Bristol Law School Bristol Institute of Legal Practice

LPC (Full-time and Part-time)

How will you teach me to pass the Why should you LPC and to pass it well? You will be taught everything you need to choose our LPC? know, in a practical context which gives you I am in the position of real insight into what is required to be a having studied the CPE/ At the Bristol Institute of Legal Practice (BILP), trainee in practice. GDL at the College of what matters to us is delivering the highest Law and I have found the possible quality of professional legal training. We Our tuition is provided by highly experienced experience at BILP to be are renowned for listening and we know what lawyers all of whom know their subject you will really need as you prepare to step into inside out, having had many years of practice far superior. practice. Our course is taught by an established in their particular field (some of whom are team of practitioner tutors who are able to draw still in practice or train practising lawyers via on a great depth of knowledge and practical our professional skills, continuing professional Martin Jones experience. development and bespoke training courses). 2009/10

We have an excellent reputation within the We believe in subjects being taught by tutors legal profession for delivering a LPC of the who have practised in the area in which highest quality. We were one of the very few they teach (and having done so for more LPC providers nationally continuously to hold than just a short period post qualification). the highest grading of ‘excellent’ from the Regulation Authority (SRA) and Our subject teams design, write and continue to receive the highest gradings in control all of our own materials, including all aspects of our course delivery. In the last everything that’s online. We use real legal Assessment Visit by the SRA, we received the documents made available to us by law firms highest grading of "Commendable Practice" in all and practitioner precedents. We do not six areas of our Programme. deliver a course on the basis of centrally produced materials and online resources. At the heart of all we do is a dedicated tutor team committed to the highest quality of teaching, This is one of our many strengths and it is pastoral and careers support, so that, in the words also a big advantage for you; we can react to of one of our recent LPC students, you will be the requirements particular to your cohort, as “nurtured not churned”. opposed to rolling out a juggernaut, pre-cast programme, come what may. This brochure contains all the details that you would expect, but to begin, here are answers to We have the widest unrestricted choice of some key questions that our current students tell electives available in Stage 2. You can choose us are so important in choosing where to study what you are interested in, what you need to their LPC: know to be successful at your chosen firm or indeed, what you are best at.

1 Will I learn in a way that will prepare Will my timetable fit in with my life? me for practice? You will be able to choose a timetable that Obviously we want to make sure you pass is convenient to you, a timetable that is Study at BILP provides a the course and pass it well! However, our usually predictable week in and week out; great foundation for a LPC gives you much more. Our aim is to that accommodates your life outside the LPC. make you ready for that first day in practice . We offer a number of options to make that and by the time you get to your firm, we will possible. For example, during Stage 1: on have made sure that you know your stuff. the ten months full time course, you may I would recommend BILP You will understand what people are talking limit your time on site to two specific full as an excellent choice for about; how things are done; how you go days, or one full day plus two half days; our the LPC. about fulfilling the demands made of you part time course runs over two years and as a professional in practice. Your first day offers weekend study, mainly on Fridays and as a trainee is a key step in your career as a Saturdays, at ten study sessions per year. Read ; we aim to give you a head start. Hannah Wyke about the timetable choices on page 8. 2009/10 You will not just learn about law and procedure, but crucially, the skills required Will you help me get a training to get on in practice. We know how much contract? practitioners value your development of the Not all students have training contracts skills you need to be an effective trainee when they start with us, but we have years lawyer in practice, this lies at the heart of of experience supporting students in their all we do. Have a look at page 10 for more successful search for a contract. Our links to information on our teaching methods. the profession are exceptional; the reputation of our course amongst professionals is second You will have an opportunity to work with real to none; our tutors have practised in the very clients through our pro bono scheme which firms you might hope to join. continues to go from strength to strength. In the National 2010 Pro-Bono Awards we Our careers support is extensive, and is won second place in the Best Contribution provided personally not virtually, locally by a Law School category and our not remotely. Through our pre-course tutor students received their award from the programme we start work on helping you Attorney-General at the House of Lords. secure your future before you even start the Read more about this and also our top-up LLM course, and continue (if necessary) after you on pages 6. have left us.

