Becoming a Lawyer in England & Wales Poppy Collinson Director – Europe & Central Asia BPP University Law School Alumna 00 MONTH 0000

The Legal Profession in England & Wales

Long-term client relations Solicitors Barristers Employed Self-employed Security Entrepreneur Client facing Less client facing Long-term client relations Long-term relations with instructing solicitors Client contact throughout transaction from start to finish Client contact only at key points in transaction Wide variety of skills Advocacy and specialist legal advice Rights of audience Can be employed by law firms TITLE HERE 00 MONTH 0000

Questions to ask yourself – solicitor or barrister? Which of the characteristics on the table above best suits my unique personality? Am I a risk-taker or do I value security more? Am I a people person or do I prefer to work alone? How do I work under pressure? Do I have strong oral communication skills?

Becoming a Solicitor LLB or non-law degree + GDL (2 – 5 years) LPC (1 year) Training contract (2 years) QUALIFIED SOLICITOR

Becoming a Barrister LLB or non-law degree + GDL (2 – 5 years) BPTC (1 year) Pupillage (1 year) QUALIFIED BARRISTER

Academic Stage

LLB – Batchelor of Laws Two or three year degree course – selection of LLB’s at BPP Entry for school leavers – 320 + UCAS points (current tariff). From 2017, 128 + UCAS points (new tariff) BOTH ABB equivalent International Foundation Certificate (IFC) in Legal Studies Master seven foundation subjects required by regulators Plus a wide range of options Participate in extra-curricular activities TITLE HERE 00 MONTH 0000

Graduate Diploma in Law James Whittam GDL & LPC Graduate Training contract commenced 2015

What is a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)? Seven core modules Legal Research Essay Enables graduates to progress to LPC or BPTC Study full-time, part-time or online Start in September or January (location dependent)

Questions to ask yourself – LLB or GDL? Do I want to study a discipline other than law at degree level? Or would I prefer to study a wider range of law subjects? How long do I want to spend on the academic stage of learning?

Vocational Stage

LPC – Legal Practice Course 1 year full time or 2 years part time 3 core practice areas: Business law and practice Litigation Property law and practice 3 electives from a broad range Solicitors Regulatory Authority Guaranteed places for BPP students (subject to conditions) TITLE HERE 00 MONTH 0000

BPTC – Bar Professional Training Course 1 year full time or 2 years part time Compulsory modules: Advocacy Civil litigation Criminal litigation Various legal skills 2 options from a broad range Bar Standards Board TITLE HERE 00 MONTH 0000

Knowledge Enhancement

LLM – Master of Laws Selection of LLM’s at BPP: Commercial Law; Comparative Law; Financial Regulation and Compliance; and International Business Law 1 year full time BPP Career guarantee TITLE HERE 00 MONTH 0000

It takes an exceptional lawyer to educate one Clare Grant Senior Academic

BPP University Law School’s Exclusive Clients

Student life in London There are many student associations in London but amongst the most popular are: Commercial Awareness Society Law Society London Mooting Society Negotiation Society

Facilities in London Spacious extensive library with over 300 computers Free Wi-Fi and internet access throughout Mock courtrooms Classrooms with the latest AV technology Student café

What is pro bono? Provision of professional services Without charge To improve access to justice Aimed at the vulnerable in our society Ask students to introduce themselves to their neighbour and then discuss what they think pro bono is all about. Then ask them to tell you. Once hear some versions clarify that pro bono to us is professional work undertaken voluntarily and without charge to improve access to justice. Explain that it is very important to act professionally. They may be students but the clients don’t care. They just want to understand their position. Explain that access to justice means both legal advice and education at BPP. Explain we have a range of projects where we offer one on one advice, support legal problems and educate the vulnerable on the laws applicable to their situations.

Pro bono in London Some of our projects include; Article 8 Project BPP Legal Advice Clinic County Court Advice Desk Enterprise Pro Bono Group Own-it Personal Support Unit Streetlaw

Law School Awards BPP University Law School has been ranked as a top five university for excellence in teaching by Legal Week Intelligence’s annual Law Student Report We also scored in the top five for employability Top in best value for money

Applying for a Job

Our Career Guarantee to you We’re committed to your legal career - BPP University will support you every step of the way Before you join us, during your study and beyond qualification everything we do is about making you more employable Our students leave us knowing about law and business; this is what law firms want, and why they send their trainees to us We’re so confident you’ll get a training contract or pupillage within six months of completing your LPC or BPTC that if you don’t, you can further enhance your CV by studying another qualification with us for free Our Career Guarantee has been established for 2 years and we’re confident in what we provide. You are making a commitment to a career in law and we will be with you supporting you throughout your journey. We will help you develop skills to make you more employable, gain commercial awareness, offer networking opportunities with firms, mentor you throughout the programme, prepare you for interviews and assessments. If the TC or pupillage opportunity has not come by 6 months of completion of the LPC or BPTC then we will offer you the chance to another course for free to enhance your legal CV further For example If you wanted to be an employment lawyer an MSc in Professional Human Resources would really help you stand out from other applicants If you were aiming for a legal career in the city as a tax lawyer an additional tax qualification would be of enormous benefit – the Chartered Tax Advisor qualification is the gold standard in this area Or if you did not have the time to devote to a full additional qualification you could enrol on one of our many short CPD courses in for example banking law, planning law or immigration law before a key interview to ensure you were really up to date with recent developments in that area It is our mission to get you that TC or pupillage whatever it takes and that is what our career guarantee is all about. It is what BPP is all about!

10 Career Ready Skills 63 firms who we have polled to develop these skills

Any Questions? poppycollinson@bpp.com