Law Conversion Course
Discussion
Just fishing around for possible career options and from my gap year work (in a Barristers chambers) I think that a lawyer would be quite a nice option for me. There is no way that I would be able to get a pupilage in a decent set of chambers so I don't think I will bother with that option and aim for a solicitor. I will have graduated with a BA in Geography so will have to do a Law Conversion Course. I know there are lawyers on here so....
What costs can I expect?
Where are the good courses?
Got any tips?
Ben
What costs can I expect?
Where are the good courses?
Got any tips?
Ben
you missed the first deadline for the main law conversion courses, but there is a secondary deadline - www.lawcabs.ac.uk failing that you can apply to individual universities which have varying deadlines. from what ive seen tuition costs tend be around £6500 in london and £5500 elsewhere
nottingham law school is up there as one of the best, cardiff is too i think.
nottingham law school is up there as one of the best, cardiff is too i think.
Like Paulhol says, IIRC tuition costs are around the £6,000 mark. Don't forget that if you go on to do the LPC (mandatory if you do want to become a solicitor), IIRC that will be another £6,000.
And please don't join the profession because you think it's a 'nice option'. To be working in the top flight, you will be bled dry. For four years I worked nothing short of 75 hours a week, sometimes over. It's bloody hard work, and it doesn't change anymore when you hit partnership.
Every year applications far exceed places, and every year that gap increases. I'm not sure how it compares to getting into a 'decent set', but muck fee, places for training contracts in the top 20 UK firms are very, very tight.
Not wanting to piss on your chips, old boy. But it's a bloody difficult job to get and to do; just make sure you go in with your eyes wide open...
ETA:
Just checked your profile - see you're an Aber lad. Good man! I was there 1997-2000
Is Andy Campbell still lecturing there? While I was there he was practicing and lecturing; might be worth introducing yourself and asking for some advice - he's a top chap!
>> Edited by Nuggs on Wednesday 22 February 14:37
And please don't join the profession because you think it's a 'nice option'. To be working in the top flight, you will be bled dry. For four years I worked nothing short of 75 hours a week, sometimes over. It's bloody hard work, and it doesn't change anymore when you hit partnership.
Every year applications far exceed places, and every year that gap increases. I'm not sure how it compares to getting into a 'decent set', but muck fee, places for training contracts in the top 20 UK firms are very, very tight.
Not wanting to piss on your chips, old boy. But it's a bloody difficult job to get and to do; just make sure you go in with your eyes wide open...
ETA:
Just checked your profile - see you're an Aber lad. Good man! I was there 1997-2000
Is Andy Campbell still lecturing there? While I was there he was practicing and lecturing; might be worth introducing yourself and asking for some advice - he's a top chap!
>> Edited by Nuggs on Wednesday 22 February 14:37
Nuggs said:
Like Paulhol says, IIRC tuition costs are around the £6,000 mark. Don't forget that if you go on to do the LPC (mandatory if you do want to become a solicitor), IIRC that will be another £6,000.
Just checked your profile - see you're an Aber lad. Good man! I was there 1997-2000
>> Edited by Nuggs on Wednesday 22 February 14:34
I didn't mean nice as in nice, but as in a good career with good (financial) rewards. I am under no illusions as to the amount of hours that lawyers work. I worked in one of the top sets in London and know how many hours are put in my everyone involved
. As I think I said, I'm jus exploring options 
at the moment and am planning to have a year out after I gradtuate so can think about it some more. Yeah, Aber is pretty good, glad I came here, the people are great and I love the views, finding it a bit limited now though, looking forward to graduating. I'll look up Andy Chapman, thanks for the tip!
Ben
>> Edited by ywouldi on Wednesday 22 February 14:39
>> Edited by ywouldi on Wednesday 22 February 14:41
Nuggs said:
Like Paulhol says, IIRC tuition costs are around the £6,000 mark. Don't forget that if you go on to do the LPC (mandatory if you do want to become a solicitor), IIRC that will be another £6,000.
And please don't join the profession because you think it's a 'nice option'. To be working in the top flight, you will be bled dry. For four years I worked nothing short of 75 hours a week, sometimes over. It's bloody hard work, and it doesn't change anymore when you hit partnership.
Every year applications far exceed places, and every year that gap increases. I'm not sure how it compares to getting into a 'decent set', but muck fee, places for training contracts in the top 20 UK firms are very, very tight.
Not wanting to piss on your chips, old boy. But it's a bloody difficult job to get and to do; just make sure you go in with your eyes wide open...
ETA:
Just checked your profile - see you're an Aber lad. Good man! I was there 1997-2000
Is Andy Campbell still lecturing there? While I was there he was practicing and lecturing; might be worth introducing yourself and asking for some advice - he's a top chap!
