LLB vs. CPE

I want to pursue a career as a sollicitor and I was wondering which courses I should take. I think Law would be a very interesting study, but I am also passionate about History of Art and French. I've read that it is possible to do a non-law undergraduate study and take a CPE course afterwards. That seems like the perfect solution, but I'm not sure how it would affect my career prospects.

Would it affect my career prospects negatively if I were to obtain a BA in History at a good university and do a CPE course? Do employers really prefer an LLB degree?

Reply 1

Zerforax

From what ive read, when applying for training contracts, theres a lot of non-law applicants, almost as many as law ones, so i would say it doesn't affect your career path.

Reply 2

goldenbuttons

I think it would actually increase your chances and career prospects. At a law fair I went to I asked the same question, and she implied heavily that a 3 year course followed by a conversion course is preferred as it makes you more of an all rounder is displays you have experience outside just Law. Of course this may not always be the case. I'd advise French or straight History, Politics, English etc.

Reply 3

Hipparchia

goldenbuttons

I'd advise French or straight History, Politics, English etc.

Does it have to be a UK degree, or will a foreign degree do as well? How about Liberal Arts and Sciences at a respected Dutch university?

Reply 4

silence

doing the CPE (also known as GDL these days) is fine. around 50% of trainees at city firms come from a non-law background.

i was reading a certain publication today about IP (intellectual property) law and it said that those with a background in another subject (from science to art history) can be more valuable in this legal field espeically.

Reply 5

zillysteph

at the end of the day its a personal choice...sometimes i wish i'd done history or a subject i was passionate about, but i just thought logistically i might as well do law, as its the career path i want to pursue, and i think i would find the GDL a very intense, dull year - cramming the knowledge from a 3 year law degree into just a year.

Also if you want a bit of a mix, what about a law/language degree. i do law with french and i love it, breaks up the tedious-ness of a straight law degree with something a bit lighter as well as looking good on the CV. I spoke to a number of grad recruitment solicitors at the law fair who all said having the language as well as the law would be a great bonus when applying...

Reply 6

Areontas

Go for it if you really enjoy the subjects besides Law you wish to pursue, because as far as I'm aware it will not affect your career. Bear in mind though that it will be hard work, because you'll have to cover a lot, although if you're interested and hard-working you should have a good chance at being able to cope well.

Reply 7

goldenbuttons

I'm not sure Hipparchia sorry, didn't realise you weren't from the UK. I'm sure that would be fine also, this man i asked just implied that is was very much in your favour to have more than just a law degree.

maybe get in contact with some firms yo'd be interested in working for? or a careers teacher at your school?

Reply 8

The_Goose

hmm our teacher infored us that some LPC and BVC providers prefer LLB students as they don't feel that the CPE in one year could possibly give you the same kind of detal and good law education as the 3 year LLB. I university like keele does the LLb but you alos read another subject for your first 2 years so you could probably read history of art. Many other unis provide law with french or french law LLB's some with a year abroad. the options are endless

Reply 9

goldenbuttons

my law teacher also told us that, however at the fair, someone said that you are preferred as employers see you as more mature and someone who absorbs lots of information easily if you have done a one year intensive course.

in theory i agree with the_goose, but i think after a few years' experience someone who has done a law degree and someone else who has taken the 4 year route are on par with eachother, maybe with the latter edging ahead.

Reply 10

The_Goose

hmm but what use would an unrelated degree actually be? I was going to take philosophy degree I mean yes you have wider experience. I mean if you absolutely have to take anoher degree then you would be bater off taking the one you want and then taking an LLB 2 year for graduates. probably thr best of both worlds and i would imagine chearper than the CPE.

Reply 11

goldenbuttons

that's sort of why i suggested the degrees i did, such as english, politics, history, also philosophy actually, french would be very good as you could work in both french and english speaking countries. those examples of subjects entail lots of reading, reasoning and also require and teach a broad knowledge of history, current affairs etc, and also lots of facts, dates etc.

i'm really not an expert on this but that's my reasoning i suppose.

Reply 12

The_Goose

hmm taking an LLB law with french would be good. as it gove you the opportunity to continue french, and sometimes go abroad for a year and study french law. but it depends on whether or not thats what you really want to do. I definately would do the graduate LLB over the CPE though

Reply 13

TKR

The_Goose

hmm but what use would an unrelated degree actually be?

For that matter, what use is most of your law degree? Much more than half the stuff you learn during an Llb will end up having no relevance to your work as a solicitor.

Reply 14

chalks

TKR

For that matter, what use is most of your law degree? Much more than half the stuff you learn during an Llb will end up having no relevance to your work as a solicitor.

I'd put it at around 90%.

Unfortunately, the 10% of stuff which is relevant to the job is, in my experience, those bits covered in the seminars or lectures which you missed due to laziness or hangovers.

Accordingly, my ten years of practice seems to have wholly consisted of making it up as I go along. Interestingly, this does not seem to have been a major disadvantage to date.

Reply 15

silence

perhaps it was the missing of that vital 10% which affected this poor chap...

http://www.thelawyer.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=130770&d=415&h=417&f=416

The_Goose

LPC providers only care about whether you can pay the fees and have a semi-decent level of academic achievement.

also, there is the old argument that GDL students will go into the LPC (and indeed legal profession) with all topics being fresh in their memory. LLB graduates might not have studied certain topics since their first year of university!

Reply 16

chalks

Quite possibly.

Either that or he woke up one morning and suddenly realised that he'd spent the last 15 years working in real estate and came to his senses.

Reply 17

g_star_raw_1989

I recently did some work experience with a barrister, who informed me that 9/21 of the barristers in her chambers did not have a law degree. She comes from a lauguages background witha International relations degree. So i guess it can't really harm your career prospects !