The traditions of education in these countries are very strong, time-tested: namely educational systems these countries serve as an example and a benchmark for educational institutions around the world. In addition, the foundations of British and American law are very widespread, and judicial systems around the world largely operate on these systems.
Possible study areas in the field of law are very diverse: these are bachelor's, master's, doctoral studies, and short-term training courses and advanced training, and preparatory pre-university courses. An important plus is that in almost every program, theoretical training goes on without interruption from practice: real cases, real life cases and legal precedents are constantly analyzed, well-known experts, speakers, judges and lawyers are invited, thematic master classes, lectures and seminars are arranged. In addition, the study a large number related specialties allows graduates to really be highly rated on the international labor market - there are practically no problems with finding a job.
Legal education in the UK: the structure and features of education
They offer fairly short bachelor's programs - they last only 1-3 years versus a four-year one domestic program. This is due to the fact that a dense career guidance and study of specialized disciplines in Britain is already in the senior, graduating classes (stage sixth form), respectively, children are already entering the university with a solid foundation basic knowledge and skills.
Of course, the cost of studying in the UK, especially in such a sought-after specialty as law, is very high: for example, to study at Oxbridge and other top national universities you will have to pay 13-14 thousand pounds sterling (and this does not include accommodation). But graduates pay back the money spent already in the first years after graduation - such young professionals are very quickly “snatched up” by the best international companies, offering prestigious and highly paid positions.
In addition, the most gifted students have the opportunity to receive a grant or scholarship - this will help to significantly reduce costs. Good way save money - use a translation program or others: graduate from a university in Russia, receive an international diploma and after that enter British universities(for example, for master's programs).
Speaking about admission to law schools in the UK, we note the following key requirements for applicants:
- High level of English - almost at the level of a native speaker: from 230 or from 7.0
- Possession of the necessary academic skills and specialized terminology (for this we will be able to select effective preparatory courses for you)
- If possible, it is better to go through the program of middle, senior and graduation classes in the English school: , or . Please note that law faculties and schools are very demanding - in at least three subjects, the mark on the exam must be A * -A and not lower.
Universities in the USA: Law Schools, Institutes and Graduate Schools
In the United States, it is jurisprudence that is considered one of the strongest and most sought-after specialties: it was influenced by long tradition American law, a huge number of legal and legal companies and specialists, high educational standards and, in general, high legal literacy of the population.
If you decide to get a higher legal education in the USA and take care of this issue in advance, it makes sense to graduate from one of the so-called Schools of Law. Such schools are part of large and developed universities and train high school students in the main disciplines of the legal system. A big plus is that you can enter such a school with a diploma or certificate of any specialty, you only need to take a special Pre-Law preparatory course. The topics of Pre-Law can be different: for example, the University of South Florida has options for international, judicial, constitutional law, and environmental law.
In the universities themselves and higher law schools, students start with an undergraduate program: the Juris Doctor degree allows you to start advocacy (family, criminal, civil or corporate law). This is followed by a master's course - an LLM degree. You can enroll in a master's program either immediately after graduating from a law bachelor's degree, or with a different diploma - but after passing a special preliminary training and passing the LSAT exam (if you previously studied in a related, but not specialized specialty).
Where to go to study?
We have already noted the best law schools in the world. But the list of prestigious, sought-after and high-quality educational institutions is not limited to these big names - we will give you a few more examples in the UK and the USA.
1) UK
- (Birmingham)
- University of Sheffield (Sheffield)
- Liverpool John Moore's University (Liverpool)
- (Southampton)
- (South West London).
Traditionally, the universities of California and the East Coast, as well as Boston, are considered the best in the legal field.
- Pepperdine University (Malibu): high level research (entrepreneurship and litigation). There is an opportunity not only to complete specialized courses (bachelor's, master's), but also to get a related specialty - business administration, dispute resolution, state and municipal administration are offered.
- University of San Francisco (San Francisco): strong master's programs - "International Agreements", "Intellectual Property", "Technology", "Comparative Law" (including for foreign students)
- Boston University (Boston): is in the TOP-30 best law schools in the country, the main programs are bachelor's degree (Juris Doctor (JD)) and master's degree (Master of Laws (LL.M)). Key areas: American law, international law, intellectual property, health law, litigation.
