Award
LPC
Start date(s)
16 September 2024
UCAS Code
Course specifications
Course length
Full-time (9 months)
Campus location
Wolverhampton City Campus
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

The Legal Practice course (LPC) aims to prepare you for practice as a trainee solicitor and to provide you with a solid foundation for subsequent practice as a solicitor.

This course, which can be studied full-time or part-time, is a key part of the vocational stage of training to become a solicitor for graduates or Members or Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives who have completed the academic stage of legal training. Students will receive a Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Practice upon successful completion of Stage One only. Students that complete both Stage One and Stage Two will be completed with the full award of Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice.
 
The course emphasises and develops the skills which are required for a successful career in practice, and it must be successfully completed prior to the commencement of a training contract.

Read more about Law at the University of Wolverhampton.

 

What happens on the course?

At Wolverhampton Law School the LPC is structured to cater for students who wish to enter either general or commercial practice.

During Stage 1, which runs from September to February, you will study the core practice areas whilst developing key legal skills you will need in practice. You will then choose three of a range of elective subjects, either linked to your chosen career path or to keep your options open, during Stage 2 from March to June.

 

September start (full-time)

Stage 1 Compulsory modules:

7LW054 Business Law and Practice

7LW059 Property Law and Practice

7LW060 Litigation (Civil and Criminal)

7LW053 Solicitors' Accounts

7LW062 Professional Conduct and Regulation

7LW045 Advocacy

 

Legal Skills:

7LW047 Drafting

7LW050 Interviewing and Advising

7LW052 Practical Legal Research

7LW061 Probate and Writing

 

Stage 2 Electives Students must select 3 of the 8 optional modules  

 

7LW055 Commercial Law

7LW046 Commercial Property Law

7LW056 Employment Law and Practice

7LW048 Family Law and Practice

7LW057 Housing Law and Practice

7LW049 Immigration and Welfare Law

7LW058 Insolvency Law and Practice

7LW051 Personal Injury Litigation

 

Monday

10.00 – 13.00

Business Law and Practice (7LW054)

14.00 – 16.00

Solicitors’ Accounts (7LW053)

Tuesday

10.00 – 13.00

Property Law and Practice (7LW059)

14.00 – 16.00

Skills Session

Wednesday

10.00 – 11.30

Probate and Writing (7LW061)

13.00 – 16.00

Litigation (Civil and Criminal) (7LW060)

 

PART TIME - Year 1 Stage 1 

Monday

18.00 – 21.00

Property Law and Practice (7LW059)

Wednesday

18.00 – 21.00

Litigation (Civil and Criminal) (7LW060)

Saturday

9.00 – 13.00

Skills tutorials

 

* There will be five Skills Assessments and the Solicitors’ Accounts Exam during Stage 1. These, together with a mock assessment opportunity are usually held on Fridays.

(Please note that the timetable is subject to change). 

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

The LPC aims to prepare you for practice as a trainee solicitor. Students who subsequently decide not to go into legal practice will have acquired skills and knowledge that have a wide application in business, commerce and banking, particularly in areas that require knowledge of the law.

 

Successful completion of the LPC also gives students the opportunity to progress on to the Master’s degree in Professional Practice at the University, which leads to the award of an LLM. Read more about the LLM Professional Practice.

 

Read more about legal employment opportunities.

 

 

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this 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.

 

Once you have successfully completed your LPC at the University of Wolverhampton, you will be eligible to progress on to our LLM Professional Practice (top-up) degree course at a discounted course fee (£786 for the academic year 2017-18). You can commence your LLM immediately after completing your LPC.

You will gain a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice qualification. At the end of 145 credits at level 7 (i.e. Stage 1 and Stage 2) you, the student, will be able to:
 

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

2. 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

3. Perform the tasks required to advance transactions or matters

4. 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

5. Demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and skills in the areas of:

  • a. Professional Conduct and Regulation;
  • 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
  • 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

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

7. Reflect on their learning and identify their learning needs

Location Mode Fee Year
Home Full-time £11000 per year 2022-23
Home Full-time £11550 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £11550 per year 2023-24
Home Full-time £11836 per year 2024-25
Home Part-time Evening £5500 per year 2022-23
Home Part-time Evening £5775 per year 2023-24
Home Part-time Evening £5775 per year 2023-24
Home Part-time Evening £5918 per year 2024-25
International Full-time £14450 per year 2022-23
International Full-time £15450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £15450 per year 2023-24
International Full-time £15950 per year 2024-25

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.

Students must hold a law degree approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”), or have passed either the Common Professional Examination / Graduate Diploma in Law or have otherwise satisfied the academic stage of training as required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.   Applicants are currently no longer required to enrol as a student member of the SRA. Applicants have a duty, however, to declare any character issues that could affect their suitability to practice as solicitors to the SRA. Students should check the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s guidance for the most up to date information and guidance on what constitutes a character issue and any requirements for student enrolment.   Students who have completed Stage 1 of the LPC at another LPC provider may apply for Stage 2 or part of Stage 2 and will be usually be accepted subject to places being available.   In addition, students are required to obtain a copy of the training regulations from the Solicitors Regulation Authority as early as possible.   Students should also have a good standard of written and spoken English

 

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 Loyalty Discount:

You can get 20% discount on a taught 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 on-site 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

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