Are you thinking about joining other law students in the UK? Pursuing a career in Law is a daunting prospect. But if you want to graduate with a respectable grade and boost your chances of landing a high-paying job, you must put in the hours.
You will also have to gather as much learning material as possible, even outside the regular curriculum. And at some point, you will need a paper writing service to help you keep up with the workload.
Before planning to go to UK universities to study law courses, think about if you want to become a barrister or solicitor. Think about what type of law degree you want to get. What legal work do you want to do postgraduate? Do you want to make lots of money, or do you want to provide pro bono legal advice? Planning is key.
What part of the UK do you want to go to? England? Wales?
Become a barrister or solicitor
You might want to research which modules you are interested in taking. Do you want a JD degree or a bachelor of laws? Research the differences. Do you want to study law part-time or full-time?
Research the rankings of the various UK law schools.
Is there a way you can get experience working at law firms before going to law school? Qualifying as a barrister is a lot of work. You should make sure you like it before starting your legal education. You can also go into the courtrooms and see what practicing law is like. The courtrooms are normally open to the public.
After monitoring the success stories of law professionals, here are some useful tips for every law student in the United Kingdom.
Read a Lot
Every law student should be an aggressive reader if they want to succeed in the highly demanding and overly competitive legal profession. Once the lecturer provides an outline for the reading materials, start searching for them in the library and other online sources.
Dedicate ample time to read as much as you can. And don’t limit your reading list to only textbooks and course outlines. You need to read cases, statutes, and other legal documents.
By doing the extra reading, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the topic while staying ahead of the class.
Take Notes While Reading
Students often fall into the trap of trusting their brains to hold onto vital information at all times. In reality, most people, except those with eidetic memories, forget over 80% of what they read or see within a short time.
However, taking notes when reading massive volumes can help your brain retain more information. Besides, note-taking enables you to condense information into digestible chunks that your brain can store and retrieve quickly. And most importantly, writing down key points helps ingrain them into your long-term memory.
Don’t Skip Class
Keeping up with the changing socio-cultural landscape can take a toll on your ability to attend classes. Whatever you do, try to attend classes. Even if you can’t make it to the physical classroom, make an effort to join the online lecture.
Why should you not skip class in college? Law professors often drop gems during lectures, which will help you shape your arguments to score highly. And if you are not in class, you won’t be able to pick up these vital pieces of information.
Practice Critical Thinking
Some people argue that critical thinking is an innate skill that you are born with, but the truth remains that you can acquire this skill through practice. And it all starts by asking questions and reversing your positions on certain issues.
How can you do that? For starters, you need to choose a specific topic. Then you ask yourself why you hold your position on it. Try to gather as much evidence supporting your position as possible. After that, you can view the topic from the opposing perspective to see if your opinions have any merit.
By doing so constantly, you will condition your brain to think critically.
Law Students in the UK- Participate in Class
We’ve already talked about attendance, but most people exist in the classroom without making their presence known. When in class, try to participate in discussions. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if the lecturer says something unclear, and challenge opinions that don’t align with yours.
Doing so will help you develop the courage to argue your opinions publicly. And most importantly, it will help the lecturer notice your presence in the class, which might come in handy eventually.
Learn on Your Own
Although the best teachers will give you everything you need to succeed in school, your success hinges on your ability to learn unaided. For example, the professor can reference a case to expound on a point, but you can only get the full gist if you read the case yourself.
But that’s not all. Reading on your own helps you gain deeper knowledge. You can also create custom study guides for yourself. Besides, reading on your own helps you cover the curriculum faster, and as a result, you will go into any finals or tests armed to the hilt with important information.
Attend Extracurricular Activities
Even with a stellar GPA, you still need to connect with your peers and future colleagues socially. You can join a moot court or a study group where you can meet like-minded individuals. Even beyond academics, you can participate in activities that will make your resume stand out.
Find Time for Relaxation
You are probably seeing all the “reading” mentioned above and wondering when you will get enough time to rest. If you plan your time well, you’ll find enough time to relax and even party hard.
If you don’t manage your time properly, you burn out very fast. And not only that, but your academic performance will decline significantly since you are not functioning at full pelt.
Avoid Unhealthy Competition
Law students in the UK — and all over the world — are always under this constant pressure to perform. And due to the competitive nature of the legal field, students turn everything into some sort of race against their peers.
Although such an atmosphere boosts competition, it often breeds toxic learning environments. Instead of students working together, they will try to hoard information in a bid to outperform their colleagues.
Don’t get embroiled in all that. Just take it easy and continue improving your skills and knowledge base.
Law Students in the UK- Seek Help if Needed
Mental health is now a pressing issue for students in the current cultural climate. You no longer need to power through your struggles alone. Your friends and loved ones are always one call or text away. If it is something they can’t handle, you can visit the college guidance counsellor.
If your academic workload is kicking your butt, outsource some to experienced pros to help you recuperate. You can even reach out to older students for guidance when you are stuck. And know this: professors appreciate students who ask questions and challenge them.
4 Best Law Schools in the UK
There are many prestigious law schools students can opt for. Here is the list of the four most distinguished ones in the United Kingdom.
University of Cambridge
Being one of the oldest schools, its reputation precedes it. Here you can receive a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Law and a Master’s degree in Corporate Law. Additionally, Cambridge offers two diploma courses that last only a year – the Diploma in International Law and the Diploma in Legal Studies.
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is as famous and prestigious as the previous school on our list. Here, you can receive a Bachelor’s in Jurisprudence or Civil Law, Magister Juris, and MPhil in Law. Some other programs the school offers include the MSc in Law and Finance, Master’s in International Human Rights Law, and a number of Doctorate degrees.
The entry requirements for Cambridge and Oxford can be very tough, but there are two other great universities.
University College London
UCL is a favourite among international students. An impressive 57% of the student body is from other countries. Just like the two universities above, it is one of the leading schools in the UK. Students can receive here either LLB or LLM.
University of Birmingham
This list wouldn’t be complete without the University of Birmingham. One more English school with a long history and first-rate teaching. Students who decide to pursue a Law career here can receive LLB and LLM. There are also available short-term courses in Law and a diploma in professional legal practices.
Below are some other schools and organizations UK students might want to look at:
- UCAS
- The University of Law
- London School of Economics
- King’s College London
Find which one is best for your undergraduate law degree.
Law Students in the UK Conclusion
How you arrive at law school will vary. Maybe you have a university degree from outside the UK. Or maybe you did well during your A-levels in England. There are different paths to starting your legal career.
Law graduates should have a plan for getting through the next stages of becoming a lawyer. The ultimate goal should be getting called to the BAR by the Law Society.
When studying Law in the United Kingdom, you need to stand out from your peers by reading academic material. Even when you don’t want to do anything, drag yourself to class and try to participate. And when the workload gets too much for you, reach out to experts for assistance. Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun in the process.
We hope you learned about law students in the UK in this article. Let us know if you have questions in the comments. We wish you the best in your pursuit to study law in the UK and getting placements.
Don’t apply for law school until you are certain you want to be a lawyer. That’s the best advice.