2 As part of our integrated Careers Programme, Our students tell us that they have really we are launching a Mentoring Scheme enjoyed their time with us studying on designed to give additional insight and the LPC. It is not about going through the guidance from a junior lawyer in practice, motions to qualify. alongside our dedicated individual tutor The support that have I support. Our links with local practice will Do we need to tell you about Bristol? Voted in received and the quality provide you with the opportunity to secure various surveys one of the best places to live in of the teaching here were work experience with local firms through our the UK; it has clubs and live music; beautiful key factors in helping Placement Scheme. countryside with easy access to the coast me secure an Easter (including some of the best surfing beaches in vacation placement, What is the student support like? the country!); galleries, concerts and museums and subsequent training galore; Megabus to (from £1 each At BILP, you will very quickly get to know contract at a top way), directly from BILP. your Supervising Principal and everybody who City law firm. teaches you on the subject teams. Doors are You will also be part of a university open, emails are answered promptly and community. We are not a stand alone LPC informal meetings are arranged quickly. provider nor are we solely a ‘for profit’ Victoria Keenan Your views on the course are not only valued, commercial outfit. You will be part of UWE 2009/10 but actively sought. and you will have access to UWE’s many facilities and the opportunities available on We pride ourselves on giving you the highest campus. Not to forgot our highly popular LPC possible level of pastoral support that Socials, of course! For more information on all we can; we know from experience that any this and much more, please turn to page 15. of our students could find themselves in an unforeseen situation requiring assistance on personal matters. We will do all we can to I do not want to pay more than is help you through; any issues are addressed necessary and any problems nipped in the bud. We are Wherever you study the LPC you will find leaders in the way we look after our students, that LPC fees are more than you may have academically and otherwise. The only time experienced during your undergraduate you will turn into “just a number” is when studies. But we have listened to our we mark your assessments. You will find prospective students regarding fees. information about our excellent pastoral care on page 13. We have brought our fees down in order to widen access and enable you to pursue Will I have fun whilst studying on the your goal of becoming a solicitor, but LPC? without diminishing the quality of the course offered. Indeed, we feel that the new This might not immediately strike you as version of our course, which we launched in a priority when considering your choice of 2009, is even better than the course which LPC, but enjoyment, relaxation and fun preceded it! are pre-requisites to successful learning!

3 Our main competitor in Bristol is charging more than £2,300 above our fee having had to invest in a new building in Bristol. We already have state of the art, dedicated LPC teaching and common rooms, which were fully refurbished last year to provide you with all you need for your time with us. When I started the LPC, I didn’t Not only have we been able reduce our fees without compromising your have a training contract, the learning experience, we can also offer you the university’s existing facilities such as its extensive Law library; its IT support services; and its exclusive sports support at UWE was exceptional; centre. As part of UWE, we have all the facilities that you would expect from a I was helped to identify my University. We are motivated by you, not by financial targets. You will find our strengths and improve my fees information on our website. application writing and interviewing skills. The support and help given to me made all So... the difference in ensuring I was Have we persuaded you that we are the best choice to set you on your way to successful in securing a training becoming a successful solicitor? contract.

Do you need more detail? Please read on, we will tell you all there is to know about our LPC. Nicola Campbell 2009/10 We want you to join us!

We hope that having learnt a bit more about us, you will want to join us too!

Have a look at the detail: What you will study...... Page 5

Steven Dinning What else is on offer………...Page 6 Head: Bristol Institute of Legal Practice When you will study…….…..Page 8 How you will study……….….Page 10 How we will support you…...Page 13 What you need to do next….Page 16 Please also look at our website www.uwe.ac.uk/bilp for more information.

4 Stage 2 - Electives What will you study The SRA prescribes that you will then study three vocational elective subjects in Stage The focus of the course is The LPC is divided into two distinct stages - 2 of the course. This stage will take up the on developing the skills Stage 1 and Stage 2. Students are required to remaining 30% of your time. needed to be an effective study both. Most people will want to study We offer a very wide selection of 16 subjects. lawyer from day one. Stages 1 and 2 together but, if you wish, you We cover all the usual electives, plus a wide Students work together could sign up for just one or the other or for a range of specialist corporate commercial, in small office groups, single elective subject. high street or niche practice choices. We analysing interesting Stage 1 do not restrict your choice at all and we legal scenarios and guarantee that most if not all options will drawing on the combined Stage 1 subjects are prescribed by our always run. regulator, the SRA, so they are the same across experience of the tutors – all LPC providers. This will allow you to pursue a specialist career many of whom continue path, choosing those subjects that you wish to to practice. Stage 1 takes up 70% of your time on the practice when you join your firm. Alternatively, course. You will study three core subject you can keep your options open, or create areas in depth. Skills teaching is integrated your individual professional profile putting you Peter Dunn throughout the course and you will practise in the best possible position when applying to 2009/10 your legal skills in the context of these three your preferred employers. core practice areas, just as you will when you are a solicitor. At BILP, we believe in • Acquisitions really preparing you for practice and a key • Advanced Criminal Litigation feature of our LPC is our unique personalised skills portfolio (see page 6 for more details). • Banking and Capital Markets • Charity Law Core Practice Areas • Commercial Business Law and Practice; • Commercial Litigation and Dispute Property Law and Practice; Resolution Civil and Criminal Litigation. • Commercial Property • Corporate Finance Skills • Employment Interviewing and Advising; Practical Legal Research; • Family Legal Writing; • Intellectual Property and Competition Drafting; • Media and Entertainment Advocacy. • Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence • Private Client (Estate Planning) Additional Areas • Public Childcare and Housing Solicitors’ Accounts; • Real Estate Development Professional Conduct and Regulation; Wills and Administration of Estates; Remember, each elective is taught by Taxation. experienced tutors who are in, or used to, practice in that particular area.

