The Law Schools Most List - Legal Cheek

Freedom Law Clinic

Legal Cheek — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 13:17:51 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

Founded in 2015 by Luke Gittos, partner at the criminal law firm Murray Hughman, the Freedom Law Clinic focuses on providing students with the necessary Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) alongside their legal studies. Students gain experience by working alongside the clinic’s solicitors on a variety of pro bono matters, ranging from complex criminal cases to housing and welfare claims.

The Clinic offers an array of online courses for its budding lawyers. This includes programmes focused on preparation for the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE), courses purely for gaining QWE, as well as those which are a mixture of both. When it comes to pure exam prep, students need look no further than the Clinic’s SQE1 or SQE2 Preparation Courses. Taking place part-time for eight hours a week, thee year-long prep courses are ideal for students wanting to fit studies around other commitments. We hear on the grapevine that a ‘Fast Track’ variant is also in development by the Clinic, which will see aspiring solicitors undertake intensive studies for the SQE exams over just 30 days.

The SQE courses with integrated QWE enable students to acquire real legal experience while pursuing their studies. In both SQE1 and SQE2 Preparation with QWE Courses, the Clinic offers at least two hours of structured QWE each week. Running part-time for a year, aspiring solicitors will make significant progress toward qualification by the time they complete the course.

One FLC student, working in international relations at Dublin City University, wanted to elevate her career by qualifying as a lawyer. But, she says, “it would be challenging for me to qualify as a solicitor on a course with a traditional structure because I’m already in an established full-time career.” Choosing to opt for the SQE1 with QWE course, this student notes that finding a suitable qualification prep course was particularly challenging for her given that she lives in Ireland. “So, while other providers offer SQE courses online, you have to build up your QWE through in-person work experiences,” she says, which was a particular challenge for her being outside of the UK. At FLC, with the QWE offering taking place remotely, those living abroad or in full-time employment can fit their QWE around their existing commitments.

“[The FLC’s offering] is great for someone who has a background like me who can’t study full-time,” she continues. “But it’s also good for those studying full-time as well. You’re doing your QWE alongside learning, and you have the opportunity to avoid the stress of applying for training contracts and qualify anyway, if you choose”. The flexibility of the FLC’s offering gives students the option to study in a way which suits them, this student is keen to emphasise. “If you want to study in a classic full-time and structured way, you have everything you need to do that,” she explains. With a suite of lectures, slides, detailed notes, and seminars provided to students on each topic, the materials give you a very good understanding of what you need to know to qualify, she tells Legal Cheek.

The Clinic also offers additional courses that focus solely on QWE, which can be completed alongside other studies or work commitments. These courses allow aspiring lawyers to address a variety of pro bono matters, such as housing and welfare, under the supervision of qualified lawyers. Students on the course will undertake a minimum of two QWE hours each week, allowing students to fit their caseload around existing commitments. The design of the course allows its participants to accrue six months worth of QWE over the duration of the programme, built with the flexibility to accrue these QWE hours when it most suits its students.

Choosing to integrate QWE into her SQE1 course at the FLC, this student gives an insight into her experiences undertaking QWE with the Clinic. “It’s really amazing,” she enthuses. “We have lots of different cases that come our way at the Clinic because it’s partnered with various providers for the QWE. These include Justice for Tenants, Voice of domestic Workers, Manifesto Club, and Citizens Advice to name a few. These partners bring cases to the FLC that students can get involved in for their QWE. For everyone undertaking QWE, you can take on as much work as you want to,” she explains, “but it depends on how much time you have, and what your other commitments are”.

With a focus on flexibility, and fitting around the needs of each student, QWE casework is allocated to students based on student capacity, competence and legal interests, we’re told. With this student having a keen interest in modern slavery and immigration, her caseload has tended to reflect those practice areas. “I’ve also been able to widen my legal experiences and interests by taking on criminal casework, as well as work in family and tort law,” she reveals.

The Criminal Appeals Programme, on the other hand, focuses on complex criminal casework. Over the duration of this seven-week programme, students get stuck into reviewing case papers; analysing evidence; practicing oral advocacy; and drafting skeleton arguments.

The Clinic takes a novel approach when it comes to course fees, with the majority of the Clinic’s courses paid for via a subscription service. Citing a goal to break down barriers to accessing legal education, enrolled students can drop in and out of courses at the Freedom Law Clinic depending on their monthly requirements. Asking our FLC insider for her experience using the subscription service, she tells us that it’s been a god-send. “I was able to pause my subscription for a number of months whilst I had personal commitments, and I still had access to the course materials and lecture recordings up to that date,” she says. “This allowed me to do personal study throughout those months on my own terms to revise and solidify my understanding of the course material whilst relieving any financial burden.”

On the pastoral support side, this student tells us that although the course is studied remotely, this doesn’t affect the ability to contact supervisors on the FLC’s courses. “The tutors are amazing; they really know their job. There may be no physical contact, but you can schedule a meeting with somebody at any time,” she says. “Be that your tutor, your supervisor, or the course director, they’re always available to meet with you if you need.”

Courses

SQE1 Courses

Arden University School of Law

Alex Aldridge — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 14:10:04 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

Arden University started life in the 1990s as one of only a handful of providers offering courses online. Obtaining the ability to award degrees in 2014, Arden now offers more than 80 undergraduate, postgraduate and apprenticeship courses. Taking on more than 23,000 students each year, Arden delivers both blended and online courses, operating from a number of locations across the UK and Germany.

Arden’s offering covers a number of undergraduate law courses, including the classic LLB, as well as several specialised BAs. Its BAs, whilst not themselves qualifying law degrees, allow students the opportunity to explore other academic interests. Offering a BA in criminology in law and a BA in business management and law, students can gain an alternative insight into the functioning of the legal system in the UK. Offered online, each of its BAs come with the option to take a foundation course first, for those seeking to top up their school grades. With added flexibility when it comes to studying, students have between three and nine years to complete their chosen BA.

The LLB at Arden comes in two options, the first being the classic three-year programme, and the second with an added option for a foundation year of study. We’re told that Arden seeks to focus on practical employability, so it comes as no surprise that the university’s LLB has a special focus on preparing its students for the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE). According to Arden, its LLB “has been revised to mirror the requirements” of this new route to qualification for aspiring solicitors. Students on the LLB can enjoy the option of a fully online programme, or a blended programme of study which sees students spend 8 hours a week at one of Arden’s campuses in London, Birmingham or Manchester.

Headed up by ex-BPP chief, Carl Lygo, Arden also increased its course offering in 2019 to include a prep course for the SQE. Its SQE prep offering takes the form of an LLM, allowing prospective students to take advantage of government funding.

Split into two distinct parts, Arden’s SQE LLM takes place fully online over one calendar year. The first section of the course, dubbed the ‘Diploma’ , sees students prepare for the SQE1. Spanning the first nine months, modules on the Diploma cover the core legal subjects of tort, contract, criminal, land, public and trusts law. Moving into the second part of the SQE LLM, students will begin to prep for their SQE2 exam. Over the course of these final three months, dubbed the ‘Master’s Stage’, students will cover modules on employment law, family law and legal skills in context, as well as produce a research project and a legal practice report.

Assessments throughout Arden’s SQE LLM seek to align with the SQE assessments. So, the Diploma is periodically assessed through multiple choice questions (MCQs), whilst the Master’s Stage focuses on coursework produced by the student. Studying online through Arden’s ‘ilearn’ platform, students will have access to virtual workshops supported by digital materials covering the course content.

The course fees for the SQE LLM come to £9,500 for the year. However, for aspiring solicitors enrolling for the April 2024 intake, there’s an introductory offer of £6,900 for the year.