Legal education has always been one of the most sought after. For many, a law degree is the first step towards a career in the legal sector. However, this is not the only reason to study law at university. Law is known to be a complex discipline, and for many students its appeal lies in its unique combination of human factor with an intellectual component.
What is a law?
This may seem obvious, but still, what is a law? Law or legal law, interacts with almost all areas human life, touching on issues related to business, economics, politics, environment, human rights, international relations and trade. It is significant that the first scientific degrees in the world were connected with the law. As a law student, you can expect to learn how to resolve some of the most problematic, often seemingly intractable, conflicts and problems in today's society.
Law courses provide a structure through which to explore and understand different societies and cultures, preparing not only for a specific legal career, but also for a wide range of professional roles, including those required for life in general.
What to Expect from Law Degrees
There are many different types of law degrees, which vary depending on where you study.
Like most degrees, law courses begin with compulsory core subjects, and the opportunity to choose a specialization that is adaptable to a particular career later on. Education is based on a combination of lectures, seminars, group work, presentations, discussions, "mock" trial, courtroom training to help students learn important legal skills such as research and analysis, public performance and formation of arguments.
Some educational establishments allow students to spend a year of study abroad. Some may also provide students with the opportunity to work on a voluntary basis with real clients, which helps to gain invaluable experience and legal skills that will help in further employment.
Key skills that you will acquire while studying at the Faculty of Law:
- Proficiency in legal matters, knowledge of politics, theory and case studies
- Understanding of modern business, politics, sociology and ethics/morality
- Litigation Skills
- Legal document skills
Legal Specializations
Required modules with which you can study in law courses include: introduction to legal methods, introduction to legal system, the introduction of legal studies, legal literacy. Other topics that may be suggested include: constitutional law, criminal law, criminology, commercial law and trusting relationship, human rights, international law (public or private), jurisprudence, labor law, land law, law and government, law and society, law and individuals, contract law, legal methods, maritime law and tax law.
The legal specialties cover a wide range of subjects in order to provide a generalized understanding human society and his laws. Once you have a solid foundation in basic legal principles and objectives, you can tailor your degree to suit your interests. This may mean choosing to specialize in a particular area of law, or in a particular area of culture or society, or even switching to a related field such as business or politics.
Some popular legal specializations include:
Criminal law
Sometimes criminal law is studied as a degree in its own law. Criminal law deals with various aspects of the law relating to crimes. You will learn about the theory of criminal law, and will also consider issues such as crime and gender, corrective justice, criminal justice, global problems crime, human rights, and socio-legal methods and theories. You will also study more specific aspects of criminal law such as murder, offenses with mental disorders, European criminal law, legal measures to combat terrorism, sentencing.
Ownership
Also known as land law, property law is a legal area relating to real estate(land other than personal or movable property) and movable property. You will study the concept of "tenure" - a term used to describe the various categories of rights to use land. Depending on the module, you can find out how and when ownership is created (based on a contract, agreement or court decision), and when this right is legally valid. You will also learn about issues such as mortgages, rents, property, commercial real estate, and stocks, property management, land acquisition, and building law.
Legal regulation in the field of intellectual property
This specialization deals with intangible assets, which include: creations of the mind (music, literature and other works of art), inventions, discoveries, words, phrases, as well as symbols and images. You will learn about economic, social and theoretical issues related to intellectual property (IP). You will deal with issues such as IP policy, laws, trademark, patent, patent and copyright protection. You will also look at IP in global and regional contexts, for example focusing on the integration of European IP laws, as well as an in-depth study of what constitutes intellectual property.
Commercial Law
Also known as business law, commercial law is a body of laws that pertains to the rights, contracts, and actions of individuals and legal entities engaged in trade and industry.
Often, commercial law is considered a branch of civil law (not criminal law), and is a fairly large section in the legislation, including elements of economics, business, management and finance. Commercial law includes the study of all legal issues related to the conduct of business. It covers legal topics such as small business rights, corporate contract regulation, tax classifications, employment contracts, firing contracts, licensing issues, as well as a wide range of business issues such as securities, intellectual property, transactional legal, pensions and benefits, trusts, immigration, employment law and bankruptcy.
Ecology
Legislation in the field of protection, maintenance, regulation and improvement of the environment regulates the interaction between humanity and the natural environment. Environmental law is an increasingly popular specialization and examines the legal side of how institutions, businesses and corporations seek to reduce harmful effect on the environment. Environmental law is an interdisciplinary field, and consists of areas such as law, politics and human rights, with the aim of covering a huge variety of issues relating to the environment. You will learn about global environmental laws in areas such as climate control, resource conservation, environmental protection, Natural resources and climate change policy, and gain an understanding of local or national environmental laws such as noise control, energy recovery and regulation and policy.
