Win our competition and pay for your studies

Students have the chance of winning a scholarship to study for a career in the law, thanks to an essay competition that will be formally announced today at the start of the two-day Graduate Law Fair, sponsored by The Independent and the College of Law.

This initiative forms a central part of the college's Graduate Law Week campaign, "Action on Access to Legal Education and the Profession". It comes as both branches of the legal profession face enormous challenges and pressures. These include:

increasing competition between the two branches of the profession, from clients and from other professions, and a tough global market-place;

the challenge and threats posed by the information superhighway;

public policy issues, such as public funding of legal aid, the decline in the influence of professional bodies, and the cost of education and training.

Just at a time when the profession needs to attract entrants from a wide background, significant barriers to access have developed, including a decline in discretionary grants, spiralling costs of university education, and a threat to extend the length, and therefore cost, of the graduate conversion course.

Therefore, the essay competition will have the title "Breaking Down the Barriers". How can we encourage, and make it easier for, people who can respond to the challenges of the law in the 21st century, to enter the profession? What are the main barriers to entry, and how can we make changes to the educational and professional infrastructure that will restore access?

We invite entries from law undergraduates and students on the Graduate Conversion Course (CPE) beginning their vocational training as solicitors or barristers at the College of Law in autumn 1997.

A panel of distinguished judges, chaired by Nigel Savage, chief executive of the College of Law, will select the winning entry, which will be published in The Independent. The College of Law Scholarship will cover the cost of fees either on the Legal Practice Course at one of its branches in London, Guildford, Chester or York, or on the College Bar Vocational Course at its central London Bar School.

Further information, details of the rules and competition entry forms are available from the College of Law Action on Access Campaign Essay Competition, Brabouef Manor, St Catherine's, Guildford GU3 IHA (01483 460200). Fax: 01483 460305; e-mail sas@lawcol.org.uk.n