Career Resources for Students

Overview

Whether you decide to continue into further education or enter the world of work, there are a host of options available, including:

Universities & Law Schools

We have listed all of the Universities & Law Schools websites that will give you vital resources to assist you in choosing a place of study.

Vocational Education Opportunities

To become a solicitor, you must first complete the Legal Practice Course (LPC), which will equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to take up a training contract with a firm of solicitors. All institutions validated to run the LPC are listed.

To become a barrister, you will study for the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), which will give you the skills and knowledge to prepare you for the more specialised training undertaken during pupillage (the next step to practising as a barrister). Details of all institutions validated to run the BPTC can be found via the link on the left.

If you don't have a qualifying law degree, you may still pursue a legal career after successfully completing the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Diploma in Law.

Alternatively, you may decide to study for a postgraduate qualification. There are also non-law postgraduate courses available to law graduates. Take a look at our listings for Postgraduate Courses.

Careers and Training

You may decide to follow a non-legal career. Take a look at a list of suggestions of non-legal jobs available to law graduates in Alternative Careers.

We also provide a large selection of useful links to job sites, both legal and non-legal, so that you can look at the opportunities that are available to you.

Online Legal Resources will provide you with access to a number of news resources covering a wide variety of legal topics. You need to maintain your legal awareness, alongside your commercial awareness to succeed. After all, you do want to work in the law.

Finally, you might want to consider a career with LexisNexis. We have been at the forefront of providing legal, tax and regulatory information to law and tax practitioners for almost 200 years. Our company is made up of a smart and curious group of people, who are driven to advance the rule of law.

Universities and Law Schools

The universities page contains links to various university and college web sites on the internet. Where possible, we've linked directly to their law department.

A to B

C to E

F to I

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T to W

Legal Practice Course Providers

The institutions listed below are validated Legal Practice Course providers. Visiting their websites, you will find the contact details and applications procedures that are necessary for you to pursue the LPC. The LPC is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) - for further details and the regulations covering the LPC and other stages on the route to qualification as a solicitor, visit the SRA’s website.

Anglia Law School
Bournemouth University
BPP Law School
Birmingham City University
Cardiff Law School
University of Central Lancashire
City University School of Law
De Montfort University
The University of Law (all branches)
Leeds Beckett University
Liverpool John Moores University
London Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
University of Northumbria at Newcastle
Nottingham Law School
University of Sheffield
University of South Wales
Staffordshire University
University of Sunderland
University of Swansea
University of West London
University of the West of England, Bristol
University of Westminster
University of Wolverhampton

Bar Professional Training Courses

The institutions listed below are validated Bar Professional Training Courses (BPTC) providers. Visiting their websites, you will find out how to apply for the BPTC and who to contact for further information. The BPTC is regulated by the Bar Standards Board - for further details and the regulations covering the BPTC and other stages on the route to qualification as a barrister, visit The Bar Standards Board website.

BPP Law School

University of Law

City University School of Law

Cardiff Law School

University of the West of England at Bristol

Manchester Metropolitan University

University of Northumbria at Newcastle

Nottingham Law School

CPE or Diploma in Law Courses

If you are a graduate without a qualifying law degree, you can undertake the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) to pursue your legal career. After completion, this course enables you to continue to train either as a solicitor or as a barrister.

The institutions below provide the CPE/Diploma in Law - for specific course details, you can access their own websites via the links provided below.

For further information, you can visit the Central Applications Board

Anglia Ruskin University
University of Birmingham
Bournemouth University
University of Central England in Birmingham
University of Central Lancashire
City University
The College of Law
De Montfort University
University of East Anglia
University of Glamorgan
University of Hertfordshire
Holborn College
University of Huddersfield
ILEX Tutorial Services
Keele University
Kingston University
Leeds Metropolitan University
Lincoln University
London Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Middlesex University
University of Northumbria at Newcastle
Nottingham Law School
Oxford Brookes University
South Bank University
Staffordshire University
University of Sussex
University of Wales, Swansea
University of the West of England, Bristol
University of Westminster
University of Wolverhampton

To apply for a FULL-TIME course, you must make your application through the Common Professional Examination/Diploma in Law Courses, Central Applications Board.
PO Box No 84, Guildford, GU3 1YX.
Tel: 01483 451080.

