collageTo become a solicitor in the UK, students need to obtain either a Bachelor of Law Degree (LLB) or an Undergraduate Degree in another area followed by a one-year Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). After this, they must complete a Legal Practice Course
Law can be one of the most interesting and varied career paths available. Lawyers can work in a variety of settings—from large corporations to the non-profit sector—and deal with many types of work, handling everything from simple business agreements to complex criminal cases.
The process for qualifying as a lawyer can be very different depending on what country you are in. International students in the UK who are interested in becoming lawyers need to be aware of the qualifications and training they will need.
There are two types of lawyers in the UK: solicitors and barristers. Read on to find out more about the differences between them, and how students can qualify for both roles.
How Students at University Preparation School Can Become Solicitors
The most common type of lawyer in the UK is a solicitor. A solicitor performs tasks like researching cases, writing up contracts and arranging agreements, but does not usually represent clients in court, except occasionally in smaller cases.
They can work in a wide range of roles and will often specialise in a particular area of law, such as finance, property, or family law. A career as a solicitor can be an excellent choice for students who enjoy doing in-depth research and have good attention to detail.
To become a solicitor in the UK, students need to obtain either a Bachelor of Law Degree (LLB) or an Undergraduate Degree in another area followed by a one-year Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). After this, they must complete a Legal Practice Course. This usually takes one year or two years of part-time study, and involves a mix of compulsory subjects and a choice of specialised electives. Once students have completed the LPC, a solicitor will take a two-year training contract at a law office before becoming fully qualified.
Most of a solicitor’s work is done outside the courtroom
Should University Foundation Students Pursue a Career as a Barrister?
The main role of a barrister is to represent clients in court, presenting their case in front of a judge and arguing on their behalf. They need to be very skilled at public speaking, and able to form arguments and react quickly when new information is presented. Students enrolled in a university foundation program who have experience in debating may be well suited to this path.
Like a solicitor, the first step to becoming a barrister is to obtain either an LLB or GDL qualification. After that, students need to complete the Bar Professional Training Course, a one-year program where they learn specialised skills and take a special exam known as the Bar Course Aptitude Test. If they pass, they can go on to complete a year of professional training known as ‘Pupilage’ to become fully qualified. Pupilage allows them to assist a qualified barrister in their work.
While being a barrister can be very rewarding, students should keep in mind that there are only around 15,000 in the whole of the UK, and it can be a very competitive area to break into.
Choosing the Right University Foundation Subjects for a Law Career
Regardless of which path they are considering, the first step for university preparation school students looking to become lawyers is to choose relevant subjects during their program that will help them gain entry to a top university law program.
CATS allows university foundation students to study three elective modules in addition to their intensive English training. A good combination might be Mathematics, Sociology, and Economics, for instance, although other subjects such as history and business may also be useful to their future law career. The school’s dedicated higher education advisors will offer plenty of support and guidance to help you find the right combination and increase your chances of progression.
law degree uk
This Law degree is taught by the world-leading, research-active academics based in our Law School.
The degree will introduce you to technical legal topics and help you to understand the ways that law shapes society. If you choose to do so, you can, from your second year, opt to specialise in one of our three pathways, after which you will be awarded a named degree:
- Criminal Law and Justice
- Commercial Law
- Human Rights Law
The pathways enable you to pursue your own interests and specialise from an early point in your studies and the in-depth knowledge you’ll gain will help you to stand out from the crowd when applying for graduate roles.
80% of the School’s research was rated as internationally excellent or world leading in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014).
Networking opportunities
We have strong links to Chambers, Law firms and related professions from across the UK, including magic circle firms from London. We usually host a judicial lecture series, alumni visits and lectures, and a Law Fair, which is typically attended by lawyers (including trainees, associates and partners) and members of their recruitment teams. All of this should help you to make professional connections, learn more about their firms, and get a head start on your career in Law.
Our student-run Law Society usually organises a wide range of extracurricular activities including mooting and negotiation competitions (typically judged by barristers and members of the judiciary). In recent years they have organised a Law Ball, sporting fixtures, and a careers dinner. Each event is designed to help you build your peer and employer networks.
Practical experience
Practical experience is important in this degree, with a range of opportunities available. You may be able to take part in our Law Clinic which provides real-world experience of giving free legal advice to members of the local community. Our Miscarriages of Justice Project gives the chance to work on real criminal cases alongside practising lawyers as they support prisoners who maintain their innocence and have exhausted their appeal rights. The Street Law project provides experience in schools and organisations, advising and supporting them on specific areas of law.
If you would like to see how law impacts on countries around the world, you could apply for Study Abroad – extending your degree to four years and spending your third year with one of our highly-regarded partner universities in the US, Europe, Canada and Australia.
If you wish to extend your range of experience, you may be interested in our Placement Year degree or in a volunteer role. Previously we have offered volunteering opportunities with the Citizens Advice Bureau and Lancashire Constabulary’s Special Constables.
We offer a wide range of diverse opportunities and try to ensure that all students can access the opportunities that interest them, however please note that places are limited on some schemes and modules.Virtual Open DayTake five minutes to experience Lancaster’s campus
The Department
- Law
- law@lancaster.ac.uk
Download the course booklet to find out more about Lancaster University, how we teach Law and what you’ll study as a Law student.Law subject guide
Contact hours
The amount of time you spend in lectures, seminars and other learning activities will differ from year to year and vary depending on the module options you choose. These figures are averages from the most recently available data for this course, the academic year 2018-2019, and are based on 1,200 study hours per year. The figures apply to single honours degrees. Joint honours degrees will vary from the percentages below depending on the combinations studied.
Year 1
- 21%Scheduled contact hours
- 79%Independent study
Year 2
- 19%Scheduled contact hours
- 81%Independent study
Year 3
- 18%Scheduled contact hours
- 82%Independent study
Assessment
Most of our degrees use a broad range of assessments methods. These figures are averages based on the most recently collected data for this course, and are given as a guide.
Year 1
- 39%Coursework
- 61%Written exams
Year 2
- 43%Coursework
- 57%Written exams
Year 3
- 49%Coursework
- 51%Written exams
Similar Courses
- Law
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The information on this site relates primarily to 2022/2023 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.
The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.
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