Family law
Family law is the legal field pertaining to matters relating to the family. You will learn about a range of family law issues regarding parents, children, their protection, marriage, civil partnership, cohabitation, divorce, human rights, adoption and surrogacy, and more. You will learn how to use the law to resolve contentious issues in families, including termination of relationships and subsequent issues, in cases of child abuse and kidnapping, establishing paternity, and in cases of judgments against minors. Also, international family law can be studied, including transnational and interstate issues, along with specific subjects such as international law about the protection of children. You can also study contemporary issues, including commercial surrogacy, paternity laws, and others.
Other specializations that are studied in law courses include:
Labor law - addressing contracts and claims, which include unfair dismissal, discrimination, etc.
Legislation in the field of health care - related to laws and regulations in relation to public health;
Insurance Law - legal regulation of insurance, insurance policies and claims;
Patent law - focuses on granting patents for inventions and new technologies;
International law- studies the rules and laws adopted as binding in relations between states and peoples, and not between individual citizens.
You can also specialize in legal studies within specific cultures or regions.
Career prospects
In order to advance in a career in the legal sector, many graduates choose to continue their legal education. The specific type of legal training varies depending on legal practice as well as the type of legal career.
In England and Wales, for example, legal training for aspiring lawyers includes one year of legal practice (LPC), followed by a two-year placement as a trainee lawyer.
While law graduates are well-prepared for specific legal careers, a law degree does not restrict you from working in that particular field. As with other subjects in the area social sciences, law degrees can be good preparation for a wide range various career paths. Other sectors you might consider include: accounting, banking, business and management, trade, finance, public sector, HR, journalism, marketing and PR, media, politics, publishing, education.
Legal education in the UK is a kind of gold standard, the standard for training specialists in this industry. And the British justice system itself is an ageless classic, partially copied in many countries. That is why graduates of law schools in the United Kingdom never remain unclaimed - they are happy to be hired in any country in the world.
The system of training lawyers in Foggy Albion is a mechanism honed over more than one century. Future ministers of Themis have always received an elite education here, it is not surprising that law schools place extremely high demands on applicants.
How to become a lawyer in the UK
Future British lawyers start studying law at school. In many Sixth Form (two final years of schooling) you can choose this discipline to prepare for the A-Level exam.
The most common practice of admission to the law faculties of universities for foreign applicants is a one-year foundation program. Studying on it gives knowledge not only of the language, but also of special terminology, as well as other necessary skills.
Legal education in the UK usually continues with a bachelor's degree program at one of the universities. The duration of study is three years, but there are also options for accelerated study with a shorter duration.
If after training a specialist plans to work in Russia or in another country outside british system justice, you can supplement this education with a master's program with an LLM degree. Such an educational route will allow you to find a job in any state without any problems. The best addition to an academic education is an internship at a law firm, which can be found either for the summer or for a longer period.
In order to work as a lawyer in the UK, it is worth mastering one of the two British legal specialties, becoming a solicitor (solisiter) or barrister (barrister). A solicitor in a law firm acts as a consultant. It is he who first contacts the client, determines his needs, and then represents his interests in court. Solicitors may be generalists or may choose to specialize in a particular branch of law. To master this specialty, there are Legal Practice Course courses (duration of study is one year), and you also need to become a member of a local law society. A graduate of the courses can count on the position of an intern in one of the law firms.
Another legal specialty - barrister - is more difficult to master. You must complete The Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) and be a member of one of four professional associations. These professionals can represent the client in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
UK law schools and universities
As in many other professional fields, a legal education in the UK is considered the most prestigious if it is obtained at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. However, there are many other universities in the country that produce world-class specialists. For example, Kingston University has a large number of law programs - future lawyers can choose from 50 courses here. BPP University will be especially good for those who are planning business or finance as a legal specialization. The City, University of London has been training future lawyers for a century and a half. IN The University of Ulster, you can choose to combine law with accounting, politics or criminology.
Legal education in England is also available at the following institutions:
University of Gloucestershire
University of Central Lancashire
University of Essex
University of Southampton
University of Birmingham
University of Sheffield
The average cost of studying at an English university in the direction of "Jurisprudence" will be from £12,000 to £17,000 per year.