Courses

Undergraduate Courses

University of Westminster Law School

Legal Cheek — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:10:17 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

In 1838, the University of Westminster was founded as London’s inaugural polytechnic institution, with the purpose of providing education to the city’s labour force. Nowadays, the University continues to build on its established reputation, providing a wide variety of practice-based courses. The Westminster Law School is no outlier, offering a range of full and part-time courses within the heart of Central London.

The Law School’s undergraduate offerings include the classic LLB, as well as LLB variations which give law students the chance to spend time abroad, such as the Law with French Law LLB and the European Legal Studies LLB. At postgrad, Westminster Law School candidates can choose between ten different interesting LLM options, all of which are available both full-time and part-time. These include Entertainment Law LLM, International Commercial Law LLM, and Law and Technology LLM to name a few, all of which offer postgrad students the chance to specialise and spend a year carving out their research niche.

For students interested in preparing for qualification, Westminster Law School also offers a number of legal practice degrees run both part-time and full-time. Law graduates can go for either the Legal Practice Postgraduate Diploma, a one-year course priced at £12,500, or its LLM counterpart priced at £14,500 which includes an added dissertation. For non-law graduates, there’s a dedicated Professional Legal Practice Postgraduate Diploma, and its LLM counterpart, also priced at £12,500 and £14,500 which both provide a solid foundation into the legal industry over the course of a year. One particular bonus of the LLM programmes, outside of carving out a research specialism, is that students on the course are eligible for student financing.

The Westminster Law School facilities aren’t too shabby either. Located between Fitzrovia and Marylebone, and a stone’s throw from the trendy bars and restaurants of Great Titchfield Street, it’s fair to say that the law school has a prime location. The building isn’t bad either, an art deco gem opened by the then Queen in 1929. Inside the law school is split over 10 floors, including two large lecture theatres, multiple smaller seminar rooms, a mock court room and an audio-visual suite, as well as multi-faith prayer rooms and a quiet room. The ground floor cafe apparently does a decent flat white and is better value than some of the fancy nearby cafes. For students looking to do some shopping between lectures, Oxford Street is just a five-minute walk away.

Courses

Legal practice courses

University of Aberdeen School of Law

Legal Cheek — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 09:46:11 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

The University of Aberdeen is one of four “ancient” universities of Scotland, with law a founding discipline when it was established in 1495. Nowadays, the School of Law prides itself on delivering high quality, engaging, and academically challenging programmes.

Popular degree offerings at undergrad include its classic LLB, which is a qualifying law degree in Scotland, and its LLB with English Law – a qualifying law degree in England and Wales. The opportunity to qualify in both England and Scotland is a big draw according to one law student we spoke with. “The possibility for dual qualification is standout at Aberdeen, given that not all Scottish unis offer this,” she tells us.

At postgraduate level it also provides a general LLM as well as a diverse array of specialised LLM programmes in dispute resolution, trade law, oil and gas, human rights, international law, commercial law and more.

In terms of its vocational qualifications, along with its well-established Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (DPLP) for those seeking entry into the Scottish legal profession, the school has introduced an SQE1 preparation course for those wishing to qualify south of the border. This is delivered in an online form, with students receiving access to the programme for 12 months.

The course covers the 13 areas of functional legal knowledge tested in SQE1, along with ethics and professional conduct. It includes practice sessions with multiple choice questions, essential for exam readiness. The course, while designed for independent study, features tutor-led sessions and the chance to participate in topic-specific discussions on the school’s platform.

This prep course focuses solely on SQE1 and will be available from summer 2024. The university plans to offer a separate course for SQE2 starting in 2025.

In terms of the law school facilities, the Taylor Building houses the law school on its first floor which was built in 1964 to commemorate Sir Thomas Murray Taylor, former principle of the university. Just a short walk from King’s College, the Taylor Building, sitting within the Old Aberdeen campus, is undoubtedly situated in one of the most beautiful areas of the city.

On the library front, students are spoilt with the huge Sir Duncan Rice Library, affectionately dubbed the “SDR” by students. “The Sir Duncan Rice library is a stand-out when it comes to the facilities,” says one Aberdeen insider. “As soon as you walk in, you’re amazed by how incredible it is – my friends are always there which sometimes makes it difficult not to get distracted – but that’s definitely on me!” For those wanting to get ahead of deadlines in a space with fewer distractions, we’re told that the Taylor Library is the place to be, often having more space available than the popular SDR.

When it comes to having a quick study break, or a bite to eat, the Students’ Union also comes highly rated by our interviewee. “It’s got such cheap food,” she reveals, “so makes for a nice treat after a long stint in the library. Whether you fancy gyoza, pizzas or chicken ramen, you can find pretty much anything you fancy at the SU”. And, with it being just a five-minute walk from the campus, it makes for a convenient lunch spot for busy students. For a caffeine hit, we’re told that Kilau Coffee is the student fave, being a top spot for “amazing coffee and cute sandwiches” which is perfect for “a wee study break”.

For those law students who like to play as hard as they work, Aberdeen also fails to disappoint. “The nightlife is amazing at Aberdeen,” we’re told. “There’s plenty of student nights to go to during the week. Also, I’m a big fan of a pub Friday at the Red Lion. But, if you like disco music, techno or pop – there’s a club for everyone.”

One “huge attraction” of Aberdeen law school is “undeniably” the Aberdeen Law Project (ALP), which is the first law project in the UK that is founded, led, and operated purely by students. Our interviewee “recommends that every Aberdeen law student should get involved with the ALP, because it’s incredibly rewarding”. The Aberdeen Law Society is also one of the largest and most active societies on campus.

“I just won my first case over summer with the ALP which was about guide-dog discrimination,” one student explains. “Being rejected at a restaurant for having a guide-dog with her, this client didn’t qualify for legal aid and was able to use the Aberdeen Law Project to win her case.” She emphasises how “you can put what you’re currently learning into practice, whilst learning how to fill out court forms and go through the tribunal process.”

Other societies include the university’s Bar Society and the Aberdeen Student Law Review. Law students also can get involved with the law school’s community initiatives, which can involve conducting workshops on employability skills for inmates in nearby prisons, as well as organising teaching sessions on law for local schools.

For those keen to press the flesh, the school regularly hosts an array of networking events. “From LinkedIn networking sessions to having law firm trainees drop in and run events, there’s always something going on,” we’re told. There are also the classic law fairs running on campus, which are “always a great way to chat with law firms in person,” in the words of one law student. The law school will also send out weekly careers e-mails to keep budding lawyers in the loop when it comes to juicy work experience and job opportunities.

Courses

SQE courses

The Inns of Court College of Advocacy

Legal Cheek — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:23:14 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

The Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) was established by the Council of the Inns of Court to train the barristers of the future via the ICCA Bar Course, a Bar Vocational Training Course.

Funded by the Inns of Court, the ICCA is a not-for-profit bar training provider, meaning that its first priority is the education and training of its students to the highest standards at the lowest sustainable cost. Competitively priced as £15,735 (inclusive of all BSB fees, textbooks and legal research resources) for the 2024/5 academic year, it is one of the lower priced courses available.

A further advantage is that the course has a small cohort. There are stricter entry criteria than at some other providers. One student tells us: “ICCA offers elite training without being elitist. It makes a difference going to a selective bar school where you train alongside students who are working equally as hard as you”.

The ICCA took its first cohort of students in September 2020 and the results since then have been highly impressive. When it comes to the centralised exams set and marked by the Bar Standards Board (i.e., civil and criminal litigation exams), the ICCA’s students have by far the highest pass rates compared to students at other providers. You can see our report on the range of results here. This may, in part, be due to the unique way in which the ICCA structures its course.

The ICCA divides their Bar Course into two parts. Part one of the course is run entirely online over a 12-16 week period, with students independently working their way through their virtual learning environment which prepares them to undertake the centralised assessments in civil and criminal litigation. Part One can be completed from any location and at any time of the day, permitting flexibility around any working or care commitments. Several students Legal Cheek spoke to said they were able to comfortably balance work with their studies and save money by living at home. That said, anyone considering doing the same should be aware “you have to be disciplined”.