Postgraduate Courses

You may decide that upon graduation, you will pursue a Masters or other degree. There is a huge variety of postgraduate courses available throughout the country.

The links below provide you with details on all the postgraduate courses available throughout the UK and abroad.

Alternative Careers

if you decide that you do not want to practice law or want to know all of the options available, there are other career paths open to you.

A law degree is seen as a valuable asset by many employers. The particular skills you have gained in your studies will make you especially suited to certain careers.

Please take a look at the examples of the possible opportunities for alternative careers below. This is by no means a complete list, so don't feel your choices are restricted to the career paths included in this section.

Barristers' Clerk

You would be responsible for the administration and development of chambers. As a Senior Clerk, you would act as an agent for the barristers; as a First Junior Clerk Assistant Senior Clerk, you will assist the Senior Clerk in their duties and cover in their absence, along with general office duties.

For more information, visit: http://www.barristersclerks.com.

Court Clerk (judicial or legal adviser)

You would advise the non-stipendary magistrates on legal matters, as they will not necessarily be legally qualified. You will answer any of the magistrate's questions, explain to them the procedures of the court and clarify points of law. You will also assist with the paperwork resulting from a case.

For more information, visit: http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/working.htm.

Court Reporter

You will compile the records (word for word) of the proceedings in the court. You will attend a court case and record all that is said using either a computer-aided transcription system or traditional shorthand.

Crown Prosecution Service

You will be dealing with the prosecution of alleged criminal offenders within England and Wales. The CPS prosecutes cases, advises police on possible prosecutions, reviews those prosecutions that the police have began and prepares the cases for court.

For more information, visit: http://www.cps.gov.uk.

Customs' & Excise

As a Customs Officer, you will work at customs posts, ensuring that there is not excess baggage or any smuggled goods in baggage, freight or mail. You will also have a presence in court as an official witness and deal with the documentation of customs. As an Excise Officer, you will check business premises (such as importers premises) to make sure that the appropriate duties are paid, and that the excise regulations are adhered to. You will collate suspect information, deal with enquiries and also prepare reports. As a VAT Assurance Officer, you will provide technical advice to assist local businesses in their accounting for VAT. You will also ensure that they are familiar with the necessary laws in this area. You will also assist the Inland Revenue, the police and the Home Office.

For more information, visit: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk.

European Institutions

You have the opportunity to work for the European Parliament, the Court of Justice and the European Commission.

For more information, visit: http://europa.eu/epso/working/workhome_en.htm.

Home Office

There are many opportunities for you within the Home Office, one of which is providing legal advice on policy development and preparing legislation to take it through Parliament. Applications can be made for a vast range of opportunities within the Home Office.

For more information, visit: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk.

Immigration Service

You will deal will the assessment of the admissibility of people who enter the United Kingdom at seaports, airports and the Channel Tunnel. This will involve interviewing people, dealing with the removal of those who are denied entry to the United Kingdom and also making sure that they only stay for the amount of time permitted.

For more information, visit: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingforus/careerswithind.

In-house Legal Departments

You will be involved with the legal aspects of your company (your employer). The areas of law dealt with will depend upon the legal issues arising within that company, ranging from routine contractual duties and dealing with external solicitors.

For more information, visit: C&I Group.

Inland Revenue

As a Revenue Executive, you will calculate and collect tax and National Insurance contributions of workers. You will also investigate whether the correct amount has been contributed and represent the Inland Revenue in court cases. As a Tax Inspector, you will apply tax legislation to partnerships, individuals, businesses, and companies. Investigating tax evasion, you will also represent the Inland Revenue in court cases.

For more information, visit: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/home.htm.

Law Commission

You will be employed to research projects (as an assistant), concerned with the review and reform of the law. Research will cover historical and legal aspects, and you will also maintain high standards of written material to go before Parliament.

For more information, visit: http://www.lawcom.gov.uk/.

Legal Executives

You will deal with a narrower area of the law than a solicitor, but will conduct similar duties. You will be qualified as a lawyer, and often the specialisms of legal executives will be in the areas of litigation or conveyancing.

For more information, visit: http://www.ilex.org.uk/.

Legal Secretary

You will assist lawyers and legal executives with the daily tasks involved in a law firm. This will include dealing with correspondence and undertaking clerical work. It will sometimes include some contact with clients and attendance at court.

