Legal Practice Course LLM/PGDip/PGCert

Postgraduate taught degree

This course is for 2022/23 entry.

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Key information

Gain excellent preparation for professional legal practice through our Postgraduate Diploma. You will experience working life as a trainee solicitor by processing client files and performing tasks relating to case studies, giving you a strong foundation for a career in law.

Start date

September 2022

Institution

City, University of London

Course codes

LALMLPM01
LAPDLPM01
LACTLPO01

Location

Northampton Square

Course overview
Structure
Teaching and assessment
Fees and funding
Career
How to apply

Course overview

Benefits of this course

You will learn by working on a series of client files similar to cases handled by a solicitor’s office. Our expert staff guide you through different tasks that need to be undertaken to advance a case.

Our legal practice course will give you skills in drafting legal documents, preparing letters of advice, interviewing clients and delivering submissions in court.

You will be taught at master's level while focusing primarily on practice.

Awards

You can select to apply for one of the available exit points for this course.

Master of Laws (LLM)

Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)

Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable if you want to become a solicitor in any area of law. It can form part of your training to be eligible for admission to the Roll of Solicitors of England and Wales.

You will have completed a qualifying law degree or a non-law degree, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Law.

Solicitors Qualifying Exam

In autumn 2021, a new route to qualifying as a solicitor of England and Wales will be introduced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA): The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

The new SQE route no longer requires you to have a qualifying law degree – rather you are to hold a degree or equivalent qualification.

Visit the Solicitors Qualifying Exam webpage at City.

Structure

Awards

You can select to apply for one of the three available exit points for this course.

Master of Laws (LLM)

Duration:

Full-time: 1 year (September – September)

Total credits: 180

Modules:

Core modules: 11

Optional modules: 3

Plus dissertation.

Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)

Duration:

Full-time: 10 months (September – June)

Total credits: 150

Modules:

Core modules: 11

Optional modules: 3

The Postgraduate Diploma forms Stages One and Two of the full LPC.

Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)

Duration:

Full-time: 6 months (September – February)

Total credits: 120

Modules:

Core modules: 11

The Postgraduate Certificate forms Stage One of the full LPC.

Modules

The legal practice course begins in September with an Induction Week, introducing the programme. Lectures for some of the core modules will also be delivered during Induction Week. The course is then divided into two stages:

In the first stage (September to February) you will study the core modules. During this stage, you will normally attend four days a week, with two or three one-and-half-hour sessions a day amounting to a total of 12 to 15 hours a week.
In the second stage (March to June) you will study three elective modules. Your timetable will depend on the electives that you choose. You will have approximately 12 to 15 hours of classes a week, timetabled over four days.

If you choose to complete the LLM, you will be required to write a dissertation. You will be required to start your research during the year and then write the dissertation for submission in September.

Core modules

Business Law & Practice (25 credits)

This module will provide you with a practice-based knowledge and understanding of the nature of business law and practice (BLP), including of business structures and the transactions required to create and modify them. This will include areas of insolvency law and taxation.
Property Law & Practice (25 credits)

LSM102 This module will provide you with a practice-based knowledge and understanding of the legal, practical and procedural steps and issues relevant to property transactions.
Litigation (25 credits)

This module will provide you with a practice-based knowledge and understanding of the nature of civil and criminal litigation and enable you to identify and take the critical steps in the litigation process.
Drafting (5 credits)

This module will provide you with the knowledge and practice of the techniques commonly used in legal drafting, based on legal professional practice, and to enable you to develop the skills required to meet the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority’s standards in this area.
Writing (5 credits)

This module will provide you with appropriate knowledge and understanding of the techniques commonly used in legal writing, in order to fulfil the Solicitors Regulatory Authority requirement that you should be able to formulate and present a coherent piece of writing.
Advocacy (5 credits)

This module will provide you with appropriate knowledge and understanding of the techniques used in advocacy. You will develop an understanding of the role of an advocate and will also supplement your knowledge of the court and tribunal systems.
Wills & Administration of Estates (5 credits)

This module will provide you with an overview of the content, format and validity of wills, of obtaining grants of representation and administration of an estate and you will become familiar with the purpose and general structure of the relevant documents.
Professional Conduct & Regulation (5 credits)

This module will ensure you have proper knowledge of the relevant Solicitors' Conduct, the fundamental principles of the application of the Solicitors Financial Services (Scope) Rules 2001, The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and the Bribery Act 2010.
Solicitors’ Accounts (10 credits)

In this module, you will gain sufficient knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules 2011 and learn how to apply this to the handling of client and office monies.
Interviewing & Advising (5 credits)

This module will provide you with the appropriate knowledge and practice of the techniques needed to conduct an effective interview, including identifying a client's goals, gathering relevant information and giving appropriate advice.
Practical Legal Research (5 credits)

This module will provide you with the appropriate knowledge and practice of the techniques used in legal research, informed by insights from professional legal practice. You will carry out research tasks based on a number of client files and factual scenarios.