The ICCA provides students with a recommended study plan featuring, among other things, suggested work schedules, however the pace in which part one can be completed is ultimately up to each individual student. With an online ‘tile’ for each class, detailing resources and tasks requiring completion, students can “follow things in a very clear order and see their progress as they go through the course”, one source reports. We are told part one includes “amazing resources” such as quizzes, mock assessments with single best answer and multiple-choice questions, knowledge checks, revision webinars, as well as a substantial question bank featuring over 500 practice questions. Videos featuring actors to reflect real courtroom procedure are also provided, which “brings the course to life” and “makes it much more memorable”, we are told.

Once they have passed part one of the course, students move on to part two. Part two of the course is taught in-person in London, within the precincts of the historic Inns of Court. Part Two lasts just 17-19 weeks. With the civil and criminal litigation exams out of the way, students can focus on the skills subjects (such as drafting and conference) thus removing the additional burden of simultaneously working through the White Book and Blackstone’s. Advocacy and conference classes take place in small groups, allowing each student to receive detailed feedback on their performances. Meanwhile, students are provided with ample opportunity to practice their drafting and opinion writing, receiving samples to assist them with revision. The professional ethics course which students must complete is studied online, in a similar format to part one of the course, but there is also a revision session for students to attend.

We are told by students that after several months of online study, they are keen to meet the rest of their cohort when part two begins. We hear that “friendships form quickly” amongst the cohort, especially as many are sharing the experience of going through pupillage applications. A much smaller cohort than at the large providers, there is less on offer in terms of societies but students soon start arranging activities amongst themselves and the WhatsApp groups are always active. “There are often trips to the pub after class”, one student tells us. There is also an annual summer party which gives students a chance to unwind post-exams and also sees alumni return.

With the course being shorter than at other providers, there’s no doubt that there can be moments when the workload is particularly high. Tutors are on hand to provide assistance, with each student being allocated a personal tutor for academic matters. There is also plenty of pastoral support. Indeed, the ICCA’s focus on student wellbeing has been recognised by the award of a Certificate of Recognition by the Bar Council for our commitment to the wellbeing of their students. Bespoke materials are also embedded into the ICCA Bar Course, and all ICCA students have access to 24/7 counselling services. One student tells us “we were treated like individuals and I felt fully supported throughout the course”.

Upon competition of the ICCA Bar Course, students will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) by King’s College London (the ICCA’s validating academic partner) and are eligible to be called to the Bar (subject to the Inns’ fit and proper person checks and attending the required Qualifying Sessions). ICCA alumni have been particularly successful when it comes to the hunt for pupillage. In fact, 97% of the 2021 cohort have succeeded into pupillage – an astonishingly high statistic!

Courses

Bar Course

De Montfort University

Legal Cheek — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:19:44 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

Located in Leicester a short walk from the city centre, De Montfort Law School offers a range of legal courses for those aspiring to enter the legal profession – and has done so since its formation in 1989. It is an experienced provider of the LPC LLM as well as a range of specialist LLMs, and is now also offering a full-time course for the new SQE qualification. Since this leads to a Masters qualification, students can apply for postgraduate funding from the UK government. The course costs £11,450 for UK-based students and £17,950 for international students.

DMU’s LLM SQE aims to prepare aspiring solicitors with the knowledge and skills needed to undertake the SQE1 and 2 assessments and for life as a solicitor. The course covers key elements such as practical legal research, drafting, advocacy, legal writing and interviewing, and also offer support with wider employability skills.

A key attraction is this: students will have access to the BARBRI SQE Prep software, with its exam-focused study workbooks, materials and mock exams to aid test preparation alongside DMU’s own teaching. By the end of the course, students will have learnt to apply relevant core legal principles and rules at the level of a competent, newly-qualified solicitor across a range of areas, including business law, property law and criminal litigation. In addition to this, students will also be working on a final dissertation which offers the opportunity to personalise the course and deepen understanding of an area of law which is of particular interest.

Students will be taught by legal experts who have real-world experience, from barristers and solicitors to professionals and practitioners, from the international legal world. Moreover, law students can also expect to partake in industry visits, guest lectures, mentorship and internship opportunities.

Teaching and learning is arranged in a ‘block learning’ timetable style, which means that students study one subject at a time, with modules grouped into 5 such ‘blocks’. These are: Business Law and Financial Management in Practice, Property Law and the Administration of Estates in Practice, Dispute Resolution in Practice, Criminal Litigation in Practice and Dissertation in Legal Practice. This structure ensures more in-depth engagement with content as well as a better study-life balance. DMU’s LLM SQE programme also provides each student with an SQE careers tutor, who is a qualified solicitor and can offer careers advice, as well as CV and cover letter support.

Students will largely study at the Hugh Aston Building and The Yard, which house the Faculty of Business and Law. There is access to a dedicated law library at The Hugh Aston Building, as well as spaces that allow for scenario-based learning, which is likely to be helpful for the skills-based elements of the SQE2. These include a crown court, a training courtroom and a simulated Judge’s Chambers suite.

Courses

SQE courses

The College of Legal Practice

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:13:46 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

The College of Legal Practice (CoLP) launched in the UK towards the end of 2019 as an offshoot of Antipodean law school The College of Law Australia and New Zealand. The new entrant training provider aims to ‘challenge’ traditional law schools for a slice of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) market.

At the time of the launch, it was revealed the venture had attracted a number of big names, including Richard Clark, ex-managing partner at Slaughter and May, and Isabel Parker, former chief legal innovation officer at Freshfields, both of whom sit on the College’s board. Dr Giles Proctor, former dean of Kaplan Law School and Roehampton Law School, is the College’s chief executive officer.

Content & price

CoLP says its SQE prep course is designed for online delivery rather than being “retro-fitted” from traditional classroom learning. It comprises three core areas which can be undertaken in isolation or grouped together as part of a masters in legal practice. These are ‘Solicitors Legal Knowledge’ and ‘Solicitors Legal Skills’, which prepare candidates for SQE1 and 2 respectively, as well as a ‘Legal Business Skills’ module to round off preparation for the skills that aspiring solicitors will need in practise.

CoLP’s SQE prep courses are priced at the cheaper end of the market: £1,800 for SQE1 and £2,300 for SQE2. Students can take the ‘O Shaped Skills module’ for an additional price of £1,150 and the ‘Legal Business Skills Module’ for an additional price of £500. The full LLM in Legal Practice, which incorporates SQE prep, is £6,900 for offers made by 30th April 2024.

Speaking to a second-year LLM in Legal Practice student at the CoLP, it’s clear that the very reasonable price for the course is not the only attraction of studying with the College. “For me, I found the amount of support on the course a huge draw – throughout the SQE1 and SQE2 prep modules, we received one-to-one support at least weekly,” she reveals.

“The one-to-one support is incredible. I have a meeting with my personal tutor at least every two weeks. The support is very personalised, and my tutor is great at giving me personal tips to develop and direct my learning. Having someone on my side really helps to keep me motivated. We also have subject-matter experts – which are experienced lawyers who work in a particular area of law – who give ‘surgeries’ on that area of law. These sessions are recorded, so they are a great resource to access throughout the programme.”

On top of this access to personal tutors and one-to-one supervision from practising solicitors, the courses also include live and on-demand lectures, textbooks, practice questions and group workshops. Students will receive individual feedback as they progress throughout their course. These on-demand lectures, known to our student interviewee as “surgeries”, are recorded sessions from experienced lawyers in each practice area. This is “perfect for getting the answers to knotty questions on black letter law” during the SQE prep modules, we’re told.