5 crucially also to your qualification as a What else is on solicitor and to your future success. offer? The Skills Portfolio will give you the I have found the experience chance to amass a portable body of What BILP offers goes far beyond the to be interesting and taxing evidence of your skills performances and content of the LPC itself. Whilst you are in equal measure. It is progression on the course that is separate here you will have the opportunity to from your subject files. The Skills Portfolio hugely beneficial to work on extend your experience and enhance your will be seen by your Supervising Principal a real case and get to grips employability by taking part in a number and your subject tutors as part of their with the subtle realities of of optional programmes. monitoring of your progress on the LPC law in practice. (although it does not form part of the Skills Portfolio Skills Assessments). It can also be shown Developing your skills for practice is an to prospective employers to demonstrate integral and important part of our course your commitment to the course, your John Tippett Cooper because we know that the practitioners personal development and your potential Pro-Bono Student of the Year you will work for regard them as a critical 2009 as a practitioner. In addition, it may help aspect of your legal education. Your ability you when you are drafting application to hone these skills will shape your future forms for training contracts because it will success as a lawyer and we hope to give help you to pinpoint and give evidence of you some inbuilt advantage which is so your strengths, any weaknesses and how important in today’s competitive market. these have been overcome.

We therefore don’t simply “teach” you Pro Bono Work skills just so that you can pass the Skills We are proud of the willingness of our Assessments, although this is of course students to get stuck in at the deep end important, we aim to develop your legal and put their emerging skills to good skills throughout the course so you are use. Here again, the same principle as ready and prepared for practice. for careers advice applies: if you choose We will give you a Skills Portfolio folder to become active in our pro bono unit, when you start the course containing all you will participate for real, not remotely. of your feedback sheets for skills work Whilst you will find that other LPC that you will do on the LPC. Your Skills providers are in the process of starting pro Portfolio will help you develop your ability bono units in Bristol, our pro bono work is to reflect on your own performance. established and continues to go from This is so important for your personal strength to strength. development not only on the LPC, but

6 Our Pro Bono Unit is leading the way in the Our ‘Top Up’ LLM UK having come second in this year’s National You could enhance your CV by completing an 2010 Solicitors’ Pro Bono Group Awards LLM with us. Our LLM in Legal Practice has (category “Best Contribution by a Law Thanks for your support three standout features: School”), ahead of all its competitors in the and encouragement LPC market. Our students received the award • Your LPC will count towards your LLM, so during workshops I have from the Attorney-General in a ceremony at you don’t have to do another taught course; found the quality and style the House of Lords. just our two day intensive research methods of teaching really helpful. programme to equip you to do the research The pro bono unit at UWE has three necessary to write your dissertation. strands: Street Law where students deliver interactive sessions to schools, colleges and • The LLM is practice oriented, so what Patrick Meaney other community groups on legal rights and you write in your dissertation is relevant 2009/11 responsibilities; they also give taster sessions to practice and can be written in a form on life as a lawyer; the Innocence Project suitable for practice (eg a practice note for where students, under supervision of a a firm’s “know how” bank, or a precedent practising solicitor or barrister, review the case with drafting notes for the precedent bank). of a long-term prisoner who is maintaining innocence of the serious offence of which he • It is tried and tested, having been I would recommend the or she has been convicted; and CLARS which developed from our LLM for practitioners BILP LPC to anyone who is a unique collaboration between UWE and for which we won a National teaching wants to learn how to the University of Bristol law students and the Award in 2006 for the South West Region. become a solicitor within practising barristers of the Western Circuit a supportive environment offering both advisory and representation The timing of the LLM is flexible, you can which really prepares you services to clients who are unable to afford to start at any time within two and half years of pay for legal services. completing the LPC, and finish at any time for practice. within five years of starting the LPC. Apart from providing vital support to our community and beyond, by participating in The location of the LLM is flexible. After the pro bono work you will be able to cut your research methods programme you can work Victoria Keenan 2009/10 teeth in the real world which will be much wherever you wish; you don’t have to be on appreciated by your future employers. You will campus at Frenchay (although you’ll be very network with students at the University welcome). If you decide to work remotely you of Bristol and with Bristol professionals. still have all the UWE electronic sources and Above all, however, you will acquire some resources. You remain a UWE student. of the main skills employers will be looking The choice of subject matter for your LLM is for such as team work; time management; If there is one thing I cannot flexible. So long as we have the expertise to problem solving; reliability; resilience and supervise and mark what you write you can emphasise enough, it is perseverance. chose whatever interests you, or you think will to get yourself known, it improve your career profile. works wonders. Build your Certificate in Mediation CV with things that set To complement your study of Litigation, We support you with informal discussions you apart from the rest, I BILP has teamed up with ADRg, a leading about choice of subject, the research methods volunteered to be on the provider of Alternative Dispute Resolution programme, with encouragement, guidance Junior Lawyer Division (ADR) services and training. ADR is now a vital (and if necessary warning) by your supervisor Committee/Bristol Law component of Dispute Resolution and ADRg and the Course Director and all the UWE are offering BILP’s students the opportunity to student resources. Society. take an exclusive 3 day Introductory Course in Mediation, taught by specialists in the field For more information go to the LLM page at substantially reduced fees. You will even from BILP’s home page, or e-mail [email protected] Danielle Spalding have the option of taking things further by 2009/10 qualifying as an ADRg Accreditated Mediator.