Elective modules

Dissertation

Dissertation (30 credits)

This is a practice-focussed dissertation, of between 7,500-10,000 words. This will provide the opportunity to develop your professional knowledge and skills in a topic within one of the LPC Core Practice or Elective subject areas.

Programme specification

The programme specification contains more information on how the course is organised, the requirements for progression for each part and credits required for awards.

Download course specification:

LAPLPM-LPC-with-LLM-Programme-Specification.pdf

Teaching and assessment

You will learn at master’s level throughout this course, which fully meets the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Legal Practice Outcomes requirements.

We give you a strong level of support through our tutors, all of whom are solicitors and some of whom have been partners at their previous firms. They are supported other practitioners and visiting academics.

During workshops you will normally be in a group of 16, which splits in two for the oral skills’ sessions.

If you take the LLM in Legal Practice, classes taken on the LPC provide the taught element of the course. To complete your studies and be awarded the LLM in Legal Practice, you will produce a dissertation of between 7,500 and 10,000 words.

Our assessments are open book and test your application of the law rather than your memory.

Fees and funding

Fees for academic year 2022/23

Master of Laws (LLM)

Full-time per year
UK: £15,350

Overseas/EU: £15,350

Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip)

Full-time per year
UK: £15,350

Overseas/EU: £15,350

Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)

Full-time per year
UK: £11,190

Overseas/EU: £11,190

Funding

Explore up-to-date information about funding options, available financial support and typical living costs.

Future Finance Loans

Future Finance offers students loans of between £2,500 and £40,000 to help cover tuition fees and living expenses. All students and courses are considered. All loans are subject to credit checks and approval. For further details visit the Future Finance website.

UK Postgraduate Loans

UK students who choose to take the LLM route will be eligible for the government’s Postgraduate Loan. The Postgraduate Diploma (LPC) alone is not eligible for this funding. Students who obtain such a loan will need to complete the full programme (they will not be able to switch to the PGDip route) or they may breach the terms of their loan agreement.

10% Loyalty Discount

If you have already completed a course at The City Law School you will be eligible for the 10% loyalty discount. All you need to do is meet the minimum entry requirements for your second course and we will automatically take 10% off of your tuition fees. This is available to students who have previously completed the BVC/BPTC with us and choose to take the LPC with Accreditation of Prior Learning.

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses.

Career

We will prepare you for working life as a trainee solicitor.

Although you may not have a training contract when you start the course, we can help you to find one during it. You can access our Training Contract Advisory Service (TCAS) as soon as you accept your place on the course.

Our range of support has helped graduates into City and high-street firms in London and far beyond.

Our graduates have progressed to work for organisations across many sectors.

Gain experience

Pro bono is an opportunity to use your time and knowledge to provide legal advice to those who may otherwise not have access to such services. It provides you with invaluable experience and a chance to develop your legal skills further. Our award-winning Pro Bono Unit offers a wide range of opportunities to get involved in pro bono work.

The City Law School offers a mentoring scheme for LPC students to give students the opportunity to apply to be matched with a mentor who is a practising legal professional. Our scheme matches students with knowledgeable mentors who can support your professional development.

How to apply

Entry requirements

UK

The LPC is a postgraduate course with entry requirements prescribed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Most students will have a UK honours degree in law. Normally a strong second-class degree is the minimum standard required. However, it is possible to apply with a degree in another subject and a further qualification in law, such as the Graduate Diploma in Law. The SRA can advise on non-standard qualifications.

In considering your application, we will take the following into account:

Academic profile and achievement
Strength of personal reasons for wishing to take the course
Evidence of your motivation to become a solicitor (work experience, training contract applications, etc).

Students who have passed the BVC or BPTC in the last five years will be able to accredit their prior learning and so will only have to take certain elements of the course. Please contact us if you want to know more about this option.

You should be aware that before you qualify as a solicitor you will have to undergo a character and suitability test for the SRA. The SRA will review your position if you have any convictions, had financial problems, such as a County Court Judgment against you or been involved in assessment offences.

If you have been affected by such matters, you should contact the SRA. Find further information on the test on the SRA website.

English language requirements

If you did not complete your degree within the United Kingdom, you will have to have an IELTS score of seven with no score less than six in any element of the assessment.

We are also currently accepting the TOEFL IBT Special Home Edition. We require a score of 25 in Speaking and at least 24 in every other component of the test.

Application process

We accept applications up until one week before the course begins (or until the course is full, whichever comes first), though it should be noted the deadline for our scholarship scheme is in June. You should allow time to obtain a reference which is required to support your application.

If you apply for both stages of the programme, offers made will be for both the Postgraduate Diploma and the LLM. You will be required to select which route you intend to study when you accept your offer.

All applications must be made through the Central Applications Board, which can be accessed through the link below.

Apply now

September 2022 entry

Contact the postgraduate team

Email: lpcadmissions@city.ac.uk

Our academics

Your studies are supported by a team of committed and enthusiastic teachers and researchers, experts in their chosen field. On occasion we also work with external professionals to enhance your learning and appreciation of the wider subject.