SQE 1 prep courses with CoLP can be taken full-time over 13 weeks or part-time over either 20 or 40 weeks. SQE 2 prep courses can be taken full-time over 10 weeks or part-time over either 20 or 40 weeks.

CoLP also offers a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) programme for non-law graduates wanting to get to grips with the basics before SQE prep, which replaced the Graduate Foundation in Law. This can be taken as a 20-week full-time or 40-week part-time course for £3,250.

The CoLP pitch

As well as preparing individuals to pass the SQE, CoLP is pitching its training model to elite City outfits, having partnered with Reed Smith and flexible training contract provider Accutrainee to deliver practice-based training to incoming trainees. Further tie-ups include CoLP’s partnerships with firms Browne Jacobson LLP, Al Tamimi & Company, and Clarke Wilmott as well as several law schools, including Manchester Law School, Solent Law School, Middlesex University and St Mary’s University. These partnerships will give members the opportunity to complete their SQE prep with CoLP.

Courses

Law conversion courses

Manchester Metropolitan University Law School

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:11:31 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

Manchester Law School at Manchester Metropolitan University has been providing legal education in the North West of England for over fifty years. With strong interdisciplinary links, Manchester Met covers all aspects of legal training. Study opportunities include the LLB, LLM, GDL and Bar Vocational Training plus newly developed courses to prepare students for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), which will ultimately replace LPC provision.

Manchester Met has a long history of educating aspiring solicitors. Courses are delivered by qualified and experienced tutors in a supportive and inclusive learning environment. By choosing to study at Manchester Met, students have full access to university benefits such as a dedicated careers service, library, student union and wellbeing support.

SQE preparation for law and non-law graduates

At Manchester Metropolitan, students can prepare for the SQE via two course routes:

• LLM Legal Practice
• LLM Graduate Legal Studies

The LLM Legal Practice (which will replace the LPC from September 2023) is for law graduates and can be completed full-time or part-time. The course offers SQE1 and SQE2 preparatory units, as well as core and other optional units that aim to support students’ future careers.

The LLM Graduate Legal Studies (equivalent to the GDL) offers a postgraduate route for non-law graduates, ensuring that they have the disciplinary foundation to continue their route into the profession. Students will study eight core foundational subjects that give a thorough grounding in the law and are closely linked to the subject matter of SQE1. The course also includes preparation for SQE1 as an optional unit.

Both courses lead to a masters qualification, meaning that eligible students can apply for postgraduate funding from the UK government.

The content of both courses has been designed to reflect the evolving legal landscape. Core units address business, technology and professional skills alongside projects directly relevant to practice roles. Additional units draw on the expertise of Manchester Law School academics in legal technology, commercial law, corporate practice, family and employment law.

Manchester Law School offers modern facilities, such as a brand-new moot court room, lecture and seminar facilities and social and study spaces. Students can gain work experience through the Pro Bono Network who work with a range of regional, national and international partners such as Support Through Court, Commercial Law Hub, Citizens Advice, Shelter and the Greater Manchester Law Centre. Time spent on some of these volunteering projects may count as Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) and law school staff will help to support students with registering QWE with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

The law school is only a short walk away from Manchester city centre, the largest legal and professional services centre outside of London. The school has links with many firms and networks in the NorthWest including DWF, Irwin Mitchell, Manchester Young Solicitors Group and the Black Solicitors Network. These links give students access to mentorship schemes to support them throughout their studies and in their future careers.

Courses

Law conversion courses

Law Training Centre

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:11:01 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

Breaking onto the scene in 2015, co-founded by husband and wife duo Eve and Dino Dullabh, Law Training Centre (LTC) is a relatively new name in the education field. The provider is perhaps best known for its Chartered Legal Executive and Licensed Conveyancer courses, as well as its work in helping prepare candidates to sit professional qualifications in conveyancing and probate.

LTC has, however, entered the SQE prep course market with an entirely online offering. Students can choose from a range of courses for both SQE1 and SQE2, the provider offering 15-month packages, alongside express courses, and mock paper bundles.

With the price of the SQE1 Full Prep course sitting at £1,950, and the SQE2 companion at £2,500, the offering falls at the more affordable end of the market. For those who have already completed an SQE1 course with LTC, there is also an alumni concession of £500 available towards their SQE2 course.

As part of the standard SQE packages, students receive unlimited attendance to workshops, both live and recorded, which run twice a month, as well as access to a virtual learning platform where they can get to grips with both foundation legal knowledge and client care skills.

Budding solicitors also have access to a personal academic coach, a personal study plan, pre-recorded video lectures and access to tutors (many of whom are lawyers) covering specific practice areas. LTC also provide solicitor hopefuls with support materials including flashcards, practice questions and revision guides. It has also teamed up with Oxford University Press to give students access to legal textbooks via Law Trove. In addition, students will have access to the Thomson Reuters Practical Law online resource.

Beyond all of this, the full package provides a ‘Passplus Guarantee’ which gives students access to training materials and online support for one additional resit, should they require it, ensuring that you’re not left high and dry if things don’t go to plan the first time around.

One student we spoke to about their experience with LTC highlighted the flexibility that the programmes offer (being carried out entirely remotely, with a 15-month window of access). “Working in a full-time role, the traditional in-person teaching simply wasn’t an option for me and didn’t offer the flexibility and efficiency that I needed”, she recalls. “Not only do I not need to travel anywhere to study, but I can vary my schedule each week to suit my needs, depending on whether I have more or less time.”

But for those worried that this online platform may leave would-be lawyers to their own devices without support, fear not. “LTC offered me phenomenal support throughout my programme,” a former student tells us. “My tutor almost always responded the same day, and the longest I ever had to wait was two days to have my questions answered.” Even when dealing with non-legal queries, such as navigating the online platform, “there is always someone at the end of the phone or by email who is there to talk you through whatever issue you’re having. I have to say that the tech support is truly excellent, and nothing is too much trouble for them.”

The social and pastoral side is also a significant part of building what one student describes as an “incredible experience”. “We’re like one big family” they tell us. “LTC really look after their students, and we have Whatsapp and Facebook groups to support each other, which creates a global network of students.” We even hear that co-founder Eve personally checks in on students and tutors to ensure the LTC ship is running smoothly.

As for the work itself, one student couldn’t be more complementary. “You get a whole lot more than just ‘here’s a book or manual, go away and read it and answer the questions’, you get a clear and in-depth explanation of what you are learning, why you’re learning it, and the common errors that are made.”

Whilst the nature of the online, remote, learning makes initiatives such as law clinics and networking more challenging, we’re told that students do regularly network online over Zoom or Teams.

Those considering, or already set on, studying with LTC should also consider their scholarship and bursary opportunities, more information on which can be found below.

Courses

SQE courses

BARBRI

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 14:00:32 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

US-based legal education provider BARBRI, previously best known in the UK for its New York and California bar exam prep courses and Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS) prep courses, launched its Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) Prep course in January 2021 and has quickly grown to become a leading online player in the market.

What sets it apart

BARBRI’s SQE offering differentiates from that of traditional market players on both price and delivery. SQE1 and SQE2 Prep courses are offered at £2,999 respectively, with SQE2 Prep costing £3,499 for non-BARBRI alumni.

Using its existing investment in technology and more than 50-years’ experience in training candidates to master multiple-choice exam questions, BARBRI’s courses are delivered mostly online, with some workshops taking place on-campus at the universities with which it has partnered.

Doing an SQE course and being told to not make any notes may seem rather counterintuitive, but this is BARBRI’s advice to students.

Its SQE Prep courses come equipped with ISAAC, an Intuitive Study Assistant and Coach. This handy tool generates a ‘Personal Study Plan’, or PSP, which updates based on time left until the exam and allows each student to customize their schedule. You can block out days off if you’ve got a holiday planned, and take weekends off if you’d like. The PSP then generates your daily schedule, outlining the number of hours of work you have to do each day, as well as the assignments to be covered. On the 20-week SQE1 Prep course, daily study hours can range between 2 and 4 hours, depending on how many days off you take per week.