How to get a law degree in the UK
Given the high prestige of the legal profession, most of of the above universities conducts a rather rigorous selection of applicants. For foreign applicants, this applies primarily to the knowledge of the English language. You can confirm them by providing IELTS certificate with result from 7.0. In the case of the TOEFL, a score of 230 or higher is required.
Hi all. This is Ann. And today's video is about studying in England. Namely, how to choose a program, a university and what steps you need to take in order to enroll. My video is mostly about the LLM program in law, but I hope it will also be useful for those who are interested in higher education in England in general.
So how do you choose a program? It all depends on what goals you set for yourself. If you want to continue your career in your country, then choose the program that is popular and known in your jurisdiction. In the case of law, this is the LLM program, which is world famous in the CIS countries, in Russia, in Ukraine. It is, undoubtedly, a bonus of your result. But if you want to practice law in England, if you want to work here, then you need to choose a program that would allow you to do this. And therefore it is important to know the peculiarities of the process of qualification of lawyers in England. I won't go into details about the differences between solicitors, peristers, who wears wigs in court, and so on. But I want to in general terms say that in order to become a lawyer, it is necessary, first of all, to obtain a qualifying degree in law. One such degree program is the LLB bachelor's program and there is also a course called the Graduate Diploma in Low, abbreviated as GDL. It allows those students who studied some other subject or received education, maybe even legal education abroad, to learn in one year the same material that is taught in the Bachelor of Laws. And get that qualifying degree.
And further, after obtaining a qualifying degree, it is necessary to take a course in the application of law, that is, the so-called practical course. It lasts one year, there is one course for solicitors and another for peristers. After receiving these diplomas, that is, a qualifying degree and a practical course, you can proceed directly to the training. For solicitors this is called "Training Contrast" and for peristers it is called "Pupilage". This is also a very difficult process, because you need to keep in mind that the Training Contrast is fixed for 2 years in advance, that is, if you plan to be a solicitor, then you need to apply now to start your Training Contrast in 2016-2017.
Just a few words about another way of qualifying as a lawyer in England, which is to a greater extent a retraining of experienced foreign lawyers who are already confident in their abilities and are experts in any field. And for whom the way of going through all the studies again does not quite fit in terms of time frame or some other preferences. And this method consists in one comprehensive exam, it consists of several parts: theory and practice. Such an exam, of course, is a great challenge to your abilities and this must be taken into account. But if you are confident in your knowledge, your strengths, then why not. In the description below this video, I will post a link to a diagram that describes the program I mentioned in more detail.
In choosing a university, I would advise the leadership of several factors. One of them is university rankings, various publications and websites, newspapers make up international rankings. And there you can see the ranking of universities throughout the UK or for some individual subjects or world rankings. They are useful because there is such an indicator as student satisfaction and employment. All these criteria are, of course, very weighty. Also, in my opinion, the location of the university is important, because you are leaving far from home and it is important to feel comfortable and that you like the place where you are. If you have already been to some cities and know what you like there, maybe you should give preference to universities in that city. It is also very important to visit the various discussion threads where students leave their feedback, especially international students. Because how foreign student, it is very important for you that the university takes care of you, your documents, visa issues. It is this kind of help that is very important, especially in the early stages, when you are just arriving and there are many unfamiliar moments. And the help of the university plays a very important role.
In my search, I also used social networks, where I looked for graduates of certain universities, tried to contact them, asked their impressions about the program. What they liked and what they didn't. And I want to say that it helped me a lot, because I received a lot of feedback about some specific teachers, subjects. And this gave me certain knowledge before I started studying.
And another important factor is scholarship programs. It is especially important for foreign students from outside the European Union, as it is known that tuition fees for such students are much higher than for local students. And you can look for such programs as at home, that is, in your country, there are various organizations and funds. But also individual universities and their faculties offer various scholarships, grants. It is necessary to check which programs you meet the criteria for, and accordingly, also adjust your choice of university depending on this. It’s worth being optimistic, I know many cases when I actually received these scholarships, so financial question should not stop you if you dream of studying in England.
