LLM Legal Practice Course

The course is delivered through a mixture of large group sessions (where the whole student cohort is taught together), small group sessions (typically comprising 15-20 students), online video presentations and exercises, in-class role-playing and directed independent study.

The LPC is designed to give students a strong foundation for general legal practice. Therefore, equal weight is given to the core practice areas of Business Law and Practice, Property Law and Practice and Litigation.

Vocational Electives are provided at Stage 2 of the course. The choice of electives offered provides a balance between 'High Street' private client and “Commercial” areas of practice.

The course can be studied full-time in the day or part-time day or evening basis (with occasional Saturday attendance) to meet students’ individual needs.

Students are provided with textbooks and practice-based materials for each element of the course.

LPC students have a specially designated resources room with access to practitioner texts and reference materials. You will also have access to on-line practitioner reference materials and resources, such as precedents, statutes and legal databases.

Students are supported in their search for employment with a dedicated Careers Tutor and a number of initiatives throughout the academic year. We have strong links with both local and national firms and are engaged with the local legal community. LPC students will have the opportunity to participate in Mentoring Schemes, to attend the University’s Law Careers Fair and to attend practitioner presentations and workshops.

You can apply and develop your legal knowledge and skills by volunteering as a student legal adviser in the University's acclaimed Legal Advice Centre, assisting members of the public with legal queries.

Our LPC has excellent academic staff and course teams who will make every effort to ensure that each student gets the support they need.

The addition of a Masters’ level dissertation will give students the opportunity to obtain a higher level, Masters’ degree, qualification and gain specialised knowledge and insight into an area of law relevant to their intended legal practice.

The Learning Outcomes of the Legal Practice Course are stipulated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA) in the Legal Practice Course Outcomes 2011, available on the SRA website.

At the end of the course, successful students should be able, under appropriate supervision, to:

1. Research and apply knowledge of the law and legal practice accurately and effectively; 

1. Identify the client's objectives and different means of achieving those objectives and be aware of the financial, commercial and personal priorities and constraints to be taken into account the costs, benefits and risks involved in transactions or courses of action;

1. Perform the tasks required to advance transactions or matters;

1. Understand the key ethical requirements contained in the SRA Principles of Regulation and Code of Conduct, understand where these may impact and be able to apply them in context;

1. Demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in the areas of:
   1. Professional Conduct and Regulation;
   2. The core practice areas of Business Law and Practice, Property Law and Practice, Litigation and the areas of wills and administration of estates and taxation; and
   3. The course skills of Practical Legal Research, Writing, Drafting, Interviewing and Advising, and Advocacy.

            Students should also be able to transfer skills learnt in one context to another;

1. Demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in the three areas covered by their choice of electives, and

1. Reflect on their learning and identify their learning needs

In addition, by completing the Masters’ level dissertation, students will:

8a. Demonstrate knowledge and the ability to critically analyse a range of essential legal topics to enhance their understanding of contemporary legal issues and the inter relationship between law and social co-existence;

8b. Demonstrate critical awareness of current problems and developments in highly relevant areas of national or international legal interest;

8c. Demonstrate self-direction, independent learning, and originality in tackling, solving and furthering their autonomy in the study of complex legal themes;

8d. Use a range of specialist and transferable skills enabling them to maximise employment opportunities in circumstances requiring sound judgement and personal responsibility; and

8e. Undertake research based on an understanding of research methodologies and advanced scholarship.

These fees relate to new entrants only for the academic year indicated for entry onto the course, any subsequent years study may be subject to an annual increase, usually in line with inflation.

Under the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (as amended) the Law Society (now Solicitors’ Regulation Authority) and Bar Council are responsible for laying down the qualification regulations in respect of those seeking to qualify as solicitors and barristers. The Solicitors’ Regulation Authority and Bar Council have agreed to act jointly in respect of the first or academic stage of training where that stage is satisfied by the completion of a qualifying law degree or approved Common Professional Examination course. The conditions are set out within the amended 1995 Joint Announcement issued by the Law Society and the Council of Legal Education relating to Qualifying Law Degree and Common Professional Examinations and require requisite understanding of the Foundations of Legal Knowledge.

No student will be admitted to the Legal Practice Course unless the University is satisfied that he or she has satisfied the academic stage of training.

Whilst the SRA no longer requires students to register as Student Members of the SRA prior to commencement of the Legal Practice Course, students are advised that the SRA will assess the character and suitability of all individuals before they start a period of recognised training. The details of this Suitability Test are available on the SRA website. Students may wish to have an early assessment if there is a risk that they may not later qualify for admission on the grounds of an issue of character and suitability. This must be sought at least six months before a period of recognised training commences and there is a fee (£100 in March 2015) for doing so.

Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)

The qualifying law degree is recognised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) for the purposes of satisfying the academic stage of training.

Postgraduate Loan (Home Fee Status):

You may be able to get a postgraduate student loan from Student Finance England of up to £12,167 to help pay for a Master’s degree. Applications are made through Student Finance England and more information on the regulations and eligibility criteria can be found at Masters Loans gov.uk.

* Any RPL will invalidate your eligibility as you must study a minimum of 180 credits

Changes for EU students:

The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as Overseas (International) students for fee purposes. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:

EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) click here.

Postgraduate Loyalty Discount:

You can get 20% discount on a taught on-site postgraduate course if you’re a University of Wolverhampton Graduate.

The University offers a generous 20% Loyalty Discount to students progressing from an undergraduate programme to a taught postgraduate programme, where both courses are University of Wolverhampton Awards.

There is no time limit on how long ago you completed your degree as long as this is your first Masters level qualification.

The discount applies to the first year of enrolment only. Students who receive a loyalty discount are not entitled to any further tuition discount or bursary. For full terms and conditions click here.

Self-funded:

If you are paying for the fees yourself then the fees can be paid in 3 instalments: November, January and April. More information can be found by clicking here.

Sponsored - Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

Your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.

Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.

Charitable Funding:

You might also want to explore the possibility of funding from charitable trusts; please see the following websites Association of Charitable Foundations, Directory of Social Change or Family Action. Most charities and trust funds offer limited bursaries targeted to specific groups of students so you will need to research whether any of them are relevant to your situation.

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

Order a prospectus