Assignments on the course vary between reading material from BARBRI workbooks (which are available as hard copies or in digital format), 30-min lectures and practice questions. The lectures are interactive, with short exercises incorporated at checkpoints throughout, to ensure you’re absorbing the content and not tempted to reach for your phone. They also go in the order of the content in the study guides, so if you’re more of a visual learner, you can follow the lectures on there as well. BARBRI points out that the key thing to keep in mind about the practice questions is that they’re part of the learning process, rather than a test. So, it’s important to not get bogged down by bad scores, and not too elated at the good ones – always read the explanations for the answers, whether you’ve got them right or wrong.

The standout point of the “BARBRI method” is a study technique called ‘interleaved practice’. What this means is that rather than covering each topic in its entirety (lectures, study guide reading, practice questions) before proceeding to the next, the PSP interleaves the different topics so that students are exposed to the content in frequent intervals to aid memory retention. So, you’ll watch the lectures on a certain topic, do some practice questions on it and then revisit it a few days later when the Plan tells you to read the study guide chapters relating to it. BARBRI recommends that you follow this structure laid out for you by the PSP — so don’t give in to the temptation to whiz through a topic you like by completing all its components at once!

Another part of the course is your Learning Coach, who you can contact with both substantive legal questions as well as study technique queries. It’s quite flexible, so you can be in touch with them as much or as little as you’d like. BARBRI also hosts 2-hour online workshops at various points throughout the course, covering study techniques, test guidance and wellbeing. Since these are recorded, you can choose to attend them live if you want to ask questions, or watch them once they are uploaded and appear in your PSP.

Deals, teams & tie-ups

BARBRI has cut deals with several leading institutions, including City law firms, in-house teams and Russell Group universities, to prepare future solicitors to pass the SQE.

Notably, BARBRI will train up Reed Smith and Baker McKenzie rookies to sit the centralised assessments as part of exclusive SQE training deals. It has tied up with Metro Bank to support future in-house lawyers through the SQE, and will also offer students at King’s College London and the universities of Manchester and Sussex SQE workshops and fee discounts. Further, BARBRI’s partnership with the O Shaped Lawyer integrates necessary commercial, human and business skills into its training.

There are further limbs to BARBRI’s SQE offering. The new entrant SQE provider has teamed up with organisations like Flex Legal and the National Association of Licensed Paralegals to support paralegals to sit the exams. BARBRI offers them SQE scholarships and fee discounts.

Back in 2020, BARBRI also announced its partnership with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), a professional membership body for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practitioners. The duo have developed ADR training as part of BARBI’s SQE course, while CIArb members and BARBRI alumni are offered fee discounts.

Courses on offer

BARBRI’s SQE1 Prep courses are offered in three different forms. The first is a 40-week flexible part-time course, suitable for non-law graduates or law graduates currently in full-time employment. The second is a 20-week course, best for law graduates who have been out of law school for three or more years and currently not working. The third, aimed at recent law graduates looking for an efficient course, runs full-time for 10 weeks.

Similarly, BARBRI SQE2 Prep course is offered in three guises, starting at different points throughout the years. Students can select from a 10-week full-time course, or part-time courses running for either 12 or 20 weeks.

BARBRI has four scholarships (details below) available to all new students starting on a BARBRI SQE1 Prep course of study. This includes its Humanitarian SQE Scholarship, launched through the BARBRI Bridges initiative, in an effort to help those seeking refuge outside their home country or those displaced by war.

What’s more, BARBRI has teamed up with Linklaters and Breaking Barriers to offer up to five fully funded SQE1 prep courses per year to lawyers with a refugee background living in the UK.

Courses

Foundation courses

The City Law School

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:41:39 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

The City Law School, part of City, University of London, offers the full service for budding lawyers. The institution, which traces its roots back to 1852, offers aspiring lawyers LLB, LLM, GDL and vocational bar training (BVS) courses, in addition to their new SQE prep course, the Solicitors’ Practice Programme (SPP).

The comprehensive SQE programme combines SQE1 and SQE2 prep into a single course, priced at £11,500 if students choose to go down the postgraduate diploma route, or £16,500 with an added LLM. City Alumni are entitled to a 10% discount on all postgraduate and professional course fees.

Former City lawyer James Catchpole is leading the law school’s SQE strategy. Catchpole is the Head of Department for Professional Programmes. He has years of experience as a curriculum and course designer, having led teams at various law school competitors. The students we spoke to also think he’s “a really great guy” and “excellent tutor!”

As part of The City Law School’s SQE offering, students complete two 10-week terms covering everything you need to pass SQE1 and SQE2. The optional LLM adds an additional five-week term, during which students submit a research project in their preferred area of legal practice. The course is full-time with a mix of face-to-face teaching and online blended learning.

Another strong offering comes in the shape of the School’s Bar Vocational Studies (BVS) programme. Able to boast of being the provider of the original bar course (City began life as the Inns of Court School of Law in 1852), it has a great deal of prestige and history to accompany its modern teaching. As one City student puts it: “They wrote the textbooks.” Indeed, City’s course manuals, which are authored by its lecturers, are used by other bar course providers. Among those lecturers is Professor Stuart Sime, one of the country’s leading authorities on civil procedure, who students rave about.

For those without pupillage, there is an active careers service. Students can use the School’s Pupillage Advisory Service (PAS) to make appointments to discuss the application process and have mock interviews. There are also regular events with practitioners from the many nearby chambers popping in to give talks about how to make it into the profession. This is a major plus of doing the bar course at CLS in London.

While not (quite) the most expensive, the City BVS doesn’t come cheap. Students understandably struggle with the cheapest course coming in with a £17,090 price tag. When combined with the cost of living in the capital, it means the course is out of reach of many unless they have secured a scholarship (from the Inns of Court or City directly).

In terms of the quality of teaching, one recent graduate praises the “supportive and really useful approach” adopted by their tutors. “The tutors are really good at letting you know exactly what the exams will require from you, and giving useful and constructive feedback. They’re also able to draw on their own experiences in practice to give us an insight into what we’re studying is like in the real world. This was particularly useful looking at training contracts and other jobs, as often what you study can sometimes be misleading, either in making an area sound more interesting than it is, or more often, making it seem less interesting than in practice.”

As for where you’ll be studying, the students we spoke to had nothing but praise to offer for City’s new £68 million law school campus which it moved into in 2021. “The law library is absolutely incredible” said one, highlighting the “really modern, nice, quiet spaces available.” It features all the necessary materials required for the various courses, as well as a swanky selection of standing desks and computers. That’s if you need the library at all; all resources are provided online for seamless study at home or on campus. We also hear that the seminar and study rooms are modern, well-equipped and a good space to learn in, and that there are even special advocacy rooms on site for students to record and replay advocacy performances, as well as a swish mock courtroom boasting floor to ceiling windows. The real world may come as a step down after this. Overall, the facilities, we’re told, are all round “modern, organised and spacious.”

After closing the prep books for the day, or during a lunchtime break, the Law School’s location also offers a great deal of practicality. Located in Clerkenwell, on the north edge of the City of London, between Farringdon and Islington, there is a local Starbucks, every supermarket imaginable, and a plethora of Pret a Mangers, all within a short walk. This is in addition to the well-stocked canteen and sandwich shop on site that students apparently can’t stop raving about. Whilst we’re told that the local ‘Spoons has shuttered, one student, fighting back their tears, did let us know that there are still plenty of local spots around for grabbing cheap food and drink. If you needed any more persuading, there is also a cinema nearby, and a well-equipped uni gym & sports facilities.