And finally, how to proceed. Requirements and detailed description the admission process is located on the pages of universities. The whole process takes place online, that is, you can start it while still in your country. And the requirements consist of the main groups. The first group of requirements is for your education, that is, it can be a criterion for a complete secondary or higher education, certain diplomas. And, of course, good grades in these diplomas. Good knowledge of English is also required. For various programs, especially such as jurisprudence, the requirements are quite high. This IELTS exam. The TOEFL exam is also acceptable, and some universities accept Cambridge CAE, CPE exams. But the most common is, of course, IELTS.
It is also very important to know that when filling out online applications you must provide 2 characteristics and, according to at least, one of them must be from the place of study. That is, you need to ask your teacher, lecturer to give you such a description. You must also attach a motivation letter to your application. In it, you must describe yourself as a person, as a specialist, what are your plans, why did you choose this particular university and this program, what do you want to achieve. That is, this is an opportunity to convince the university that you really want to study there and that you are a good candidate. Even if you had bad marks, gaps in the resume, this motivation letter is such an opportunity to explain these points, turn them from shortcomings or some ambiguities into your virtues. And indeed, you need to take this letter seriously, because, in my opinion, it is one of the most important criteria, provided that you meet all the requirements. Your motivation letter is the culmination of your application.
The university legal education in the UK is paid. There are no entrance exams. The annual enrollment of students is small - up to a hundred people.
This explains the possibility of wide use of individual forms of work with students. Yes, in University of London teacher works on individual plan with no more than ten students, Oxford University- no more than three students.
Higher education in law is a two-stage: three-year university education and a one-year or two-year practical internship with the aim of obtaining the status of a lawyer (solicitor or barrister). University education consists of studying a number of compulsory legal disciplines (constitutional law, property law, contract law, labor law, tort law, criminal law and some others), including disciplines of students' choice in order to deepen the study of specialization material.
As a result of studying at the university, exams are taken in accordance with the standards defined by the British Bar Association. Education at the university is practical. Students are focused on future work in certain firms.
English legal education has some specific features:
Focuses mainly on the training of professional lawyers. This is confirmed by the fact that there are no "career judges" in England. A lawyer can become a judge, has practiced for a long time and has achieved great success in his work;
Division of lawyers into solicitors and barristers.
barristers- these are lawyers of things of qualification, which, in particular, have the right to conduct cases in court.
All other lawyers are Solicitors. It follows from this bifurcation of the legal profession that solicitors and barristers receive different education and compose various exams. future solicitor that has already received a university education, must then take a 9-month course of lectures at the College of Law, which is the specialized legal scale of the Law Society of London, or at specialized polytechnic schools in the provinces or in London. The compulsory subjects here are those that are closest to practice: registration of operations in land property, property management, tax, commercial, inheritance and company law. After passing the final exams, the young solicitor is obliged to undergo a two-year apprenticeship in one of the solicitor's offices, in which he, as its employee (aitide dak), performs his work (articles) in order to pay for training in the profession of a solicitor. After the end of the apprenticeship, the young lawyer is accepted as a solicitor. However, even after that, he will be able to engage in independent legal practice or become a partner in a solicitor's commercial society only after three years of work as an assistant solicitor.
A barrister is trained according to the following scheme. Persons with a legal university education must be enrolled as students in one of the guild schools and take a year's course in the so-called "school of law" attached to it. This tradition has long historical roots. Ever since XIV cm. practicing lawyers began to unite in numerous independent corporations or guilds (Inns of court), of which four have survived to this day: the Lincoln Guild Scale, the Gray Guild School, the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple. The young English lawyer gained professional skills by participating in trials and in their imitation at the guild school. The task of the law guilds was not only to transfer young lawyers professional knowledge but also to instill in them a sense of corporate solidarity. The disciples lived side by side with the lawyers in the guild houses, dressed together, attended worship services, celebrated various celebrations, shared the library and the like. Today the student of the school-guild is obliged to spend certain number"lunch sessions". The annual number of such sessions is at least four. They last three weeks. During this period, students can have dinner in the dining room of their guild school. During one session, you must have lunch at least three times. But in order to be admitted to the barristers, it is required to spend eight sessions, that is, to take part in 24 sessional meals. Now this practice has lost its former significance, but the student is forced to go through this procedure, as it is required to receive a diploma.
Upon completion of the training and passing the final exam, a solemn ceremony of conferring the title of barista takes place. But even after that, the young Barista cannot practice independently. During the year he must work as an apprentice in one or more barristers' offices, and only after that he can work for himself.
