LLB degree stale? Becoming a barrister

Hello everyone! After completing my law degree I did my masters in IP law and have been working for a scientific research company in their IP department for the last few years. Recently I have been seriously considering becoming a barrister.

I was interested before but family commitments got in the way so did not have time or finances to go for it. My life is much settled now and I am thinking of going for it. The thing is that my law degree is now stale (bar council says I would've had to do my bar course within 5 years of graduating.)

My question is, would a GDL be appropriate to do and then go for the bar training course. I have spoken to a few people who are barristers and they've said I have a good chance of getting pupilage with my experience and masters but I am worried about wasting money.

Any advice would be appreciated

Reply 1

Abby1011

4

Original post by iloveselfridges

Hello everyone! After completing my law degree I did my masters in IP law and have been working for a scientific research company in their IP department for the last few years. Recently I have been seriously considering becoming a barrister.

I was interested before but family commitments got in the way so did not have time or finances to go for it. My life is much settled now and I am thinking of going for it. The thing is that my law degree is now stale (bar council says I would've had to do my bar course within 5 years of graduating.)

My question is, would a GDL be appropriate to do and then go for the bar training course. I have spoken to a few people who are barristers and they've said I have a good chance of getting pupilage with my experience and masters but I am worried about wasting money.

Any advice would be appreciated

Where is your law degree from? If it is a UK degree, then you don't need GDL. Just apply for the BPTC.

Reply 2

iloveselfridges

OP

2

Original post by Abby1011

Where is your law degree from? If it is a UK degree, then you don't need GDL. Just apply for the BPTC.

Hello,

My law degree is from the UK. The Bar council told me that because I completed my degree in 2016 I would not have enough time to gain Membership of an Inn of Court and pass the Bar Course Aptitude Test so my degree would become stale. They recommended for me to redo my degree. So confused because I never realised that the degrees become stale.

Unfortunately time limits do apply when you're looking to the bar course after your degree. Have you contacted the Bar Standards Board about this rather than the Bar Council? Much like the time limit for securing pupillage after the bar course, the time limit between law degree and bar course can be extended under exceptional circumstances. Unfortunately I don't know what those circumstances might be, but I expect it would be the BSB that would grant that extension and not the Bar Council. The fact you've done a Masters may be reason enough to buy you an extra year, but I would also highlight your personal circumstances in not having the finances to pursue the bar course until now. It may be you can get an extension that way. If not enquire as to whether you can do the GDL instead of a full law degree. That will at least save you some time and money.

Reply 4

shinytoy

18

Original post by iloveselfridges

Hello,

My law degree is from the UK. The Bar council told me that because I completed my degree in 2016 I would not have enough time to gain Membership of an Inn of Court and pass the Bar Course Aptitude Test so my degree would become stale. They recommended for me to redo my degree. So confused because I never realised that the degrees become stale.

Hi, I am in a similar situation. yes the degree goes stale for the purposes of the bar. you can do the gdl, accelerated llb, senior status llb or graduate llb depending on if you want to spend one or two years re-studying. i do not know anyone else who has an llb who then did the gdl or a 2nd llb hence my similar threads on this topic. do you?

Reply 5

Jennifer bba

Original post by iloveselfridges

Hello everyone! After completing my law degree I did my masters in IP law and have been working for a scientific research company in their IP department for the last few years. Recently I have been seriously considering becoming a barrister.

I was interested before but family commitments got in the way so did not have time or finances to go for it. My life is much settled now and I am thinking of going for it. The thing is that my law degree is now stale (bar council says I would've had to do my bar course within 5 years of graduating.)

My question is, would a GDL be appropriate to do and then go for the bar training course. I have spoken to a few people who are barristers and they've said I have a good chance of getting pupilage with my experience and masters but I am worried about wasting money.

Any advice would be appreciated

What did you end up deciding?

LLB degree stale? Becoming a barrister

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