Once you’ve grabbed a snack, The City Law School has its own socialising spaces for students. These we’re told are great and multifunctional, and serve as a good place to socialise with friends, eat, or engage in some casual working. The atmosphere is reported to be buzzing and enjoyable, giving students a place where they can unwind from the rigours of studying.

An added bonus of this location, both for studying and socialising, is its accessibility, being connected to a number of tube lines for those living within the capital, and just a short walk away from both Angel and Farringdon stations for those commuting in.

Outside of the classroom, the law school runs a plethora of events for its budding barristers and soon-to-be solicitors. Students have told us of networking events with different law firms and chambers from across London and elsewhere, as well as advertised work experience and job opportunities – ideal for that all-important qualifying work experience! This is in addition to the mentorship scheme that students can’t seem to get enough of, pairing students with a practising lawyer to offer career and application guidance.

All of this is in addition to the City’s LawBore information site, Future Solicitor Advisory Service (FSAS), PAS and opportunities run through the school’s ‘Law in Real Life’ programme. The latter includes several pro bono clinics, namely the Company Insolvency Pro Bono Scheme, and the City Community Legal Advice Centre, as well as pre-arranged court visits and mock trials. Whatever your cup of legal tea, then, there’s something for everyone! Perhaps most uniquely, also on offer is the School Exclusion Project, allowing students to represent parents challenging their child’s permanent school exclusion before appeal hearings.

As for the learning environment and peer groups, students have assured us that the cliquey atmosphere that can be found at other providers is nowhere to be seen. “Really it’s not a thing at City” one recent grad explains. “Everyone just gets along really well, and some people and classes become such good friends that they end up going on holiday together!”

Courses

Law conversion courses

BPP University Law School

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:34:05 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

BPP University Law School is one of the largest legal education players in the UK, serving around 15,000 students across a range of locations around the country, as well as online. BPP has very good links with City law firms. If you’re hoping to go down the solicitor route in the commercial and corporate sphere it’s worth considering that numerous leading law firms exclusively send their trainee solicitors to study at BPP – including a group of top City players known as the ‘Consortium’ (but more on this later).

In the capital, tucked behind the cultural quarters of the South Bank, BPP’s Waterloo campus is one of the biggest law conversion course providers in the UK. Insiders are positive about their fellow students, feeling a real sense of support and camaraderie as they go through this demanding course, although some find the administrative side of things to not be up to standard. Others say this campus is due a refurb, with grumbles about the library being old and run-down, and toilets being rather grimy. A pool table and a giant game of Connect Four are small perks to take your mind off the looming exams in your lunch break, with comfortable sofas and tables also available if you just need to kick back instead.

In the same neighbourhood as the Royal Courts of Justice, the Law Society and a number of top City firms and chambers, BPP’s London Holborn campus is nestled at the epicentre of legal life in London. A glass-fronted building just around the corner from Holborn station, this campus, offering the SQE and LPC, is more modern than its Waterloo counterpart, with a good library and study spaces. A recent graduate tells us that classes on both the PGDL, SQE and LPC are very collaborative, with less than 20 in each and seminar-style teaching allowing students to build good rapport with each other and their tutors. The quality of teaching is generally really good, albeit with some exceptions, as is the case with any course. Students can also benefit from the central location of BPP’s London campuses, with a relaxing drink at a nearby pub with course mates on the cards.

While the costs of studying in London can be a downside, students can choose from one of BPP’s five other locations in Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Manchester and Leeds, or online, where prices are cheaper, and can opt for either full-time or part-time study.

For budding lawyers looking for the cultural perks of London but with a more “relaxed feel”, the Bristol campus is the place to be. While Bristol is well-known for its live music, Georgian architecture and the Clifton suspension bridge that hangs above the river Avon, it also offers a lively social scene. Bars and restaurants line the harbour side, while Motion — a warehouse nightclub with a 6am curfew — is said to be the destination for a big night out. BPP’s Bristol campus is located in the heart of legal Bristol, just off Queen Square. The Bristol Bar Society, where you can find out which chambers offer mini-pupillages, is just down the road, as are law firms such as Osborne Clarke, Simmons & Simmons and RPC. The class sizes “tend to be small” so students receive “a lot of individual attention” and can get to know their peers and tutors fairly well.

Offering something slightly different, studying the PGDL or SQE/LPC at BPP’s Cambridge campus might appeal to those who have always romanticised about cycling to law school down cobbled streets alongside quaint bakeries and picturesque buildings. Surrounded by a range of shops, restaurants and cafes, coffee breaks and light retail therapy are in close reach to fight off exam blues. The quality of teaching ranges from “generally good” to “all excellent”, according to BPP’s Cambridge students. The Cambridge campus has a “friendly and welcoming atmosphere” with “helpful staff”. There’s also a student common room with “plenty of comfy sofas to relax and have a chat” with “free tea or coffee”, which is a rare perk. And “of course there is the punting, which we did for the afternoon to celebrate the end of our exams in June”.

Meanwhile, the Birmingham campus is located in the thick of student life, and among a heavy concentration of law firms — DLA Piper, Eversheds Sutherland and Pinsent Masons all have offices nearby. In terms of teaching, students highlight the small class sizes as a positive, although others note that this can sometimes mean there is insufficient interest to run certain electives. Overall, however, tutors are described as “knowledgeable and engaging”, being able to draw from their time in practice, particularly in the Bar Training Course, where they are typically drawn from the local bar, which is strong in the West Midlands and includes top sets such as No5 and St Philips Chambers.

There’s also lots of fun to be had in Manchester. BPP’s campus here is located in the Edwardian, Grade II listed St James’s Building, a few minutes’ walk from the Spinningfields business district. While the Grade II listed building may be stylish it sometimes shows its age. It’s “far too cold”, one recent graduate complains, while the library “sadly felt very reminiscent of my dingy sixth form library”, another hard-to-please student groans. Luckily, the quality of teaching staff is recommended by students, with some tutors being “excellent” and offering very focused prep for the exams. Just minutes away are shops and amenities, where students can stock up on fuel food for their library sessions. Students can also purchase meals and snacks from the campus canteen, or venture out to sample Manchester’s famous cultural offerings and nightlife.

Manchester is home to numerous law firms, including DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons, Eversheds Sutherland, DWF, Shoosmiths, Addleshaw Goddard and Squire Patton Boggs. Known also as a huge commercial centre, Manchester houses 65 of the FTSE 100 companies. So if a corporate legal career is your plan, you’ll be surrounded by all the right places. Chambers also fill the city, among them Exchange, Doughty Street, Nine St John Street, Deans Court and Kings Chambers.

Further north, BPP’s Leeds base is located in Whitehall Quay, with its courses delivered in a modern, glass-fronted study centre. It’s almost as if it was built in the style of its surrounding law firms! Neighbours here include DLA Piper, Pinsent Masons, Addleshaw Goddard, Irwin Mitchell, Eversheds Sutherland and Squire Patton Boggs. Just a stone’s throw away from the train station, city centre and numerous shops and eateries, the campus is very centrally located and offers plenty of options for study break activities. Students can also get involved in the Employment Law Telephone Advice Line (ELTAL), where they will answer initial employment law queries and refer potential clients to a solicitor. This is a “good opportunity to hone legal skills and learn more about new areas of law”, as per one student there.

Overall, BPP has remained a very reliable provider of postgraduate law courses, with a general reputation of offering its students good preparation for entering the world of legal practice. It may be primarily thanks to this strength that the City Consortium — composed of Freshfields, Herbert Smith Freehills, Hogan Lovells, Norton Rose Fulbright, Linklaters and Slaughter and May — chose to make their move to the SQE regime with BPP. The new course even includes a mini training contract experience with future trainees at the Consortium firms doing four seats at a virtual law firm covering the specialisms they are likely to encounter during their TCs! So, whilst the LPC gradually gives way to the SQE, the core qualities of BPP’s offering look set to go from strength to strength.

