Legal education in the United Kingdom

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Contents 1 England, Wales and Northern Ireland 1.1 Qualifying law degrees 1.2 List of universities offering qualifying law degrees recognised in England, Wales and Northern Ireland 1.3 Becoming a lawyer 2 Scotland 2.1 Initial qualification 2.2 List of universities offering qualifying law degrees recognised in Scotland 2.3 Diploma in Legal Practice 2.4 Traineeships and devilling 2.5 Practising in other jurisdictions 3 Alternatives to a law degree 4 See also

[edit] England, Wales and Northern Ireland

[edit] Qualifying law degrees

The term "qualifying law degree" refers to a degree (generally a Bachelor of Laws degree or its equivalent) from a university that is accredited by the Inns of Court or the Law Society of England and Wales and in which a passing grade has been achieved in designated core modules of the degree. A qualifying law degree in the England and Wales consists of six modules drawn from the following subject areas:

• Public law (constitutional/administrative)
• European Union law
• Procedural Law (including law of evidence)
• Criminal law
• Law of obligations (contract, restitution, and tort)
• Property law (real property)
• Trusts and equity

{to add: information regarding Northern Ireland}

[edit] List of universities offering qualifying law degrees recognised in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

• Anglia Ruskin University
• University of Bedfordshire
• University of Birmingham
• University of Bolton
• Bournemouth University
• Bradford College
• University of Brighton
• University of Bristol
• University of Buckingham
• University of Cambridge
• Cardiff University
• UCE Birmingham
• University of Central Lancashire
• University of Chester
• City University, London
• Coventry University
• De Montfort University
• University of Derby
• University of Dundee (Dundee, in Scotland, is the only university in the UK to offer students a choice of either English or Scots Law LL.B. degrees, though it does not offer the combined study of both English Law and Scots Law)
• Durham University
• University of East Anglia, Norwich
• University of East London
• Edge Hill University
• University of Essex
• University of Exeter
• University of Glamorgan
• University of Gloucestershire
• University of Greenwich
• University of Hertfordshire
• University of Huddersfield
• University of Hull
• Keele University
• University of Kent
• Kingston University
• Lancaster University
• University of Leeds
• University of Glamorgan
• Leeds Metropolitan University
• University of Lincoln
• University of Liverpool
• Liverpool John Moores University
• University of London (Birkbeck, University of London, King's College London, the London School of Economics, Queen Mary, University of London, the School of Oriental and African Studies, University College London and External Programme. Note: some common law jurisdictions in the Commonwealth do not recognise graduates of the External Programme.)
• London Metropolitan University
• Manchester Metropolitan University
• University of Manchester
• Middlesex University
• University of Northampton
• Northumbria University *Northumbria offer an 'exempting degree' in which the LPC or BVC is combined with the qualifying law degree into a 4 year course
• University of Nottingham
• Nottingham Trent University
• Open University (distance-learning LL.B. offered jointly with the College of Law)
• Oxford Brookes University
• University of Oxford
• University of Plymouth
• University of Portsmouth
• Queen's University Belfast
• University of Reading
• Sheffield Hallam University
• University of Sheffield
• Southampton Solent University
• University of Southampton
• London South Bank University
• Staffordshire University
• University of Sunderland
• University of Surrey
• University of Sussex
• University of Teesside
• Thames Valley University
• University of Ulster
• University of Wales (Aberystwyth, Bangor, Swansea, Swansea College)
• University of Warwick
• University of Westminster
• University of the West of England, Bristol
• University of Wolverhampton
• The College of Law (The College of Law has been granted preliminary powers to award LL.B.s to students who complete both the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course; although this is subject to an Order by the Privy Council, that is a formality)[1].

[edit] Becoming a lawyer

Upon completion of the degree, graduates are generally qualified to apply for membership of the bar or law society. The membership eligibility bestowed may be subject to completion of professional exams. A student must generally gain a further qualification at postgraduate level, for example the Legal Practice Course or Bar Vocational Course to be able to practice in England and Wales, and they will not be able to work in Scotland. Interestingly, the University of Dundee is unique in the UK in offering qualifying law degrees for Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland

[edit] Scotland

Scots law differs from that of England and other common law countries. When Scotland became part of United Kingdom in 1707, its legal system remained separate and this is still true today. Scots law is founded upon Roman or civil law, although today it has evolved into a hybrid system, using both civil and common law.

[edit] Initial qualification

Qualification to the profession is to the Law Society of Scotland for solicitors, or to the Faculty of Advocates for those wishing to practise as Advocates at the High Court of Justiciary or the Court of Session.

[edit] List of universities offering qualifying law degrees recognised in Scotland

Firstly, an LL.B. in Scots law must be obtained from one of the following universities:

• University of Aberdeen
• University of Abertay Dundee
• Glasgow Caledonian University
• University of Dundee (Dundee is the only university in the UK to offer instruction in both English and Scots law)
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Glasgow
• Napier University
• Robert Gordon University
• University of Stirling
• University of Strathclyde

[edit] Diploma in Legal Practice

Following successful completion of the LL.B., graduates must undertake a one-year vocational Diploma in Legal Practice (Dip LP), taught at the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee, jointly by Glasgow & Strathclyde (at the Glasgow Graduate School of Law) and The Robert Gordon University.

[edit] Traineeships and devilling

Those who wish to qualify as a solicitor must then undertake a two-year traineeship with a law firm. Qualification as an Advocate (the Scottish equivalent of a barrister) requires a further nine-month unpaid traineeship (known as devilling) with an experienced Advocate.

[edit] Practising in other jurisdictions

Once qualified, Scots solicitors and advocates can practise in Scotland. If they wish to practise in the European Union they may do so provided that they satisfy the requirements of the relevant EU Directives. However, however to practise elsewhere in the United Kingdom, they will be required to sit the relevant exams or to study further courses.

[edit] Alternatives to a law degree

There are also conversion courses available for non-law graduates, available as an alternative to the full-length LL.B. degree course. The two most common such courses in England and Wales are the Graduate Diploma in Law or GDL, and the Common Professional Examination, or CPE, both of which take one year to complete. Alternatively, a number of institutions are now offering two-year conversion courses, usually at a lower cost with a more distinguished qualification, such as a Masters degree.

Scots Law regulations require the full LL.B qualification, so in Scotland, accelerated two-year LL.B. for graduates courses are the only conversion route.

[edit] See also

• Legal education