7 Overall Timeframe When will you The overall time students spend with us on the Full-time Course is ten months. Stage study 1 runs from September to the beginning Contact with tutors is not of March, Stage 2 from mid March to the beginning of June. just limited to class time Your overall time spent with us will depend and set office hours, but on whether you choose our Full-time Course Stage 1 of our Full-time Course is built can be arranged at the or our Part-time Course. Whichever it is, and around a model of four study units convenience of both the whether you are onsite or off, we will make per week, plus optional lectures and student and staff to meet sure that we are always available for you. our Careers/Commercial Awareness informally. The net result Programme. Stage 2 comprises of three of this is staff developing a Full-time Course study units per week, one in each subject you strong relationship with the Timetable Choice Stage 1 choose to study. Each study unit has at its students. Workshops are always timetabled in a regular core a 2.5 hour workshop delivered face to pattern. The first two weeks of the course face at BILP; before and after this workshop, involves additional sessions to get you started each study unit will provide preparation work but thereafter you will be able to plan your and review and consolidation tasks to really Martin Jones study alongside your other commitments easily. reinforce your learning which you can do 2009/10 at a time and place that suits you. You can You are of course free to study on site in our read more about our study units below in the dedicated LPC facilities at any time. However, section entitled “How will you study?” we offer our students the choice to limit their time on site to 2 intensive days, or 4 Pre-course reading and practical exercises are regular half days during Stage 1. This means available in the summer so that students can that will have great flexibility to be in revise their legal knowledge ahead of the control of your study and your personal life. course; introduce themselves to subjects they We work very hard to make sure that you may not have studied before; and try out the have your chosen option but this is of course skills taught on the course. If you join us late, subject to places being available at the time don’t worry about this: if necessary, we’ll you sign up. Assessments may be held on always help you to catch up. days which are not a student’s ‘usual’ days on site but we will give notice of such dates well in advance.

8 Optional Lectures Part-time Year 1 We do believe that our lectures (always held • Pre-course Foundation Work on Wednesday afternoons) add value for a • Introduction to the Course Skills Studying at the same significant number of students. For many • Business Law and Practice (one of the time as working can be students, watching a screen or listening three Core Practice Areas) challenging but I’ve had online cannot substitute a real life lecturer • Wills and Administration of Estates; excellent support from all who could for example address issues raised Taxation the lecturers and from the during morning workshops, or answer questions as they arise there and then. • Work in the Course Skills of Drafting, friends I’ve made in my However, we also acknowledge that learning Practical Legal Research and Interviewing teaching group. in large groups sessions might not suit (assessed in Year 1) everybody for all subjects. Hence, attendance • Solicitors’ Accounts (beginning in March) of our lectures is optional. If you can’t or • One of the three required elective subjects Trula Brusdon don’t wish to attend, you will be able to (beginning in March) Year 1 Part-time access the information online. Part-time Year 2 Part-time Course • Litigation; Property Law & Practice (the Our Part-time Course is almost identical remaining two Core Practice Areas) to our Full-time Course in content, but it • Work in the Course Skills of Legal Writing extends over two academic years. As a part- and Advocacy (assessed in Year 2) time student, you will work from the same materials as our full-time students; participate • The remaining two elective subjects in practice-based workshops; and undertake (beginning in March) the same assessments in the same way as our The broad choice of sixteen elective subjects full-time students do. available on the Full-time Course is also available to you on the Part-time Course Our Part-time Course is a block-learning (please refer to the list above). Some of the course. This means that you will attend for electives are offered for study in Year 1 and a two (very occasionally this is a three day some in Year 2 (we cannot offer all of the study session) each month. There are 10 electives in Year 1 because you will not yet monthly sessions from September to June in have studied the Core Practice Areas (Litigation each academic year, comprising a total of 42 and Property) that underpin those electives study days across the two years. The sessions at that time). The Year 2 only electives are are held at the end of the week to include a Advanced Criminal Litigation; Commercial Saturday so that loss of working time or taking Litigation; Commercial Property; Media and of leave is kept to a minimum. In addition to Entertainment Law; Personal Injury and Clinical study days, students are required to attend for Negligence; Public Childcare and Housing Law. assessments held at various stages throughout Please also note that we may be unable to the course. run for example Corporate Finance or Banking on the Part-time Course if there is insufficient The Part-time Course is designed for those for interest to make them viable. whom study on a full-time course is difficult, whether for personal, financial or other reasons. Most part-time students are also engaged in employment (but not necessarily under a training contract or within a legal environment).