Courses

Law conversion courses

Nottingham Law School

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 13:19:13 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

Having offered a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate law courses since its formation by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in 1964, Nottingham Law School (NLS) is one of the more recognisable names on the legal education scene. Housed in the Chaucer Building and celebrating its 60th year in 2024, the law school is located in the heart of Nottingham at NTU’s city campus.

On offer for undergrads, along with the classic Law LLB, are a staggering number of interesting LLB variations, including a Business Law LLB, International Law LLB, Law with Psychology LLB, Law with Criminology LLB and Law with Business LLB to name a few.
Popular postgrad offerings for those eager to specialise even further, which include LLMs covering technology, sport, health, environmental, corporate and international law.
A number of professional courses are on offer including the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDip), a recently revamped Barristers Training Course (BTC) and a collection of prep courses for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) – which will ultimately replace the LPC. These SQE preparation courses at NLS are available on a full-time or part-time basis.

Solicitor hopefuls will have a number of options depending on whether they have completed a law or non-law undergrad. For example, law graduates can complete a SQE1 prep course before moving on to the SQE2 prep course. NLS is also offering a range of master’s programmes for law graduates that incorporate SQE prep and are eligible for postgraduate funding. Its most comprehensive LLM covers both SQE1 and SQE2 prep.

Non-law grads, meanwhile, are required to complete a longer SQE LLM which incorporates SQE1 prep, before the option of moving on to the SQE2 prep course. Luckily for both law and non-law grads, the SQE2 prep course on the SQE1 exam – a real saving grace considering the current pass rates!

All NLS law students can volunteer at NLS Legal, an award-winning, in-house teaching law firm. Established in 2006, NLS Legal is a regulated teaching law firm, advising real clients on a wide range of legal issues under the supervision of qualified solicitors. The firm is headed up by Laura Pinkney, previous partner at national law firm Cartwright King Solicitors. One student volunteer with NLS Legal tells us that she has “helped out on five NLS Legal cases, three criminal law cases and two family law matters”. She remarks that “it was such hands-on experience that I would be unlikely to get anywhere else.” NLS have partnered up with Support Through Court (STC) and host it’s Nottingham office. Support Through Court is a charity that provides practical and emotional assistance to people who are going through court without representation. All law students will have the opportunity to volunteer at Support Through Court, online and in-person.

Outside of studying, there are a plethora of opportunities to get involved with local communities at the university. “I joined the Feminist Society and Women’s Welfare” one student says, “which has inspired me to volunteer with the Safer Living Foundation in conjunction with the law school.” She emphasises that “there are so many opportunities at
NTU to gain work experience and to volunteer internally, that you don’t even need to look externally for these roles.”

For those destined for the wig and gown, NLS’s Bar Training Course (BTC) is an attractive offering. One hopeful barrister at NTU labels the course as “undeniably challenging”. But, she says, the support from tutors at the law school means that “you’re never alone and you always feel supported”.

With small tutor groups, students on the BTC can expect to become “very close”, with peers on hand to “read through your pupillage applications” and “grab a coffee together in the library’s own Starbucks branch”. The BTC at NTU comes in a one-year LLM variety or hopeful barristers eager to qualify sooner can choose the slightly shorter BTC (PGDip) over the course of seven months.

One beauty of NLS’ law programmes undeniably lies in its mock courtroom facilities, which are integrated into its law courses through emphasis on practical learning. NLS has a mock criminal courtroom and civil courtroom for criminal, family and civil mock trials which are exact replicas of working courtrooms. These are “really helpful”, according to one interviewee, “because it prepares you really well for qualification”. “When you’re doing advocacy training”, be that at undergrad, on an SQE prep course or undertaking the BTC, “it feels like you’re practising in a real courtroom, without the pressure of handling a real-life case”. These are also used for NLS’s various mooting competitions and the Mooter’s Guild to help students build on their presentation skills and confidence.

Based at NTU’s City centre campus, the NLS location is “really great” for accessibility. The law school is just a short 20-minute walk from the train station, and there’s a tram stop just outside of the Chaucer Building. It also stands directly opposite the NTU’s Boots library which is open 24/7, so there’s “no excuse not to study!” And, the school is just a stone’s throw from the stunning Nottingham Arboretum, Nottingham’s oldest public park which provides a “great place to rest and relax”.

One NLS student interviewee cites the support at the law school, as one of the key attractions of studying there. “The pastoral support on my course has been amazing. Throughout the course, the tutors regularly check-in to see how you’re doing, and to provide occasional hints and tips to get you through your studies.” “It really feels as if they do care”, she tells us, “and they’re not just there to deliver content.”

Courses

Law conversion courses

The University of Law

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:04:48 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

The University of Law (ULaw) has a legal education pedigree stretching back 150 years, and a prestigious Chancellor ― the well-known figure Lord Neuberger, a former President of the Supreme Court, accepted the role in 2018. ULaw, which was formerly known as the College of Law before rebranding in 2012, delivers legal training to 94 of the top 100 law firms from various locations throughout the UK. Students can take their pick from a wide choice of campuses, including London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Southampton, Reading, Sheffield, Chester, Exeter and Guildford. It also has an international campus in Hong Kong.

Whether you are looking to do the SQE, PGDL, BPC or LPC, the location of the ULaw campus you go to is an important decision, if you are able to choose which one you want to attend. So read on to find out what the different campuses and courses on offer are like.

Starting with London, there is the choice of either the Bloomsbury or Moorgate campuses. The Bloomsbury campus is the original outpost and is spread across two main buildings. Students note its high quality lecturers and course materials – the general sentiment is one of sound preparation for practice by the end of your chosen course. Its bar career service has been described by one student as “genuinely excellent”. Incorporating an assessment day to sift candidates, those who make it through are generally high achievers. A strong pro bono programme also contributes to the university’s focus on applying classroom learning to real-life legal situations. The Bloomsbury campus is well-situated with Oxford Street, Tottenham Court Road and Soho all in close proximity, so a mid-study shopping break or pub trip after a busy day are good motivators.

The Moorgate campus is the newer establishment and has been recently refurbished – situated in the heart of the City, it is surrounded by the biggest names in the legal industry, with Slaughter and May’s office across the road and Linklaters just around the corner. It’s a popular destination for future Magic Circle trainees, with some insiders suggesting the atmosphere can sometimes be clique-y on account of this. Nonetheless, its central location means social opportunities are aplenty, so most students tend to make good friends and enjoy the lively City during their time there.

A considerable downside to studying in either of the London campuses are the fees, with the LLM Legal Practice (incorporating the SQE1 and 2 as well as additional content covering key practice areas, which is highly sought-after by firms) costing around £17,000. Moreover, the additional costs of living in the capital must also be factored in. However, this burden can be alleviated by eligibility for a master’s student loan, and students undertaking the LPC and GDL have found it to be a fair price, “given the quality of teaching, amount of face-time and quality of the materials”.

Away from the capital, ULaw’s Birmingham campus is located in the trendy Jewellery Quarter, with students having access to the bustling city as well as historic streets lined with indie bars and art galleries. The campus is well-fitted out, boasting two libraries, albeit with an “overpriced” canteen, so a packed lunch might be a sensible option for long study days. Leading law firms’ offices are also in close proximity, with Pinsent Masons, DLA Piper, Eversheds Sutherland and Gowling WLG located a few minutes’ walk away, with great networking opportunities also available through paying a small membership fee to join the Birmingham Trainee Solicitors Society. Students praise the teaching at ULaw’s Birmingham campus, with experienced tutors and a good careers team plus connections to the many law firms mentioned above. Although some note that the careers service could be better resourced, the flip-side is that there are plenty of events to attend, so an enterprising attitude comes in handy.

