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Unit of study_
LAWS6912: Fundamentals of the Law of Trusts
2026 unit information
This unit begins with an overview of the equity jurisdiction, including fiduciary duties, before going on to consider the law of trusts in more detail. The unit covers the creation, constitution and validity of both private and public trusts; the rights and duties of trustees; trustee and third-party liability for breaches of trust; and remedies for breach of trust. These principles will be explored in the context of both personal and commercial dealings, and particular attention will be paid to certain commercial applications of the trust mechanism, such as Quistclose trusts and retention of title 'proceeds' trusts. Refer to the Sydney Law School timetable - https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/4533/pages/postgraduate-lecture-timetable
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Law School
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
?
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None |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
?
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None |
| Prohibitions:
?
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LAWS2015 or LAWS3474 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Critically evaluate the historical development of equitable jurisdiction and its ongoing relevance to the law of trusts, including equitable doctrines and remedies.
- LO2. Analyse and synthesise key equitable doctrines and the underlying principles of equitable relief and remedies.
- LO3. Apply advanced legal and equitable principles to critically evaluate and resolve complex factual scenarios.
- LO4. Communicate complex legal and equitable principles effectively to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
There are no availabilities for this year.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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There are no availabilities for previous years.
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
Important enrolment information
Additional advice
Students who have previously completed a law degree in a common law jurisdiction are not permitted to enrol in this unit, except with the permission of the Unit Coordinator.
Disclaimer
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