The Master's program 'Civil and Criminal Defense Lawyer' aims to prepare students for future careers as litigation lawyers in civil and criminal matters. In civil cases, it is mainly associated with legal representation in courts of general jurisdiction in disputes within the jurisdiction of these courts; in criminal cases aims to train defense lawyers in various categories of criminal cases with an emphasis on economic crimes. The educational program is aimed at intellectual and psychological preparation for work as a lawyer in civil and criminal cases with a minimum shortened distance (i.e. with a minimum required adaptation period). The educational program is of a highly specialized nature, that is, it is aimed at preparing specifically for a lawyer's career (as well as for prosecutorial, investigative, in-house, etc. work), although it does not exclude this for a graduate in the future. The training program includes not only procedural and legal disciplines but also disciplines of the material legal cycle, as well as disciplines related to the practice of organizing advocacy. The program is based on the established contacts of the HSE Faculty of Law with leading law firms and law firms in Moscow Russia (FBK-Pravo, Feoktistov and Partners, ZKS, Zabeyda, and Partners, etc.). Classes in the disciplines of the program are conducted both by prominent theorists working at the HSE Faculty of Law and by practicing lawyers. The program offers two educational tracks: civil law and criminal law while maintaining the basic training.

A graduate of the master's program 'Civil and Criminal Defense Lawyer' will have high-quality university training as a lawyer, have sufficient competencies in the civil and criminal law areas, and the focus of these competencies will be in the applied plane of advocacy. The graduate of the master's program has theoretical knowledge in the field of substantive and procedural law, are able to draw up, analyze and correct procedural documents, formulate conclusions and recommendations on them, are able to predict and model the activities of individuals and organizations in the legal field, taking into account civil and criminal legal risks, choose the means of the legal protection of the interests of the organization. Graduates will be in demand in the market due to the natural processes of age rotation of personnel and artificial processes of expanding the legal profession by increasing the areas of the so-called “lawyer's monopoly”. Graduates are prepared to solve relevant professional tasks in accordance with the profile focus of the master's program and types of activities (lawmaking, law enforcement, law enforcement, expert consulting, organizational and managerial). In addition, masters are prepared to address relevant professional challenges in research; and can also continue their studies in graduate school.

The program as a whole is focused on the continuation of the previous training of a lawyer. As a result of the structured training scheme, the master will have the full competence of a lawyer. For these reasons, training is targeted, instrumental in nature, and develops the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for use in advocacy. OP "Lawyer in Civil and Criminal Cases" provides for the study of the following educational cycles: general scientific and professional; and sections: practice and research work, final state certification. The professional cycle consists of a cycle of disciplines of the direction (basic part) and a cycle of disciplines of the program/specialization (basic part). The first year of study combines three blocks of disciplines. The first block is aimed at studying general methodological and general theoretical disciplines. It is formed by disciplines: "Modern problems of law: civil and criminal", "Comparative law". The second block includes: "Organization of the Bar and Advocate Activity", "Economic Criminal Law", "Theoretical Foundations of the Qualification of Crimes", "Civil Law-2", "Law of Obligations", "International Cooperation and Legal Assistance in Criminal Cases". The third block (variable part) forms the core of the master's program, involving the study of the basic principles and practical components of advocacy, as well as regulatory branches of law in a practice-oriented manner. As a result of this approach, students will gain practical skills and knowledge. The disciplines of this block include: "Crimes against the person", "Crimes against property", "Evidence and proof in criminal proceedings", "Proof and evidence in civil and arbitration proceedings", "Family disputes", "Inheritance law" and others. The first and the entire second years of study include compulsory and optional courses, within which two basic trajectories of the master's program are assumed: a civil lawyer and a criminal lawyer. Much of the second year of study, however, is devoted to practice and research in preparation for the master's thesis. Consolidation of the knowledge gained and the development of practical work skills is carried out by students in the course of their practice and internships. The Practice block provides for research work in the format of writing and defending term papers; project work on the scale of the university in the format of service, applied, and research projects. The block that summarizes the training is the writing and public defense of the FQP on topics related to current issues and the passing of the state final interdisciplinary exam.

This degree programme of HSE University is adapted for students with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities. Special assistive technology and teaching aids are used for collective and individual learning of students with SEN and disabilities. The specific adaptive features of the programme are listed in each subject's full syllabus and are available to students through the online Learning Management System.

All documents of the degree programme are stored electronically on this website. Curricula, calendar plans, and syllabi are developed and approved electronically in corporate information systems. Their current versions are automatically published on the website of the degree programme. Up-to-date teaching and learning guides, assessment tools, and other relevant documents are stored on the website of the degree programme in accordance with the local regulatory acts of HSE University.

I hereby confirm that the degree programme documents posted on this website are fully up-to-date.

Vice Rector Sergey Yu. Roshchin

Summary of Degree Programme 'Civil and Criminal Defense Lawyer'