Located in the building that used to house law firm RPC, ULaw Bristol is a modern campus with excellent facilities. It sits in the cluster of law firms such as Osborne Clarke, Simmons & Simmons and RPC based around the Temple Meads station. Bristol boasts a competitive legal market with a good work-life balance, so is becoming a popular choice for students not fixated on London. The Bristol campus has a strong reputation for enhancing students’ advocacy and interviewing skills. “Every time I talked to my personal tutor it felt like having a trainee interview,” one student tells us. This no doubt is also a huge plus for aspiring barristers for whom good communication skills are essential, something well-provided by ULaw Bristol.

In the North, you’ll find ULaw’s Manchester campus located in the heart of the city, with excellent transport links. Manchester Piccadilly Station, for example, is only a ten-minute walk away. Being central also means studying close-by potential future employers ― big-name firms such as Addleshaw Goddard, DLA Piper and Clyde & Co are just around the corner from the ULaw building. The Manchester building itself is described as “really nice”, with a “Wii and table tennis in the canteen” and “super comfy” chairs, so refreshing breaks between study sessions are easily accessible. Students here note too that they are provided with high-quality materials, pro bono opportunities and generally good teaching, although with the odd exception as with any law school.

As one of ULaw’s newest campuses, ULaw Nottingham is based in Eversheds Sutherland’s former Nottingham office. It’s suitably high spec, with added ‘tech hub’ facilities that even include a retro gaming arcade. It too is situated in the city’s business district and conveniently close to the city centre, with national firms such as Shoosmiths and Browne Jacobson just a short walk away. Also benefitting from this combination of strong student population and vibrant legal scene are students at ULaw Leeds. The Leeds campus with its glass-fronted, seven-storey building designed to replicate “the corporate setting of a professional firm” helps those studying there to feel like they are already hot-shot lawyers. There’s also a rooftop terrace so you can revise for your exams whilst feeling inspired by the city skyline and the offices of DLA Piper, Irwin Mitchell and Eversheds Sutherland.

In contrast to these city campuses ULaw Guildford offers a good balance between charming countryside and bustling city, located just a short trip away from London yet offering lovely break-out areas full of greenery and tennis courts. The country mansion-esque ULaw building is itself delightful, an idyllic campus that offers a good breather from the rigorous courses on offer. There’s also the prospect of ‘MNG’ (Monday Night Guildford), the town’s celebrated weekly club night for those who feel they can handle it. Careers-wise, ULaw Guildford has “really good connections with firms in the area”, the most prominent of which are Penningtons Manches Cooper and Clyde & Co.

In addition to their standalone centres, ULaw has a number of campuses located within existing universities in Newcastle, Norwich, Exeter, Southampton and Liverpool. In these locations, ULaw has partnered with law schools to deliver its courses on their respective university premises, so students can benefit from the on-site teaching experience if they could not spend much time on a university campus over the pandemic years. Exeter and Southampton are the most recently opened branches, with the latter opening in 2023.

Overall, ULaw is widely seen as having had a good run in recent years, with students generally satisfied with its teaching during and after the pandemic. It has also been in growth mode, with several new centres being opened. Its courses are thorough and rigorous, developed in conjunction with law firms, which sets it apart from new entrant providers. It offers lots of options, allowing students to opt for not just the barebones SQE, but also more fleshed out courses like the LLM Legal Practice, which build in extra skills and knowledge of practice areas. A guaranteed four weeks of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE) within ULaw’s Legal Advice Clinics and the practical experience of many of its tutors who are often former lawyers, are also part of what is on offer. The downside to all this is the cost involved, although the wide range of locations and courses on offer, combined with flexible study options (such as part-time, online, etc.) allow students to tailor their programme as it suits them. Students can also benefit from ULaw’s extensive alumni network boasting the likes of Londn mayor Sadiq Khan and politician/barrister Baroness Shami Chakrabarti, as well as the sense of community it manages to create through campus ambassador programmes and clubs.

Courses

Law conversion courses

Coventry Law School

Legal Cheek — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 11:42:38 +0000

The Legal Cheek View

Coventry Law School at Coventry University has been delivering legal education in the West Midlands for over fifty years, offering a variety of courses to prepare students for their future careers. Opportunities to work in various legal clinics under the supervision of qualified professionals, additional work experience options integrated into most courses, and good links with law firms provide students with valuable experiences and insights for entering the legal profession. In addition to LLB and LLM programs, Coventry Law School now offers newly developed courses specifically designed to prepare students for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and CILEX Professional Qualification.

Speaking with law students at Coventry University, one second-year student, specialising in international law, shared: “I chose Coventry Uni because of the opportunities at the law school to study abroad.” Notably, it houses a Confucius Institute on the first floor of the George Eliot building, promoting bonds between law students and Chinese exchange students.

Coventry Law School emphasises its positive relationship with students and the accessible, friendly staff dedicated to supporting and guiding students through their studies. SQE courses are delivered in small groups by subject specialist tutors, actively engaged or recently involved in professional practice. Teaching methods include a mix of online content and interactive workshop sessions, which can be conducted either face-to-face or online, incorporating role plays, live case studies, simulations, and presentations.

The law school offers modern facilities such as a moot court room, lecture and seminar spaces, as well as social and study areas. The moot room provides students with the opportunity to experience a modern courtroom setting within an academic environment. An insider shared: “The mock courtroom even stores wigs and gowns, allowing students to dress up as barristers and conduct mock trials to practice their advocacy skills — it’s not just informative but also really enjoyable!”

Coventry Law School provides students with opportunities for work experience through pro-bono law clinics available at the university. Teaming up with the Central England Law Centre, the law school offers student real life legal experience across a range of law clinics. These include areas such as social and welfare law as well as a legal health clinic run in partnership with the NHS. Time spent on these volunteering projects may count towards Qualifying Work Experience (QWE), and staff overseeing them can assist students in registering this with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Coventry Law Society stands out as a popular extra-curricular option for law students. These include additional advocacy sessions, mooting competitions, negotiations, and practice bail applications. These sessions not only aid students in their coursework but also offer opportunities to develop practical legal skills outside the standard curriculum.

With study spaces in the popular Lanchester Library, both silent and collaborative, law students can also utilise the lesser-known sixth floor of the George Eliot building for focused study. Beyond the main campus, the Herbert Museum and Art Gallery’s “gorgeous café” provides a perfect spot for a quick caffeine refresh, while The Hub, located just opposite the law school, serves as a more social area for students to relax during study breaks and grab a Starbucks.

SQE preparation for law and non-law graduates

The PgDip Understanding Legal Practice Understanding Legal Practice Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) is aimed at law graduates and can be completed full-time or part-time. During the first six modules, students will undertake the necessary study to prepare them for SQE 1, whilst also developing the skills for SQE 2. The course culminates in a case study project module specifically focusing on SQE 2 preparation. This module will see students immersed in a simulated law firm environment to hone their skills and expertise.

The coursePgDip Understanding Legal Practice focuses on preparation for SQE 1 and is ideal for a student who already has some legal practice experience. The course is offered on a full-time or part time basis, so that a student can fit their preparation for SQE 1 around their work commitments.

SQE prep is also packaged into an LLM programme at Coventry Law School for those wanting to take advantage of student loan funding. The Professional Legal Practice LLM course covers the legal principles and related professional practice aligned to Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) Part 1 and Part 2. The LLM includes an additional Case Study Project, in which students will act as a legal professional, using the skills they have acquired during their legal practice modules, to advice a client on a hypothetical problem. The course can be undertaken full-time over the course of a year, or part-time over a two-year period.

For students with a non-law background or who have studied law in another jurisdiction, there is the Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Principles of Law. This intensive course studied over 13 weeks, is specifically designed to provide you with the understanding of the relevant legal principles required to undertake SQE 1 and 2. Students who successfully complete this course can proceed directly on to one of the other programmes listed above.

Courses

Law conversion courses