The University of law students' Union

Welcome to the Students' Union Advice Centre.

Here you can find out what the service provides for all ULaw students.

 

The Student Advice team are a part of the Students' Union.

We offer free, independent advice to students on a range of enquiries. We also signpost students to the most relevant departments and external organisations to access specialised services.

 

Please get in touch with us if you need advice for:

- Complaints

- Appeals

- Disciplinaries

- Concessions

 

You can contact our Advice Centre here: SUAdvice@law.ac.uk

 

 

By booking an advice appointment, you agree to the terms of the User Agreement. Please see our Advice User Agreement HERE

 

Check out the University student support services here Student Support Services | University of Law

 

SU Advice FAQs

How can the advice team help me?

We provide free, independent and non-judgemental advice for all current students.

We ensure that you, the student, feel supported and work with you towards your desired outcomes. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Support with procedural application forms
  • Investigation preparations
  • Attending as support for meetings.
  • Guidance on next steps following on from outcomes
  • Signposting to relevant departments

For more information, please contact us atSUadvice@law.ac.uk

 

I have just received a notification for an investigation, what happens next?

Next, you will be notified of your informal investigative hearing.

This will be a discussion about your case within which you will be given the opportunity to explain your work and any surrounding circumstances. You can bring along 1 person to support you in this hearing, however they will not be permitted to speak on your behalf. If you’d like the Advice officer to attend any meeting with you, please provide them with as much notice as possible.

Once the meeting has taken place, the investigating officer will report to your Dean, suggesting one of two options:

1. They have gathered enough information related to your allegation and believe that this does not need to go any further.

2. The case needs to be escalated to a formal investigation due to clear evidence of misconduct.

If your case is being escalated to a formal investigation, you will be notified, then given a new appointment to attend. This will allow you to present your case again, along with any new information or findings.

After the formal investigation, you will be given an outcome alongside a disciplinary action.

You have the right to appeal this if you believe that the outcome is unfair, however you must provide adequate grounds for this as detailed in the student disciplinary regulations. For more information, please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk

 

I have just received a notification for an investigation, what should I do?

Once you have received notification that the university will be investigating your submission, you will be notified about the investigation appointment and investigating officer.

You should start to prepare for this in advance by gathering evidence of your situation if possible. We can help you with this so do get in touch if you would like any advice or support.

It is uncertain how long it will take to assign your case to an investigating officer as this is due to staff availability. Please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk

 

What are the possible outcomes following my investigation?

Investigation outcomes are dependent on the offence.

Offence Categories are as follows;

  • Poor academic practice
  • Academic Misconduct
  • Severe Academic Misconduct
  • Non-Academic Misconduct
  • Gross Misconduct

For details on potential outcomes for each offence please review the student conduct regulations that would have been sent to you alongside your notification.

 

Where can I get support to apply for a concession?

Concession forms are usually available to download via Elite or can be retrieved from your assessments team. If you are unsure about how to complete a concession form and need guidance on what should be included, please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk or book an appointment here.

 

How do I make a formal complaint?

You can contact the complaints team directly on complaints@law.ac.uk, this starts the process of an informal investigation. Depending on the case details this may automatically be escalated to a formal complaint. You can find the formal complaint form here.

For support with completing the form please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk

 

I’ve been accused of plagiarism or collusion and I believe I’m innocent. What should I do?

Firstly, do get in touch with us and we can advise appropriately once we know the details of your situation. Please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk or book an appointment.

You should try to gather any evidence which shows that the work is original. This could be drafts of the assignment, any notes/websites you used to write the work, or proof that someone else may have had access to your work without your consent.

We are happy to advise on the types of evidence you may be able to find to support your case.

You will be able to email your evidence to the investigating officer 2 days before your hearing.

 

Do you share the information I tell you with the university?

We are an independent service, operating separately from the university to achieve the best outcomes for students.

We will not share information about your case with the university without your permission, except if circumstances arise where we believe you or another individual are at risk of harm.

If we need to refer you to another service, we will either ask for your permission to share your information, or we will provide you with the details directly so you are able to contact them.

Please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk

 

Can I get a face-to-face meeting with you, rather than a video call or telephone call?

Our Advice Coordinator, Monique, works from home. In most situations we will communicate with you via email, video call or telephone.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk

 

How do I give feedback on the service I received?

If you’ve recently received support from our Advice Centre, you can provide feedback HERE.

 

I’m unhappy with the support I received through the SU Advice Centre. What can I do about it?

If you are unhappy with the support you received from our main Advice Coordinator, Monique Adoti, please contact the Students’ Union Manager: Cassie.OBoyle@law.ac.uk

If you received support from the SU Manager, Cassie, and you are unhappy with this service, please contact : Patrick.Johnson@law.ac.uk  

 

If you have a question that hasn’t been answered here or would like further support with any case, please contact us at SUadvice@law.ac.uk