environments and Professional Skills (LEAPS) module which we introduced in January 2025. We were assisted in the design by Gillian Kelly and Keeley Fletcher.
LEAPS is a Level 5, 60-credit module which bridges the gap between academic study of law and professional practice. LEAPS prepares students for their final-year placements in external legal settings or in the award-winning Hallam Legal Advice Centre and Justice Hubs.
At the heart of LEAPS is the Applied Project, which gives students the chance to work on authentic legal problems provided by external clients who have included St Luke’s Hospice, Citizens Advice, and Sheffield Women’s Aid.
The challenge of providing real-world experience to our Level 5 students is that our cohorts often exceed 280. To make such experiences scalable across our large law cohort, we developed Applied Project Resource Packs, which include recorded interviews with each client. These recordings replicate the experience of a client briefing, allowing every student to engage with real-world scenarios without the logistical constraints of live interviews. Students then choose from a diverse range of projects covering issues such as domestic violence, probate, offender rehabilitation, and artistic copyright; and produce a recorded presentation of their findings.
Crucially, students work on these projects within the supported environment of the classroom, where they can draw on guidance and peer collaboration. This design moves students into their Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky, 1978), enabling them to tackle authentic challenges with structured support before progressing to independent placement in their final year.
To prepare for their Applied Project, LEAPS develops key professional skills, including:
- Legal research
- Professional conduct and ethics
- Commercial awareness
- Legal technology and AI
- Presentation and communication
This combination of skills and applied experience acts as a stepping stone into professional practice, building confidence and readiness for student placements in final year and ultimately workplace.
Building on the first delivery for 2026
Building on the first delivery for 2026
The first delivery of LEAPS has provided valuable insights, and we are using student and colleague feedback to guide improvements. Our focus for the second run includes:
- Responding to feedback to refine the learning experience.
- Better alignment formative activities earlier in the module with the Applied Project students will undertake.
- Increasing integration of AI and legal technology, reflecting their growing role in legal practice.
LEAPS develops professional skills enabling students to seize the opportunities presented by placement later in their degree. Our goal is to give students a real-world opportunity within a supported classroom environment which can act as a bridge into final-year and, ultimately, enhance graduate employability skills.
Reference
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Author
Mark Johnson, Senior Lecturer in Law, Sheffield Hallam School of Law