Licensed Conveyancer

You will make investigations into the legal ownership of property and deal with the legal aspects of transferring this property. Sometimes a licensed conveyancer will provide additional advice in the areas of probate and litigation.

For more information, visit: http://www.conveyancer.org.uk/.

Management Consultant

You will have the objective of improving the position of an organisation, their profile, or a particular aspect of the company, (e.g. human resources). You will firstly identify particular problems within the organisation and make recommendations on how to improve the situation.

Outdoor Clerk

Your job will entail the provision of legal assistance to legal aid firms. Duties will range from taking notes from court proceedings, delivering messages, taking witness statements, and being involved in interviews at police stations.

Patent Agent

As a Patent Agent, you will look into the details of inventions, and make investigations to ensure that they are unique. It will also involve the production of detailed specifications of these inventions, and the submission and negotiation of patent applications, along with the provision of legal advice.

For more information, visit: http://www.cipa.org.uk/pages/home.

Paralegal

You will provide administrative and legal assistance for a firm of solicitors. Your duties will range from clerical, to similar duties that would be undertaken by a trainee solicitor.

For more information, visit: http://www.instituteofparalegals.org/.

Police

You could work in the police force in a number of roles that deal with the enforcement of the law. Having a law degree is beneficial to such a career due to the fact that it is a subject that all trainees must study for promotion.

For more information, visit: http://www.policecouldyou.co.uk/.

Publishing

You will undertake editorial tasks or deal with the commissioning of new titles. In the area of legal publishing, books and electronic products will range from those aimed at academia to those that provide legal information for legal professionals.

Tax Consultant

You will be employed to look at the best tax strategies for your client. With the increasing amount of tax legislation, there are a growing number of opportunities in this area.

For more information, visit: http://www.tax.org.uk/.

Teaching

You may want to consider a career in law teaching. If you are thinking of teaching in the further education sector, you are not required to obtain a postgraduate teaching qualification, but it is increasingly useful to have one to gain entry and there are several specialised certificates on offer. For those wishing to teach in the higher education sector, you will find that the majority of entrants have completed a higher degree and some would have obtained a professional law qualification. Research (PhD) students can gain valuable experience in university departments as graduate teaching assistants.

Trade Mark Attorney

You will give assistance in the registration of trademarks and provide advice on how to correctly use these trademarks in advertising, etc., taking into account the needs of your client. You will also provide advice to do with the infringement of trademarks, and assist solicitors and barristers conducting any resulting litigation cases.

For more information, visit: http://www.itma.org.uk/intro/index.htm.

Trading Standards

You will visit businesses, checking that the equipment and practices adhere to the law and regulations that govern the buying and selling of goods and services. Tasks involve checking the accuracy of claims about products, advising both consumers and businesses on the regulations in this area; ensuring the legality of imports, and presenting court cases.

For more information, visit: http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/.

Voluntary Advice Work

You can work as a volunteer for the Citizens Advice Bureau, or for a Law Centre. This has the possibility of leading to training as an advice worker.

For more information, visit: http://www.nacab.org.uk or http://www.lawcentres.org.uk.

Other career options
Of course there are other career options available that you may want to consider including:
Marketing, Journalism, Banking, Financial Services, Accountancy, Retail Management, Human Resources Management, IT and Sales Management.
Further information about the above and other careers can be found by visiting your Careers Office or visit: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXior http://targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-jobs/default.aspx

Job Sites

Whether you are looking for a training contract, searching for the graduate training schemes available or simply want a job right now, it would be great if you could avoid having to spend lots of time searching for the sites you need.

To help you find your perfect job, we've included a selection of useful links below to sites covering both legal and other graduate opportunities.

Good luck with your job hunt!

Legal Job Sites:

Law Careers Advice Network

Legal Totaljobs

Lawyer 2B Careers

General Job Sites:

Prospects

Milkround.com

Graduates Yorkshire

Graduate Recruitment Bureau

Online Legal Resources

Whether you are looking for a training Law Campus provides access to a number of important internet sites covering a wide variety of legal topics. The links below will assist you with legal research, keeping you up to date with the latest developments in the law and providing you with access to a number of legal resources and news.

Legal News

Consilio

Legal Week

Lex 100

The Law Society Gazette

The Lawyer

The New Law Journal

Journals

Journal of Information, Law and Technology

Web Journal of Current Legal Issues

UK Courts and Parliament

Her Majesty's Court Service