9 three Core Practice Areas, you will have How will you the opportunity to practise legal skills such as interviewing, advocacy, drafting study? documents, legal writing and negotiation The office group system so you will be comfortable when you come face to face with real clients in practice. also created a supportive Teaching Methods working environment for Students have different learning styles. One of the unique features of our LPC at me and my peers, and Whilst some of you will learn best through BILP is that we will help you to produce I found it easy to make traditional methods, others of you will find your own individual personalised skills friends quickly. it helpful to be taught in a less conventional portfolio. We will provide very specific style. Similarly, some of the subjects we teach focused and structured feedback on each of lend themselves to a more rigid approach, your assessed skills on the LPC, tracking your Alison Baker others benefit greatly from being taught by performance and identifying areas for further 2009/10 more fluid, innovative methods. We offer improvement. a mixture of different learning options and methods so that you can focus on Structure of Study Units what works best for you Our tutors are Our course is built around the model of the not just experienced lawyers, they are also study unit. A study unit is made up of: experienced and qualified teaching professionals. We try to make our teaching • preparatory tasks; and learning dynamic and student centred. • a face to face workshop of 2.5 hours; • review and consolidation tasks to broaden We are very aware that we are preparing and deepen your understanding. you for practice, not for academia. Learning on the LPC is therefore very different from At the core of each unit is the workshop, your undergraduate course or CPE/GDL. Even with a typical maximum number of sixteen though you will learn through traditional students in each workshop group. You will methods such as reading, lectures and legal be in the same workshop group throughout research, greater emphasis is placed Stage 1 and so you will build a very close on interactive learning ‘by doing’ (for working relationship within your workshop example through role plays; online tests; group. This will provide you with an excellent small group work) and regular practise (for peer support network. Within these small example through letter writing tasks; self- workshop groups, we will place you in a test questions; presentations and negotiation smaller office group of students working on exercises). Apart from the learning in the a particular case or matter for one of our

10 LPC firms; allocation to these office groups All workshop, lecture and other materials are is rotated regularly in order to give students available to you through Blackboard so that you a chance to work with different people can access them remotely when working away throughout the year. from the campus, or having missed a session. The facilities provided at Blackboard also provides links to websites used UWE are excellent. All LPC A particular feature of our workshops is the by practitioners, such as Companies House, base rooms are furnished dedicated 30 minute tutor led review session, the Land Registry and the Ministry of Justice, with high quality computer which normally takes place at the beginning and other useful online information. Tutors access and facilities that of the workshop. This is designed to allow stay in touch whilst you are off site by posting promote both individual in-depth feedback on some aspects of the announcements on Blackboard, emailing class work and exercises preparatory tasks and/or to allow students the workshop groups or you individually, checking undertaken in larger opportunity to seek individual help and/ or your progress online. You can log on at home, groups. raise queries. It also gives tutors the freedom in all our teaching rooms, in our LPC Common to focus again on areas that (s)he might feel Room and everywhere on site as the whole would benefit from a re-visit in any particular campus is Wi-Fi enabled. group’s case. Martin Jones The ability to carry out effective research is 2009/10 Outside of workshops you will work individually vital and feedback from solicitors in practice is and sometimes with other members of your that our teaching in this area is superb. We office group on preparatory tasks and exercises have an extensive Law Library and unlimited to consolidate your learning. This happens use of the main databases for research, such as at a time and pace that suits you. Typical Westlaw, Lexis and Halsburys Laws is included in tasks would include: reading from the course our course fee. manual or relevant practitioner text; watching an online presentation; writing a letter to a As we are part of the Bristol Business School, client; completing an exercise online; drafting a we are fortunate to have access to a brand new legal document; preparing for a presentation or state of the art Reuters Trading Room which interview; reviewing your performance in one of may be used in some of your Elective teaching the skills. Remember, where lectures are given, (and as part of the Commercial Awareness attendance is optional and we will provide you Option in our Careers Programme). You will be with an alternative means of accessing the able to see and track in real time, data normally relevant information. only available to finance professionals such as Investment Banks. Resources BILP also benefits from being part of the While students are on site they work in the university community. UWE’s vast library is dedicated LPC base rooms. Each base room is home to one of the best stocked Law Libraries equipped with its own mini practitioner library, in the country. As a BILP student, you will suite of PCs, data projector, Smartboard and be able to use other departments’ resources DVD recorder/player. BILP also has a resources and participate in events held by other room (ie a small law library) for its exclusive departments- such as the Department for use where the need for consulting a common Sociology and Criminology’s regular seminars practitioner text can be satisfied quickly. Our eg “Reporting prison from the inside and court rooms are equipped with all the latest the outside” by Eric Allison of The Guardian recording technology in order to aid our Newspaper; or talks (recent examples include students’ reflective learning. talks by Stuart Popham, Senior Partner of You will have additional support through our LLP and Fiona Reynolds, e-learning system ‘Blackboard’. This will give you Director-General of the National Trust). the opportunity to test your progress regularly through self-test questions and exercises with instant feedback for each study unit.

