Law for Non Law Studentsweb
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Law for Non Law Students Version 8.13 You are advised to check material facts as although every effort has been made to ensure that the information given in this leaflet is up-to-date, reviews of legal education and training requirements are continually in progress and information is subject to change. Qualifications & Courses Do I need an Undergraduate Law degree to practice law? No. To practice as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales non law graduates must first take a conversion course. Taking the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), sometimes called the Common Professional Exam (CPE), recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority/Bar Standards Board, will give you the same status as a law graduate. What further courses/training do I need to do to qualify as a solicitor or barrister? Following completion of a recognised GDL/CPE you need to undertake a period of vocational training: ° Legal Practice Course (LPC) to qualify as a solicitor, followed by a two year period of work based learning, known as a training contract, including a Professional Skills course. A profile detailing the work of a solicitor training requirements and career progression is available from www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_legal_profession.htm ° Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) to qualify as a barrister, followed by at least 12 months pupillage. A profile detailing the work of a barrister, training requirements and career progression is available from www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_legal_profession.htm Are there any other ways to qualify as a lawyer? Yes, becoming a legal executive is recognised by the Ministry of Justice as being one of the three core ways of becoming a lawyer. Legal executives have their own clients and can undertake representation in court where appropriate. Common areas of specialism are; conveyancing, family, crime, personal injury, civil litigation, and company and business law. The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) is the professional body that represents qualified and trainee chartered legal executives . For more on becoming a legal executive, see the CILEX website http://www.cilex.org.uk/ . A profile detailing the work of a legal executive, training requirements and career progression is available from www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_legal_profession.htm Legal education and training is currently under review so you should check for updates with the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority www.sra.org.uk , Bar Standards Board www.barstandardsboard.org.uk or Institute of Legal Executives www.ilex.org.uk . Does it make a difference where I study? It can do. A number of institutions around the country offer the GDL, LPC and BPTC. Courses are run in different formats and it is possible to study full time, part time and by distance learning (partial distance learning is available for the BPTC). Approximately 60% of top law firms require students to complete their LPC (the vocational part of your legal training) with a particular training provider. You should check this with the firms you intend to apply to before choosing where to apply to do your LPC. Also, LPC providers may have their own requirements about where students must have completed their GDL so it is best to check. Some LPC providers offer courses with a specialism which may be of interest to students with specific career interests. You are advised to find out as much about the academic programme, links with the profession and facilities available before making an application. How much will it cost? Legal training is expensive. You need to consider carefully the financial implications before embarking on any course. Expect to pay around £9,000 for the GDL, between £8,500 and £13,950+ for the LPC and between £11,000 and £16,950+ for the BPTC (for full time courses starting in 2013). Add to this your living costs for the year and you will see it is a considerable financial undertaking. Is it possible to get funding and/or sponsorship? Sources of finance are scarce and very competitive. Some graduates get some financial assistance but others receive nothing at all and undertake this training primarily on a self-financing basis. Deadlines for funding opportunities are often early. To make sure you apply in plenty of time, check the details on the websites mentioned in the sections below. Solicitors – financial assistance from firms Students who have secured training contracts with international, City or large regional law firms will usually receive financial assistance from the firm for the cost of the GDL and/or LPC. Similarly, the Government Legal Service and Crown Prosecution Service have in the past offered financial assistance to their future trainees. See www.lawcareers.net for a searchable list of legal employers offering training contracts to find out if they offer financial assistance. Employers offering financial assistance usually recruit to their training contracts two years in advance of the start date. Solicitors – other sources of funding Other sources of funding include; the Law Society Bursary Scheme, Law Society Diversity Access Scheme, high street bank loans, Professional and Career Development Loans (not available for the GDL), awards, scholarships and charitable grants. Details of all of these sources can be found on the Junior Lawyers Division of the Law Society website http://juniorlawyers.lawsociety.org.uk/advice- support They also have a helpline to provide prospective students with information regarding financial help: 0800 856 131. Financial support may also be available from the institutions offering the GDL and LPC in the form of scholarships, grants and competitions, check with each provider that you are considering applying to. Barristers – scholarships from the Inns of Court Prospective barristers must join one of the Inns of Court before the end of May of the year they intend to commence the BPTC. However deadlines for scholarships are usually in early November. There are four Inns, each offering competitive scholarship schemes. The Inns mainly offer scholarships for the BPTC but there are also some available for the GDL. For links to each of the Inns of Court, see the Bar Council website www.barcouncil.org.uk/becoming-a-barrister/finance-and- funding/funding-and-scholarships Barristers – other sources of funding Other sources of funding for the BPTC include; the Bar Loans Scheme, other high street bank loans, pupillage draw-downs, and Career and Professional Development Loans. Further details of all of these schemes can be found on the Bar Council website www.barcouncil.org.uk/becoming-a- barrister/finance-and-funding/funding-and-scholarships Financial support may also be available from the institutions offering the GDL and BPTC in the form of scholarships, grants and competitions, check with each provider that you are considering applying to. Local Authority Grants Your local authority will have information regarding their mandatory and discretionary award policies. Legal training falls into the category of discretionary awards. Contact your local authority for information. The https://www.gov.uk/ website also contains information on student finance. Do firms prefer law graduates to non-law graduates? Not necessarily. The legal profession continues to undergo considerable change and competition remains intense. Successful completion of the conversion course (GDL) and a vocational course (LPC/BPTC) does not guarantee success in gaining a training contract/pupillage or jobs in the profession. There are some benefits to being a non-law graduate. You will have three year’s experience in a subject other than law and this can be used to an advantage when applying to firms. For example, consider the advantages to an international law firm of a candidate with an undergraduate degree in languages. You will also have had more time to do relevant work experience, giving you a stronger application. I have done some law modules, will this help my application? It may do. Your law modules are useful to illustrate your commitment and interest in law. To check whether your law modules will exempt you from any parts of the GDL you will need to provide specific details of your degree to either the Solicitors Regulation Authority of Bar Standards Board. Further information on exemptions can be found on the Central Applications Board website www.lawcabs.ac.uk Do I need high academic qualifications? Yes. An excellent academic record and a range of personal skills and abilities will be critical to your future success. Although it may be possible to get onto a GDL, LPC or BPTC course with a 2:ii, many firms of solicitors/barristers chambers expect at least a 2.i or above and good 'A' level (or equivalent) grades. A consistent high academic performance is very important; however exceptional circumstances may be taken into account in an otherwise strong application. How and when do I apply for the GDL/LPC/BPTC? Applications for the full time GDL need to be made to the Law Central Applications Board www.lawcabs.ac.uk. There is no longer a deadline for this but early applications are advised to secure choice of provider and location. You should apply from early October onwards in your final year at university There is no longer a deadline for the LPC but early applications are advised to secure choice of provider and location. The first round of applications for the BPTC closes in January and again early application is advised. All full-time LPC courses should be applied for through the Central Applications Board online system www.lawcabs.ac.uk . Before commencing the LPC students need to apply to the Solicitors Regulation Authority for student enrolment and a Certificate of Completion of Academic Stage of Training. The SRA has strict processing deadlines and will not accept late applications. From January 2011 students can apply to the SRA online www.sra.org.uk/students/student-enrolment.page .