Real World Law
Wordcount: 5,500 words
Part 1: Client Letter
You have been consulted by a client, Mr Steve Bloggs, who is seeking advice about a consumer problem. In November last year Steve bought a new laptop computer from a high street branch of the electrical retailer LectricsRUs. He wanted the laptop for gaming and general home use. He explained to the salesperson what he intended to use the laptop for, and explained that he wanted to be able to run certain named games on it. On the advice of the salesman, Steve bought a ‘Superbook’ laptop, for which he paid £1,500. The laptop was brand new. He paid using his Visa credit card.
Two weeks after he purchased the laptop, Steve started having problems with it. Even running simple programs the screen would freeze or go blue and had to be powered down and restarted. It started showing error messages, and the screen also flickered constantly. As a result Steve has not been able to use the laptop for his work.
When Steve went back to the shop and complained, the manager told him that the problem was nothing to do with them, and that he should contact the manufacturer to claim on the warranty. Steve got in touch with the manufacturer’s helpline, and they told him that they would inspect the laptop to see what was wrong with it. They said they would decide whether to repair or replace the laptop but that they would have to charge for collecting and inspecting it.
Steve has discussed these problems with a colleague at work, who has told him that the specifications of this laptop are in fact not sufficient to allow him to run the games he bought the computer for.
Steve has not yet returned the laptop and is unsure what to do next. He would like advice on what course of action to take, and who he should take this matter up with.
Steve’s address is 3 Cottrell Road Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6TH
Using no more than 1,500 words and working on your own, draft a letter of advice to Steve. Your letter should take into account the instructions in Unit 5 of the Canvas course and should be submitted to the relevant section under assignments in Canvas.
Part 2: Legal Drafting
Humbersoft is a successful computer software company with its head office based in Bristol. Humbersoft has been very successful in the past year and is launching an ambitious programme of expansion, opening new offices in Birmingham, Exeter, Glasgow and Belfast. In addition to this expansion, Humbersoft aims to support the installation of its software solutions and the delivery of appropriate training in the premises of its customers.
In order to achieve this expansion, Humbersoft is about to commence a large recruitment campaign to appoint new staff. Humbersoft is aware that it will need these new staff members to be obliged to spend periods of up to two weeks in duration working away from the office from which they usually work on a number of occasions each year so that the company can deliver installation services and training at the premises of its customers. Humbersoft’s customers are based throughout the UK, Europe and North America. Furthermore, Humbersoft is keen to ensure that all new appointments to the company can be obliged to permanently relocate to another one of the company’s offices should this be necessary.
Humbersoft is aware that it will be necessary to have appropriate provisions in the contracts of employment of these new staff members to ensure that the above objectives can be achieved. It has approached your law firm for advice on the appropriate clauses to insert into its standard contract of employment and you have been asked to draft the clauses.
Using no more than 1,000 words and working on your own, draft an appropriate ‘mobility clause’ (or clauses) for Humbersoft and also offer a brief explanation of your reasons for inclusion of the provisions that you have chosen and any limitations that Humbersoft may encounter when trying to use them.
Part 3: Reflective Log
Using no more than 3,000 words, write a reflective account of selected activities undertaken in the module workshops, and the learning points derived from them.