11 However, what sets us apart from our major You will be taught by a true specialist competitors is that we believe that personal in every area. That includes not just the rather than virtual contact is what makes core areas, but also each of the electives, the difference in terms of your success on the additional areas and skills. The work was interactive course and in terms of success in your career We are proud of our tutors: please take a and varied and mirrored goals. Once you strip away the ‘all singing and all dancing’ technological support and look at our staff profiles on our website everyday tasks of a trainee shiny equipment that we use as a matter of www.uwe.ac.uk/bilp/lpc in practice. The tutors did course, your main resource and what is going everything possible to to make the difference to you is your tutors! Assessment ensure I did my best. The areas and methods of assessment for all Tutors Legal Practice Courses are largely determined All our tutors are at the top of their game by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Alison Baker not only when it comes to professional Within these constraints, we operate an 2009/10 standing and practical experience, but also assessment regime that places proportionate when it comes to enhancing the teaching emphasis on assessment as part of your LPC and learning experience, course design experience. and the learning environment by choosing the most effective teaching methods at any We do not assess you beyond the minimum one time. At BILP, not only are your tutors SRA requirements. Nearly all of our written experienced lawyers, they are also qualified assessments are open book (we allow you teaching professionals, holding the Post to have all of your materials with you, many Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning providers limit what you can take into the in Higher Education; they benefit from assessments). There are also a number of regular in-depth training on teaching assessed written and oral skills exercises. methods and support (including the latest Most are held at the end of Stage 1 to online resources) as you would expect of achieve an appropriate balance between the staff at a university of UWE’s standing. They learning process and assessment of student design and control what they teach. achievement, maximize your revision time and reduce the number of times during the Our tutors only teach areas in which they year when you are faced with assessments. have practiced. At BILP, you will not find a Unlike at other LPC providers, at BILP you banking lawyer teaching Corporate Finance, will have some flexibility as to when you a Criminal Litigator teaching Family Law; a sit your assessments; your options will Commercial Litigator teaching Acquisitions; be discussed with you in detail individually or a Corporate Solicitor teaching Advocacy. should you need flexibility in the timing of when you take your assessments.

12 BILP’s LPC not only prepares students for We will offer part-time students practice but also provides excellent preparation accommodation in UWE’s student village for for the assessments. It is one of our priorities the first session of the course in September, that not only do you pass your LPC, that you allowing you time to find your way around Tutors are always on enjoy it and pass it well. Bristol. hand to discuss career prospects, review Throughout the course, you will have regular Once you start the course, you will meet your application forms, and you mock or practice assessments including Supervising Principal. (S)he will meet you prepare for interviews. regular online testing. We will provide you regularly on a confidential basis to discuss your with detailed and proximate feedback on your progress on the course, as well as meeting performance as you progress on the course. your workshop group as a whole. (S)he will be your first port of call for any queries that you Victoria Keenan Please also look at our website might have. 2009/10 www.uwe.ac.uk/bilp for much more information. Careers Support We provide careers support on a number of levels. However, throughout, one principle applies: the support is personal, tailored How will we to your specific career requirements and local. We do not simply promise you access to support you? a remote range of support services, but access When I joined the LPC to people in the flesh. I didn't have a training Personal Support contract and had only two As part of our integrated Careers Programme, Our pastoral support is second to none. We pieces of work experience. we are launching a Mentoring Scheme Shortly after I had finished will support you as soon as you accept our designed to give additional insight and the LPC, I had 10 pieces offer of an LPC place. You will be assigned a guidance from a junior lawyer in practice, pre-course contact tutor who is a member of alongside the bespoke support we offer. Our of work experience, a the LPC teaching team. You will be able to links with local practice will provide you with paralegal job and a contact your pre-course tutor about personal the opportunity to secure work experience training contract. and academic issues on a confidential basis, with local firms through our Placement or to ask for individual careers advice, before Scheme. you start the LPC. We run a Recruitment Service where we will Danielle Spalding 2009/10 We will help you find accommodation if you put you in touch with firms needing trainees need assistance. Our accommodation service or paralegal support. for full-time students will assist you with details of on campus accommodation in UWE’s very own student village as well as a wide range of student accommodation throughout Bristol.

13 Your SP will help you through the process Should you change you career plan, you of applying for training contracts, backed will find yourself in the lucky position of up by specialist LPC careers tutors who help benefitting not only from legal careers advice, with applications aimed at specific sectors but a wealth of other graduate options There is a real emphasis of the legal market (such as a City Firm available from UWE’s Careers Development Unit. on support whether it be careers tutor, a Family Law careers tutor; a Commercial Law careers tutor for example). On Site Law Fairs study wise or career wise. You will also be able to undertake mock BILP organises its own “mini” Trainee Law interviews and receive constructive feedback Fair which is attended by many training on your performance from your tutor. contract providers; last year’s fair included Danielle Spalding the full range of firms: small, medium and 2009/10 Over and above this very personal support, larger firms; local and national; High Street there is a designated LPC Careers and niche. Attendees included Osborne Officer who is also a tutor on the LPC. Clarke, , TLT, Beachcrofts, She works closely with the UWE’s Careers Veale Wasbrough, Kelcey and Hall, Withy Development Unit on campus to provide King and Thompsons to name a few. Several a wealth of information and innovative LPC students successfully secured training exercises on the preparation of CVs, contracts through this fair. application forms and covering letters and interview skills. UWE holds an annual “Meet the Employers” fair which last year was attended by many As part of our integrated Careers Program, small as well as large legal employers (eg. throughout the year, we offer specific legal TLT LLP; Beachcroft LLP; Clarke Willmott careers events designed to help you enhance LLP; Veale Wasbrough; The Co-operative your career prospects. You will be invited Legal Services; Crown Prosecution Service; to attend such events which are often led Environment Agency; Bristol City Council) by visiting practitioners. In the past, these as well as many other graduate recruiters events have included talks designed to raise interested in LPC graduates. your commercial awareness, interview speed dating to improve interview techniques, Our students attend these fairs, but may also sessions on assessment days, practitioners become involved in organizing them if they wish. advising on individual student’s CVs, trainees reporting from practice and recruitment partners sharing inside knowledge of the recruitment process at their firm.

