Non-Law
The Conversion Course for Law
Calling all Non-Law Students!
The current trend in career progression is that one need not necessarily study a particular subject at university to enter into a career in that field. This is truest in the area of law, where close to half of the total candidates applying for training contracts and pupillages each year are those who have not studied law for their undergraduate degree.
Non-law students can become eligible for a career in law once they complete a mandatory conversion course – the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), also known as the Common Professional Examination (CPE).
Course Content
The Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or the Common Professional Examination (CPE) syllabus provides non-law students with a gateway to the realm of legal practice. The course is conducted over a period of one year and covers the fundamental basics of law and practical skills required to perform well in the ensuing professional course and internship programmes.
The Joint Academic Stage Board (JSAB) is the education authority which oversees the content to be covered during the course. It has identified seven fundamental or core areas of law, knowledge of which is invaluable to anyone aspiring to a legal career.
The areas to be covered are: (i) contract law; (ii) tort law; (iii) criminal law; (iv) constitutional & administrative law; (v) European Union law; (vi) land or property law; and (vii) laws of equity & trust.How to begin?
Non-law students who want to be lawyers should begin their quest as early as possible while studying their undergraduate degree.
The four main phases of research and initiation of the application process should follow a schedule, as listed here:
(a) at the beginning of the second year of your degree – collect all information related to law firms, judicial systems & procedure, browse through the websites of various law firms, Law Society, Solicitors’ Regulatory Authority (SRA) and the Bar Council;
(b) in December of the same year – apply for forthcoming vacation placement schemes and mini-pupillages;
(c) early on in the second year of study – apply for summer vacation schemes and mini-pupillages;
(d) Autumn of the final year – begin applying for training contracts with many firms recruiting two years in advance, or follow the schedule for other firms as per their specific timetables.
Those aiming for the Bar should follow the Pupillage Portal schedule, or specific chambers’ schedule for chambers that do not use the Pupillage Portal.
-
Where to study the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) & how to pay for it
There are several institutions across the country providing the approved syllabus for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) course and your choice of institution will depend on several factors. Important considerations must account for location, costs, methods of teaching, practical skills covered and future placements for professional studies such as the Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Bar Vocational Course (BVC).
To give you some reference points, the factors which should figure in your choice of school are: (i) training – methods used, available resources, level of proficiency in practical skills imparted; (ii) costs – whether fees include cost of books and other necessary material, transition methodology for making the conversion in disciplines easier for students; (iii) reputation and standing in the market – how is the school received by contemporaries, are there professional tie-ups with law firms and is there any course content development and upgrades; (iv) career guidance – for those who do not start the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) with a training contract or pupillage in hand, the level of assistance provided in placements, preparation for interviews and tests, etc; (v) provision for Legal Practice Course (LPC) & Bar Vocational Course (BVC) courses, availability of preferred elective subjects, etc.
For the most comprehensive guide on all law schools, go to our Course section to read their individual profiles. No local authority or state education grants are available for the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).
A significant stream of Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) funding is from law firms who offer their trainee solicitors fees and maintenance funds to cover both the LPC and Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).Application process
Application forms are available at the Central Applications Board (CAB) at their website http://www.lawcabs.ac.uk. Completed forms should be submitted during the period between 1 November and 28 February in the year prior to the commencement of the course.
It is advisable to apply as early as possible during this period so that you can get admissions into the best institutions providing the course.
30-09-2009
