ARE you thinking of doing a law degree? Law is one of the most popular courses for both home and international students, yet despite the large number of postgrads there are still good graduate prospects: the starting salary for a British barrister is a decent £25,000 and potentially could reach £1million after 10 years and solicitors training contracts can be £40,000, rising to £90,000 within five years. Beyond the monetary incentives, there is a lot of prestige in being a lawyer and it is a profession that is necessary around the world.
Law is currently the third most popular course for international students studying in the UK and it has consistently been a degree of high appeal. Is the UK the best place for you to study law?
Why chose the UK for Law?
England could be considered the home of law: the British system of ‘common law’ was developed more than 900 years ago and is now recognised around the world. Nearly a third of the world (including countries such as the USA, India, Pakistan and Malaysia) has a legal system based on English common law. Most international business, as well as large commercial arrangements between countries, uses English law for consistency. The UK is therefore a natural destination for anyone wanting to learn and practice law on an international stage.
Extra benefits of studying in England
Internationally recognised degrees
Most universities offer two main options for law studies. The LLB is an undergraduate degree that originated in the UK and is now offered in most countries where the legal system is derived from English common law. The LLM is an internationally-recognised postgraduate degree available in most countries.
If you want to work in your home country or somewhere other than England after graduation, you’ll find that most countries have their own requirements and exams before you can practice within their legal system. Some countries will recognise LLB and LLM degrees from the UK without any conversion, whilst others will require you to convert to their own system by taking an exam.
Studying law at the University of Lincoln
The University of Lincoln Law School has a good reputation and hundreds of opportunities for those interested in studying Law in the UK. They have a strong focus on student-centric learning and staff come from a variety of fields: many of them are ex-barristers and solicitors with professional experience in numerous specialisms.
There are a variety of extra-curricular activities to further practical studies such as Law Clinic, Street Law, Mooting, Masterclasses, and Mentoring. 94% of graduates from the LLB (Hons) Law course at Lincoln are in work or further study within six months of finishing the course. What’s more, the city of Lincoln itself has a strong connection to law history: the castle holds a copy of the famous Magna Carta. Signed in 1215, three of the clauses in this ancient charter still remain part of English common law, including the right to due legal process.
What do you learn?
All law degrees in the UK will teach a mixture of common law, EU law and civil law. Lincoln Law School teaches students the principles of law through subjects such as Law of Contract, Law of Tort, Constitutional Law, European Union Law, Criminal Law, Land Law and Equity and Trusts and Legal Skills. The degrees on offer at Lincoln are:
The University of Lincoln’s degrees are constructed in order to maximise your choice of modules so you can choose to study the areas you are most interested in. The LLB degree in particular offers a wide range of optional modules including, but not limited to:
All Lincoln’s Law courses are taught in a variety of ways, including lectures, seminars and e-seminars. Examinations include traditional unseen papers and pre-released problem questions, while coursework assessment takes the form of assignments, mooting, individual and group presentations and workbooks.
The LLB degrees have the option to study abroad in the second year. This is a great chance to increase cultural and professional mobility and widen future employment opportunities, particularly in EU and international law.
For entry onto the LLB (hons) courses, no specific skills are required and an A Level in Law is not essential. Rather than an exam, an essay or personal statement is used to determine who has the curiosity, energy, interest and enthusiasm for the subject of law and commitment to successful completion of the three year course.
The LLM International Law and LLM International Business Law programmes are ideal for law graduates with a 2:2 honours degree, or those with relevant professional experience, who wish to build on existing knowledge and develop specialist expertise in international law.
Lincoln Law School encourages applications from mature students and will give special individual consideration to those who are in this category and do not meet the standard entry requirements.
This article was written in partnership with University of Lincoln Law School. If you would like to learn more about Lincoln Law School, entry requirements or course content, request more information using the contact form on their profile.