14 Firms our Students have gone to... Our students go on to a broad spectrum of What else is on firms – from small high street firms to large In addition to deepening regional firms and some of the largest City offer? their existing academic firms. These include: knowledge, students also At BILP, we have newly refurbished, spacious , AMD Solicitors, learn much more about common rooms for the exclusive use by Aldridge & Brownley LLP, Ashfords LLP, Ashurst, the practical day-to-day our LPC and GDL students. They have comfy Baker & McKenzie, Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, challenges of being a seating and computers/Wi-Fi for your leisure or Battens, Beachcroft LLP, Bennett Metcalfe, course related use and are an ideal place to hang solicitor. Notably, from the Berrymans Lace Mawer, Bevan Brittan, Bevis & out whilst you are not in class. very start of the course, Bekinsale, LLP, Bircham there is an emphasis on Dyson Bell, Blake Lapthorn Linell Blavo & Co, Regular exclusive LPC Socials are organised how to identify and meet Bobbetts MacKan, Bond Pearce LLP, Boodle in central Bristol venues which usually involve the client’s objectives while Hatfield, Boyce Hatton, BPE Cheltenham, dancing into the early hours. Dotted around the also maintaining high Brewer Harding & Rowe, Burges Salmon, campus are numerous places to eat and drink, professional standards. Burroughs Day, Capsticks, Charity Commission, including a subsidised canteen (offering all day Chubb Bullied Solicitors, City & County of breakfast, hot and cold meals as well as a very Swansea, Clarke Willmott, Clifford Chance, good salad bar) and several bars where major Cleary Gottlieb, Clyde & Co, CMS Cameron sports events are shown on the big screen. Peter Dunn McKenna, Coodes, Copleys, Cooperative Legal A farmers market visits regularly, and a value for 2009/10 Services, Cornwall Council, Crosse & Crosse, money fruit and vegetable stall is on site every Crown Prosecution Service, DAS Legal Expenses day. Insurance, Davies & Partners, Deutsche Bank, Dolmans, Everatt & Co, Eversheds, Exeter City UWE’s incredible wealth of facilities is Council, Field Fisher & Waterhouse, Follett available to all BILP students; there is Stock, Foot Anstey, Ford Simey, Forest of Dean insufficient space in this brochure to do it District Council, Freshfields (Frankfurt), Gabb justice but all the information is online, mainly & Co, Gareth Webb & Co, Graham Withers on UWE’s Student Union (UWESU) website. To & Co, Gregg Latcham, Gwynn James & Co, mention a few of the facilities: Gloucestershire County Council, Gloucester Magistrates Court, Goodes Solicitors, Harrison • Centre for Performing Arts (where you Clarke, Higgs & Sons, Hole & Pugsley, Horsey can take part in orchestras or theatre Lightly, Holman Fenwick & Willan, Hine performances). Associates, Ince & Co, , Kelcey • Centre for Sports (top class indoor and & Hall, Kirby Simcox, KPMG International, outdoor facilities including gym and climbing Latham & Watkins, Leigh Day Solicitors, Lowless wall; vast number of sports clubs) & Lowless, Lyons Davidson, , Maitland Walker, McDonald Oates, Memery • Well Being Centre (meditation, shiatsu and Cystal, Meyer Brown Rowe & Maw, Metclalfes, chill out sessions on a weekly basis; regular Michelmores LLP, The Ministry of Defence, well being weeks encompassing anything Mischon de Reya, Mogers, Morgan Cole, from Reiki to Yoga and massage) Morrison & Foerster, Nalders, New Law • Societies (numerous and as varied as Forensic Solicitors, , Pardoes, Plexus Science; Cheer Leaders; Dance; Disabled Law, , Poole & Co, Reynolds Students; Paintball; Live Music; Vegetarians) Porter Chamberlin, Rickerbys, Rosie Braiker & Solicitors, Russell Cooke LLP, Shearman • UWESU’s Job Centre (jobs available whilst & Stirling, Sky, Simmonds & Simmonds, S studying) J Berwin, Skadden Arps Slate & Meagher • Student Health Centre, Counselling and & Flom LLP, Somerville & Savage, Somerset Psychological Service County Council, Stephens & Sons, South West Law, Stephens & Scown, Thompsons, • Disability Service/Dyslexia Support Stones, Tayntons LLP, Thring Townsend Lee & • UWE’s own radio station Pembertons, Tozers, Trowbridges, TLT Solicitors, (www.hubradio.co.uk) , Trowers & Hamlins, Veale Wasborough, Wansboroughs, WBW, Wards, • Scene-it: student campus cinema Weil, Gotshal & Manges, Welsh Assembly • Weekly club nights on campus Government, White & Case, Wiggin & Co, Withers, Wiltshire County Council, Withy King • Shops, bank, an on site day nursery for & Lee, Wragge & Co. student and staff childcare More at: www.uwe.ac.uk/aboutUWE/ campus/frenchay-about.shtml

