Legal education: Why a specialist law university may be the best route for students aiming for a legal career

Close connections with employers means that the programmes are in tune with what the big law firms need says Amy McLellan

To the uninitiated, the path to becoming a lawyer crosses a bewildering landscape of acronyms: LLB or GDL, LPC or BPTC. Added to this, would-be lawyers must also get to grips with the different institutions that provide these qualifications. This can either be through the law department of a traditional university or via a specialist law university. There are also earn-as-you-learn options, such as working up through the Chartered Legal Executive pathway.

Specialist law universities are a good choice for those with a keen eye on their future career. They have very close connections with employers, enabling them to offer programmes that are in tune with the needs of the big law firms. BPP University Law School, for example, which has two campuses in London and six elsewhere in major cities across the UK, has exclusive agreements with 55 top law firms, which send all their trainees to it for their legal training.

These programmes are taught by experienced practitioners

&#13; <p>Peter Crisp, Dean and CEO of BPP University Law School</p>&#13;

“We work very closely with employers to tailor courses that meet their needs,” explains Peter Crisp, Dean and CEO of BPP University Law School.

This will include modules on M&A, debt finance, equity finance, insurance and private client to ensure budding lawyers have the insight and expertise to meet the needs of big City firms operating in the heart of the world's international financial centre. These programmes are taught by experienced practitioners, both solicitors and barristers. “It really makes a difference,” says Crisp.

For such a fiercely competitive profession, this difference can be telling when it comes to landing a coveted training contract or pupillage. Indeed, BPP's big rival, the University of Law, is so confident in the employability of its graduates that it offers students half their fees back if they are not employed or on a training contract within nine months: it claims an impressive 97 per cent of its LPC graduates are employed within this time.

Billy Sexton, project manager at AllAboutLaw.co.uk, a one-stop shop for those planning a career in law, recommends students also check out extra-curricular activities, which can deliver an edge in a crowded market.

“Pro bono opportunities are available at all universities, but tend to be in greater volume at specialist law universities,” he says. “Pro bono is invaluable to an aspiring lawyer and allows them to carry out real life legal work whilst still at university.”

BPP, for example, has an award-winning pro bono centre covering family law, school exclusions and human rights, as well as a legal literacy project, while the University of Law offers over 3,600 pro bono opportunities annually. It's an opportunity for students to gain real-life experience that will stretch their skills and add weight to their CV, while also providing much-needed help to members of the community who may not otherwise have access to legal services.