>> Edited by Nuggs on Wednesday 22 February 14:37
My very intelligent brother did a History degree at Warwick, followed by a gap year, followed by the conversion course, followed by the LPC, followed by articles.
He was 27 before he qualified and was up to his eyeballs in debt. He went to work for a large practice and after another couple of years became a team leader. He was heading a team of 15 (or so people) and responsible for their budget. He was still only being paid about 30k. This is a pants figure compared with the effort put in and the hours worked.
He got so disillusioned that he quit and bought a gym. (He has always been a fitness junkie). That didn't work either so he left his first wife and married a rich bird he first met at Warwick Uni.
There is a moral in the tale somewhere...........
Good luck anyhow.
>> Edited by Tuska on Wednesday 22 February 15:13
shnozz said:
I would be more concerned about the prospect of a career in law.
You are of course, quite right.
However, whenever I read stuff like "converting" something into a law degree, - and im sat here pondering the pros and cons of the effect of the judgement in the Dacas V Brook Street case on temps, it unfortunatly does leads me to scratch my head sometimes...
princeperch said:
Nuggs, College of Law Tuition fees are £8995 this year, + £100 to join the Law Society 
They will also have scrapped lectures totally within 2 years in favour of "I-Tutorials".
Ive just sent of a cheque for £80 to join - its what theyve asked for..
So it is, I've filled in the form but haven't sent it off yet.
Muncher said:
£9k buys you lots of these:
www.college-of-law.co.uk/itutorial/webcast/index.htm
What a crock of shit - I could buy a bloody course of books for a lot less that 9k and still get the same result
princeperch said:
I would be more concerned about the prospect of a career in law.
You are of course, quite right.
However, whenever I read stuff like "converting" something into a law degree, - and im sat here pondering the pros and cons of the effect of the judgement in the Dacas V Brook Street case on temps, it unfortunatly does leads me to scratch my head sometimes...
As I understand it (and I am by no means saying this is the same for my case), having a degree and experience in a field other than law is useful if someone wants to specialise in a certain area. For instance, out of something like 25 Barristers in the set I worked for, only 1 or 2 had a law degree, the rest had engineering degrees or such like and usually a lot of experience in the relevant field before moving into the technical side of the law (design rights, patents, copyrights etc). Obviously a law degreee is applicable to most areas of law but if someone wants specialise then it is advanatgeous to have a degree other than a law one.
Ben
ywouldi said:
I would be more concerned about the prospect of a career in law.
You are of course, quite right.
However, whenever I read stuff like "converting" something into a law degree, - and im sat here pondering the pros and cons of the effect of the judgement in the Dacas V Brook Street case on temps, it unfortunatly does leads me to scratch my head sometimes...
As I understand it (and I am by no means saying this is the same for my case), having a degree and experience in a field other than law is useful if someone wants to specialise in a certain area. For instance, out of something like 25 Barristers in the set I worked for, only 1 or 2 had a law degree, the rest had engineering degrees or such like and usually a lot of experience in the relevant field before moving into the technical side of the law (design rights, patents, copyrights etc). Obviously a law degreee is applicable to most areas of law but if someone wants specialise then it is advanatgeous to have a degree other than a law one.
Ben
No, you are quite correct in what you say, most of the solicitors I have met do not hold a straight law degree.
The point I was trying to make, and obviously not very well, is that most of the stuff you have to do in an LLB is about as fun as eating glass - hence why I frequently find myself scratching my head...
Nottingham Law School (Nottingham Trent Uni) is probably the best school in the country. When I was there, it was the only law school to consistently score 'excellents' in each part of the assessment. Obviously, the standard can have only risen since I left.
Don't know about the conversion course, but my LPC as a 2 year part time attendance course was around the £10k mark.
Don't know about the conversion course, but my LPC as a 2 year part time attendance course was around the £10k mark.
J1mmyD said:
Nottingham Law School (Nottingham Trent Uni) is probably the best school in the country. When I was there, it was the only law school to consistently score 'excellents' in each part of the assessment. Obviously, the standard can have only risen since I left.
Don't know about the conversion course, but my LPC as a 2 year part time attendance course was around the £10k mark.
cough/ bollax/ cough Guildford I would humbly submit My Lord is the best. Although I did the hard as nails Law Society's Finals not this new fangled LPC easy pie use your books assessment course.
Also did a staight law degree for my sins as well. Do I work in law, Hahahaha hahah hahahahahhaha ahhahahahahahah hahahaha pull the other one, did many years ago, but not now, plenty of other jobs to earn earn more money and have more fun in. Wife also qualified but now works for me/ us in our own business.
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