15 2011/2013. However, we will consider late You must obtain both of these from What do you applications, so do not hesitate sending the SRA. Your application may be yours in even if you are late. made on line from January 2011 need to do next? on the SRA’s website (see the link Student Enrollment 2011). What are the admissions criteria? If you have decided to apply for one of In determining whether or not to offer an The SRA will apply the following criteria: our LPC courses, you will need to apply applicant a place on either course, we will 1. Completion of Academic Stage for a place on our course. How you apply take into account the following criteria: for our LPC depends on whether you want Applicants need to have completed the • your academic record; to enroll for the Full-time or the Part-time academic stage of legal training. They • your apparent suitability for the Course. normally have: course and commitment to the idea of The Full-Time Course qualifying as a solicitor; • a recent law degree, or Application for a place on our Full-time • prior study at UWE; • a Graduate Diploma in Law, or • financial or other constraints governing LPC should be made to the Central • Appropriate professional qualifications your choice of institution. Applications Board (CAB). You can apply accepted by the SRA as equivalent. online on its website: http://www.lawcabs.ac.uk/Default.aspx The Fee 2. Student Enrolment with the As you will know by now, we have Law Society Initially, applications should be submitted brought our fees right down. You can If you intend to enroll on an LPC in 2011, during the academic year prior to the check our fees on our website at: you must enroll as a student member of desired year of entry, ie in 2010 for the www.uwe.ac.uk/bilp/ the Law Society through the SRA. Note LPC 2011/2012 (usually at the end of that the SRA has strict processing November/beginning of December). There are no hidden extras. The fee for timelines, the minimum period required However, late applications will still be each course is set annually and includes to complete the process (if you have any forwarded to us at BILP and will be everything that you need including all character or suitability issues to declare) considered, so even if you are late, do of your course materials, all of your text is one week. However, you are strongly not hesitate sending your application to CAB. books for the LPC and the SRA's fee. advised to allow more time than the The Part-Time Course SRA Requirements minimum period required to complete the process, enrolling as soon as you can Applications for a place on our Part-time In order for the Solicitors Regulation by early August 2011. LPC should be made directly to the Authority (SRA) to allow you to start the Bristol Institute of Legal Practice, course, you must provide to us on the first However, if you have any character or from where an application form can be day with us: suitability issues, you must start the obtained. First round applications should • Evidence of your completion of the process very much earlier. You should by be returned by 31 December in the academic stage of training; and early February 2011 have completed academic year prior to that of desired • Your enrolment with the Law Society/ the online application form on the SRA’s entry, ie 31 December 2010 for the LPC SRA. website and have submitted the requisite

16 evidence by post as instructed. You Open Days Admissions Contact: will need to think about collecting any evidence before this however (the SRA We hold a number of open days during Contact the LPC Administrator at: recommends January 2011). the year, usually late in the year preceding The Bristol Institute of Legal Practice the year of entry, and early in the year of Bristol Law School Character/ Suitability issues includes any: entry itself. There might be other open University of the West of England • criminal conviction, including cautions days on offer later. Details are on our Frenchay Campus (even if they are spent); website www.uwe.ac.uk/bilp Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1QY • instance of cheating in examination or Whether you are still unsure about us, plagiarism during a course of study; or whether you just want to come and Telephone +44 (0)117 32 82604 • County Court Judgments against you, say hello, please come along to one of Fax +44 (0)117 32 82268 declarations of bankruptcy (even if our open days to hear more about the E-mail [email protected] they have been satisfied) or evidence courses we offer. You will meet the tutors of inability to manage financial affairs; and current students and have a look Please also look at our website or around the site. www.uwe.ac.uk/bilp for more • any other incident in which your information. Please contact the LPC Administrator by character has been called into e-mail (see below) with any queries, or to question. Note: The details given in this brochure go on our mailing list. concerning our LPC are accurate at the date of going to press. The Bristol Institute of What happens if you missed the SRA If you are unable to attend an open Legal Practice follows a policy of continual deadlines? day for any reason, we can make development of its courses, drawing on If you miss the deadlines the SRA will arrangements for you to have an teaching experience and student views. As a result, and subject to the necessary approval of refuse your application unless there are individual appointment to be shown the LPC Board and the University, some of the exceptional personal circumstances. around or you can of course speak to details in this brochure may have changed by one of our tutors at any time. the time of entry to the course. If you enroll on an LPC without the two required written confirmations from the SRA, you will be asked to leave the course and your course fees may be forfeited. Further information about this process and deadlines is available on the SRA's website.

17 17 Bristol Law School University of the West of England Frenchay Campus Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1QY Telephone 0117 32 83769 Fax 0117 32 82268 Graphic Design Team 60487 UWE, BRISTOL F.08.10 E-mail [email protected] Printing & Stationery Services