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BPP Law School is considered a leading provider for those who wish to study the GDL, BVC or LPC. The school has several branches, in Manchester, London and Leeds. BPP is renowned for its professional image and is generally considered a more commercially focussed provider than its main competitor, the College of Law.

BPP’s reputation has grown considerably during the last few years and many commercial law firms now specify that future trainees complete their studies at a BPP branch. Recent developments for students completing the GDL include the opportunity to convert the GDL to an LLB, by completing several extra modules on a flexible basis.

The Leeds branch of BPP is situated very conveniently in the heart of the city centre, only five minutes walk from the train station. It is part of a modern, glass-fronted office block complex, which reflects its professional and up-market reputation.

Inside the building there is one large lecture theatre, which accommodates for a large number of students. Lectures are delivered on Powerpoint screens and there are even hand held keypads so students can take part in lectures by answering multiple-choice questions.

All equipment appears modern and high-tech and information is usually delivered in a very accessible manner. Other teaching facilities include a number of seminar rooms for various functions. Amongst these rooms there is a mock courtroom, allowing BVC students to practice their advocacy skills whenever they wish.

Whilst the library appears quite small it is very well equipped and contains textbooks, journals and articles on almost every area of law. All the major textbooks have copies that cannot be checked out, so it would be very unusual for a student to be unable to find the particular text they were looking for.

The library holds many of the published Law Reports and even has a collection of newspapers holding valuable legal information. The library is divided into three sections: the silent study area, a computer cluster, and larger tables where groups can study together. It is very unusual for the computer clusters to be completely full and the atmosphere is often relaxed and focussed.

The library always provides a copy of the daily broadsheets including The Times, The Guardian and The Independent. There are also numerous copies of the FT available to take away for free. The library holds numerous law publications such as The Lawyer, which is particularly useful when conducting research in preparation for a training contract interview.

The main social area is the café, which also has a pool table and some sofas. The café provides a good range of refreshments, the only criticism being that it is quite overpriced. There is usually enough room for everyone to sit down, although at peak times it can become slightly overcrowded. There are also several computers located in the café.

For the GDL, classes are divided into six tutorial groups of around fifteen students. Each tutorial group is assigned a personal tutor who acts as their mentor throughout the year and can also act as referee for job references. Teaching for the GDL spans the seven core modules a student would have to undertake during their law degree: Contract, Tort, Land, Equity and Trusts, Criminal, Constitutional and Administrative and EU law.

There is one tutor assigned to each subject and they conduct both lectures and tutorials. The standard of teaching is very high, as all tutors are former practitioners and can always explain legal principles in a practical way. During the week there would be one lecture and one tutorial in each of the core subjects, with the exception of EU, which is taught fortnightly.

Whilst this may not appear to constitute that much contact time, each tutorial required considerable preparation, which would normally include a chapter of BPP’s Manual, as well as practicing a problem question which later appears in the end of year exams.

Students can also study optional extra modules including Human Rights and International Law, Evidence and Forensics, and Law in the City. These modules do not require much extra work, they do not count towards your final grade and would generally only take up six lectures during the year.

Leeds city centre is a very lively, vibrant place with plenty to do and see. The nightlife is second to none, with a great range of bars and clubs to suit anyone’s taste. Leeds is also renowned for its shopping, as it has all the major high street chains, a Harvey Nicholls and vintage shops in and around the famous Corn Exchange.

There are also three excellent theatres: The Grand, the Carriageworks Theatre and the West Yorkshire Playhouse to suit a range of theatrical tastes. Leeds is a fun, busy city but it is important to have your wits about you, as petty crime is quite common.

The cost of the GDL in Leeds is £6,500, which makes it one of the most expensive providers in the country. However it is important to remember that this fee does cover all the books you receive, including a textbook, casebook and statute book for each subject.

Students are provided with a comprehensive manual for each subject, which condenses all the essential knowledge you need in one place. You are also provided with a free memory stick, which provides you with electronic versions of BPP manuals and all the necessary lecture slides.

The cost of living in Leeds is relatively cheap, as it is widely regarded as a university town. There are always good deals on for drinks and meals and in certain areas rent can be as low as £55 per week.

The social scene at BPP is quite active and you can be involved as much or as little as you want to. It is largely up to the students themselves to organise nights out but this does tend to happen quite regularly. There is always a ball in December and an end of year ball in July.

There is a range of sporting clubs including long distance running, netball and football. There are also regular mooting competitions throughout the year so students can practice their advocacy skills.

As the law school is situated in the heart of the city there are lots of clubs and pubs to choose from, on Greek Street or Call Lane. The only downside is that these areas can be slightly more expensive than the more student dominated areas of Hyde Park and Headingley.

There is an excellent careers service situated next to the library and they can provide you with support for applications for internships/pupillages/training contracts. Students can make an appointment with a careers advisor to seek advice on their application or even to experience a mock interview, which is extremely useful.

The careers service provides templates for cover letters and CVs and even provides examples of psychometric tests, which are increasingly used by the major law firms.